"How about favorite Department Stores"???..Either defunct or still extant ones apply....

[programcomputer]

Since we all have recently been thru the Grocery Store likes and dislikes of many of us. I thought that Department stores should be factored in also.

I will list off mine and then a few reasons why I liked them, and then let's hear about everyone elses...

Here are a few Michigan based ones that are now defunct but I miss in order of favorite...

1. J.W. Knapp's and Company. This company was based here in Lansing and I have mentioned it on here before, they also had a store in Grand Rapids and Battle Creek and I believe they also had one in Ann Arbor. The main branch tho was housed in a beautiful six story art deco building w/ occupied a city block..downtown Lansing on Washington Ave. and Shiwasse Ave. (The building is still extant).

I loved it becasue it had the largest candy counter that I can remember, and I could always get a sack of whatever for a dollar or less, my mom and grandma used to take me shopping there. Until it closed in 1983-84.

My Knapp's adventure was usually complete after a sack of treats and a lunch at the Knapp's diner that faced Shiawassee avenue. Then, mom and grandma would take me downstaris, and would let me roam the applaince department for an hour while they went to the fifth floor to get their hair done. Remember tho, my mother worked there during the early 1970's and the lady who was in charge of the applaince department (Doreen) I remember was a very good freind of hers...and would let me use the vacuums as long as I seemd like It was being demonstrated.

It also, next to Sears and Wards had the very best appliance department, this was located in the basement. They featured General Electric, Maytag and Frigidaire as the major appliance manufacturers. Hoover, Eureka,Sunbeam,General Electric (small appliances),Oster, Kitchen Aid and etc.

Kanpps closed after finishing out as an anchor store in the Lansing Mall about 1985...it's store bein 1/10th it's orginal size of the sprawling complex downtown. This store offered TWO whole vacuums both low end Hoovers, and you couldn't play with them EVER.

2. Federals Department Stores- (not Federated Department stores)was nothing more than a remanant of it's former self when I was young. It moved out of it's large multi-story facility downtown (not as nice as Knapps tho so I'm told) about 1980 and was extant in a shopping plaza until about 1985 when it breathed it's last gasp. This (plaza anchor store) is the place that I remember. The new store used to be like K-Mart or even Woolworths.

Offereing household goods, some clothing ( not nearly as much as the old store did) and did have a extensive vacuum department (suprisingly) Hoover and Eureka were the majors and sold Regina Electric Brooms too.

The reason that I liked it was becasue it got us close enough to Sears so I could whine loud enought to get to go to both.I could never play with the vacuum cleaners at Federals (usually), but never minded lust looking them over.

3.Arbaughs- Arbaughs used to be the coolest downtown store becasue there were NO cash registers. When you purchased something, your reciept was handwritten and sent with your cash to the fifth floor accounting department, like at the bank by pneumatic tube and carrier system. Up there they would do the appropriate things, then your change was sent back down and you went on you way.

Arbaughs changed names, to Arbaugh-Wurzburgs in 1981, then to just Wurzbergs in 1982 and it closed just before Christmas in 1982. They also were in the Lansing Mall ironically next to Knapp's and closed in 1983. Their appliance departments was small and they only sold Eureka stuff ( see an unfortunate pattern here of just the big stuff being sold?) Wurzburgs stayed in buisness in Grand Rapids, in their 28th street mall until 1988 then that company died also.

Defunct, yet nationally based...

4. Montgomery Wards- This was a major anchor store in the Lansing Mall as well since it had moved (again from the downtown district on Washington Avenue) in 1969 well before I was born. This wasn't a bad thing since it's downtown store was tiny and just two stories. The new anchor store was much larger and more modern.

Thier appliance department is just below that of Knapp's. I have spoken warmly about the Wards and I connection (before) and what I could do and get away with there, this is also the place where I could play with the washing machines, or e.r. I started noticing them about 1988 or so. Vaccum Cleaners to make a long story short until they remodeled for the last time in 1986-87 or thereabouts to include Electric Avenue and other like named departments...you could still use them and demo them.

Still Extant-

5. Sears Roebuck and Co- Still in it's same building since 1959 when it was built to anchor Michigan's first Shopping Plaza/Mall "Frandor", they had the best vacuum department by far and washers again came later in 88-89 area. I was always free to do what I wanted here as well knowing that my great uncle was freinds with all these employees ( he worked there) and they knew who I was. This afforded me quite a large run of these areas, but when he finally retired...this happiness kinda went by the wayside..and even now I'm kinda shunned when I visit the store.

6. JC Penney's- the store again moved from downtown about 1978 and moved again to the mall. Thier appliance departmets were small offering a few Eureka based vacuum cleaners under the JcPenney logo. All of this was gone after I would say roughly 1987 or so.

