spiralactivator
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- Sep 7, 2004
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Lovely Hotpoint set! But I'm not familiar with Eaton's. Where was it based? Is it still in business?
Eaton's POD
- Thread starter spiralactivator
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westytoploader
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- Sep 4, 2004
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Actually that Viking machine is a GE Filter-Flo clone...notice the Mini-Basket and filter pan instead of the Handwash agitator duo and self-cleaning ring.
Very nice, with a cool control panel. I love the idea of the pushbutton cycles!
Very nice, with a cool control panel. I love the idea of the pushbutton cycles!
veg-o-matic
Well-known member
Eaton's was (is?) the Sears/Wards/Penneys of Canada, I think.
veg
veg
Correct
Eatons was a national dept store chain and Viking was their store brand for appliances. They went bankrupt some 5 or 6 years ago and Sears Canada bought it out. Funny thing is that Kmart ceased operations in Canada about 10 years ago now they've bought Sears Canada porton. There's only one large nationwide dept store chain left in Canada now and that's the Hudson Bay Co struggling to survive after 300+ years.
Sears in Canada was a 1955 amalgamation of Sears Roebuck and Toronto based dept store Robert Simpson known as (Simpsons). Simpsons, unlike Eatons and Hudson Bay (the Bay) was not nationwide and only had stores in Ontario and Quebec whereas Eatons and the Bay operated everywhere. They partnered with Sears Roebuck in 1955 and began opening "Simpson-Sears" stores nationwide in the ever growing suburbs, these Simpson Sears stores were never built as downtown stores anywhere and were never built in any city in Ontario or Quebec that had a stand alone Simpsons stores within 25 miles.
Simpsons itself filed for bankruptcy back in the mid 80's I think and the Simpson-Sears partnership was reformed into Sears Canada, dropping the Simpson name altogether. Not sure who owns the complete outfit,,Sears/Kmart obviously owns a good chunk of it but not all. It's all quite confusing these store wars.
Eatons was a national dept store chain and Viking was their store brand for appliances. They went bankrupt some 5 or 6 years ago and Sears Canada bought it out. Funny thing is that Kmart ceased operations in Canada about 10 years ago now they've bought Sears Canada porton. There's only one large nationwide dept store chain left in Canada now and that's the Hudson Bay Co struggling to survive after 300+ years.
Sears in Canada was a 1955 amalgamation of Sears Roebuck and Toronto based dept store Robert Simpson known as (Simpsons). Simpsons, unlike Eatons and Hudson Bay (the Bay) was not nationwide and only had stores in Ontario and Quebec whereas Eatons and the Bay operated everywhere. They partnered with Sears Roebuck in 1955 and began opening "Simpson-Sears" stores nationwide in the ever growing suburbs, these Simpson Sears stores were never built as downtown stores anywhere and were never built in any city in Ontario or Quebec that had a stand alone Simpsons stores within 25 miles.
Simpsons itself filed for bankruptcy back in the mid 80's I think and the Simpson-Sears partnership was reformed into Sears Canada, dropping the Simpson name altogether. Not sure who owns the complete outfit,,Sears/Kmart obviously owns a good chunk of it but not all. It's all quite confusing these store wars.
Interesting POD and thanks for the history lesson on Sears/Simpson's and Eaton's Pete. There are many similarities to GE, but yet so different! I remember being in a Simpson-Sears in Winnipeg years ago and marveled at the different appliance brands and looks. I couldn't get close enough to inspect any, but you can't imagine how badly I wanted to!
It's too bad that all the formidable old dept stores chains have almost been obliterated from the face of the earth. I especially liked going into any big old downtown store but even some of those they have ruined with modernization. Dan in Seattle said the bon Marche there is now a Macy's, at least the buildings still intact. The old Eatons here was demolished to add onto the expanding downtown mall, they took apart the beautiful limestone facade and rebuilt a new store on the next block using parts of it, but it wasn't the same, new elevators, new escalators,yuk. We still have the old downtown Bay store and it's still somewhat original though the elevators were taken out and only replaced by one awful cheap no name Krone or something. Many of the escalators though not the real original wooden ones are still there, the 50's narrow ones. The last big store I remember having the original old Otis wooden slat steps was Eatons College Street store in Toronto and those were replaced by new in the early 60's. They did keep one set running by the entranceway after that, but the stores been redone into offices and condos now I think, wonder if that wooden escalator is still there? Hudsons in Detroit (not same as Hudson Bay in Cda) had a great old downtown store,, closed now too. The other great thing about those old stores was nearly all of them had these magnificent dining rooms on the top floor with proper table cloths etc. Unfortunately the one here at the Bay was turned from a wood panelled marvel into a 60's cafeteria.
nurdlinger
Well-known member
J. L. Hudson's...
store in downtown Detroit is not only closed, it is gone. It was exploded (imploded?) a few years ago.
store in downtown Detroit is not only closed, it is gone. It was exploded (imploded?) a few years ago.
