That pic of the City of Paris tree and rotunda was stunning. Another store famous for its holiday windows was the iconic, and now sadly defunct Lord & Taylor. People would line up on Fifth Avenue for hours just to look. And in typical L&T fashion, someone brought out complimentary coffee to those waiting in the cold for either the store to open or see the windows. Looking at the picture of City of Paris, and remembering other stores like B. Altman & Co, Newark's Hahne & Co, Hartford's G. Fox & Co., etc., you just don't see architecture and craftsmanship like that anymore. At least Neiman's kept the rotunda.. And let's not forget the magnificent building that once housed the I. Magnin & Co. Union Square flagship along with the flagship locations of Chicago's Marshall Field & Co, and Philadelphia's John Wanamaker. Having visited all of those stores during holidays past was quite an experience. The decorations and windows were absolutely insane!!!
Most everything now is nothing more than a white box. What Macy's did to the Abraham and Straus Brooklyn flagship was heartbreaking. Admittedly the store had been neglected by Federated Dept. Stores leadership for too long and needed serious capital improvements. But every interior Art Deco detail has been removed and even the once grand elevator lobby eliminated, creating a very "progressive" look. Also, the store is now four selling floors instead of eight - with the upper floors leased out for office space. But then, if Macy's only other option was to close the Brooklyn store and sell the building, I guess it's a compromise. And it is the only remaining full line department store (out of five or six that originally existed) operating on the once fashionable Fulton Street stretch. Recently visited there and while the vibe is distinctly different, it is still a very viable shopping street. So I can conclude that all isn't lost...