Hudsons implosion/Nordstrom desecration
Hudsons was something else again! It was the biggest department store in the world in its day - even bigger than Macy's. I think it was 25 stories or something at the tallest point.
We had a beautiful old department store here in Seattle named Frederick & Nelson. For most of its life it was a division of Marshall Fields, and was the epitome of class in Seattle, but they sold it off to get quick cash when Target was taking over Fields.
It closed in '91 or thereabouts and sat empty until Nordstrom bought it and redid it as their "flagship" store, and totally butchered the building. The outside isn't so bad - historical preservation requirements kept them from doing anything too extreme, but the inside looks like any other boring shopping mall store. I don't even like to go in there because they did such a lousy job, and almost prefer they'd just torn it down.
Hudsons was something else again! It was the biggest department store in the world in its day - even bigger than Macy's. I think it was 25 stories or something at the tallest point.
We had a beautiful old department store here in Seattle named Frederick & Nelson. For most of its life it was a division of Marshall Fields, and was the epitome of class in Seattle, but they sold it off to get quick cash when Target was taking over Fields.
It closed in '91 or thereabouts and sat empty until Nordstrom bought it and redid it as their "flagship" store, and totally butchered the building. The outside isn't so bad - historical preservation requirements kept them from doing anything too extreme, but the inside looks like any other boring shopping mall store. I don't even like to go in there because they did such a lousy job, and almost prefer they'd just torn it down.
The timer dial and handle looks familiar.
But the Toggleswitches (LOL) are not!
IMHO GE had the KEWLEST switches/levers.
ODD to see a GE clone with a side-hinged lid!
But the Toggleswitches (LOL) are not!
IMHO GE had the KEWLEST switches/levers.
ODD to see a GE clone with a side-hinged lid!
Eddie has a Viking like this from the 1980's. About 15 years ago I saw one those the side-opening filter-flo machines at a friends apartment in Montreal. Of course I had to wait until he went to the bathroom so I could "sneak" a peak inside without having to make any washerboy explanation.
Personally, I like the side-swing lid. Can watch the action & see where the timer is at a glance. Has the best of both styles (Hotpoint & GE)--FF and neat panel.
kenmore1978
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- Sep 8, 2004
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- 2,119
Viking dryer
I notice that the dryer still has an ozone lamp at that late date
I notice that the dryer still has an ozone lamp at that late date
Quote: Of course I had to wait until he went to the bathroom so I could "sneak" a peak inside without having to make any washerboy explanation.
I LOVE that we still feel the need to do this!!!!!
Sometimes it's just easier not to "come-out"
I LOVE that we still feel the need to do this!!!!!
Sometimes it's just easier not to "come-out"
pulsator-power
Well-known member
I used to go down the appliance aisles & open them all up when I was a kid! Actually, I still do
Jerry
Jerry
The doorbell department was always my downfall
The Sears in Omaha held many temptations for me. Particularly the candy counter, the big tents in the sporting goods section and the appliance department (which featured a whole wall of refrigerators under a fabulous bright red awning, and all of them stocked with fake food!)
But the doorbell department was what always drew me. I'd go nuts until a parent or some other adult came over and threatened me with violence unless I knoced it off. After which I'd go over to the lighting department and turn fixtures on and off until my creativity was again stifled ;-)
Kids probably get just as excited by a trip to Wal-Mart, but it just ain't the same. Do they even sell doorbells and washing machines? I've only been in one of them, and only for a second. It smelled really bad and was too loud.
The Sears in Omaha held many temptations for me. Particularly the candy counter, the big tents in the sporting goods section and the appliance department (which featured a whole wall of refrigerators under a fabulous bright red awning, and all of them stocked with fake food!)
But the doorbell department was what always drew me. I'd go nuts until a parent or some other adult came over and threatened me with violence unless I knoced it off. After which I'd go over to the lighting department and turn fixtures on and off until my creativity was again stifled ;-)
Kids probably get just as excited by a trip to Wal-Mart, but it just ain't the same. Do they even sell doorbells and washing machines? I've only been in one of them, and only for a second. It smelled really bad and was too loud.