Ironically, the place that used to be Penney's on Washington Avenue is now one of my favorite bar/ clubs that I spend quite alot of time in. Most of the original architecture is still extant and you can see where in many cases merchandise display's used to be...also the lighting fixtures that are consistent with a department store setting, are still used liberally thru the place...but some have been removed...you don't need a spotlit bar...that can be bad...

Anyway, these are some of my fond memories of Departments stores. Let's hear all of yours!!!

Chad

 

[goatfarmer]

South Bend had a department store called Robertsons.7 stories of just about everything,along with a "bargain basement".Went out of business in the late 80's I believe,and the building is now apartments. We also had Wymans,which sold Frigidaire,along with other things.
We have Sears,LS Ayres,Pennys,and Marshall Fields at the mall,everything else is pretty much gone.
One sidenote,there was a very small department store,on the Polish west side,called Kuberski's.All the girls got their first Communion dresses there,and the boys their suits.

kennyGF

 

[agiflow]

I remember in the 70's we had 'Two Guys' which was like a K-Mart,but they also sold large appliances,Westinghouse seems to stick out in my mind from this time.
Of course there was the old standby's like Sears which is still one of my favorites to this day.Penney's was cool when they were selling washers in the early 80's.

Abraham&Strauss i think sold white goods early on too,don't quite really remember.Bamburgers was the New Jersey version of NY's Macy's.I don't think there are any left,it all became Macy's.

I only liked these places because they sold washers.One of my favorite places today is 'The Great Indoors',they are a sears spinoff and have TONS of aplliances ranging from the ultra expensive to the very cheap.
I have seen the circulars that come for 'TGI'and they have the new KM fl washers.I have to take a peek and check these out.

There are others that i can't remember right now as many places quit selling home appliances in the late 70's and early 80's.

 

[partscounterman]

Going Downtown

When I was alittle kid in the late '60's, my Mom would pick up her sister and we would go shopping downtown St. Paul (Minnesota) just about every week. Now I know other folks from the Twin Cities area are going to wax poetic about how fabulous Daytons was- My favorite store was Donaldsons. My parents still called it by its old name- "The Golden Rule" My mother had worked there during WWII. Her job was to inform the prefferred customers that a shipment of nylons had come in. Mom always set some of the precious nylons aside for her and her girlfriends. Donaldsons was a huge store with a decent Majapp. dept. They carried Maytag, Frigidaire, Kelvinator, Hoover and a house brand called Ambassador. I remember they had attendants to run the elevators and these strange soft sounding bells going off all the time (don't know what the bells were for) I suspect that Donaldsons must have been cheaper than Daytons, which would explain why Mom shopped there. (I don't want to say my Mom is cheap, but when she passes, I've promised her I will slip a fully loaded coupon organizer into the casket!) Also at Christmas, they had a fun little train for the kiddies to ride on that I loved. Christmas was never the same without that train ride!

There also was a store called The Emporium (St. Pauls Hometown store). I know they also carried appliances, but that store closed when I was too young to remember.

I remember we would go to Daytons once in a while. The entrance to the St. Paul Daytons had this weird sculpture, which is now in the sculpture garden over in Minneapolis.

Even though they didn't have Major Appliances, I also loved the woolworth downtown St Paul. When I was in Jr High, it was great fun to take the bus downtown and have a burger at Woolworth. I really miss woolworth

We also had WT Grant, kinda like woolworth or Kmart, but the had Bradford appliances.

We were never much for Sears-Always drove past the Sears to go to the Big Huge Wards out on University Avenue. The Wards in St. Paul was one of their main warehouses and so the store ther was a real flagship store. Wards (and sears too) used to have many of the things that Lowes and Home Despot have today. My mother always knew where to find me- in the washer dept. She would always say "Now don't put your hand into the machines." I guess she thought I was stupid or something. Even at a very early age. I knew not to go shoving my hand into a wringer or something.

Daytons used to have a bargain basement, which later developed into the first Target store in Roseville. That store is still running. (Well, as far as I know, not having been in the twin cities for over a year now)

Once the '70's rolled around, the malls began springing up. Downtown St. Paul became a nowhere place to go. I never liked the "mall" version of the dept. stores-they were smaller and had no character. Daytons (oops, I'm sorry-I mean Marshall Fields) is still in downtown St. Paul (well, last I checked)but I've heard that store looses money. I miss the allure of the old downtown as the center of the city. Malls are boring-My walk last night to the Queen Ka'ahumanu center here bears this out-That mall has nothing but Sears (Sears here doesn't even carry shoes or paint) a sad looking Macys (They bought out Liberty House and they don't carry any china-wierd huh?) and more stupid cell phone stores than you can shake a stick at.

 

[scott55405]

David, I always wondered what happened to that sculpture. I'll have to go to the garden and look for it and take a pic of it before I leave. Remember the "air door" where the sculpture was located? They had one of those in Minneapolis too, on the 8th street side. They stopped using it in the mid 70s during the energy crisis, and put regular doors in it.

The downtown St. Paul Dayton's store is still there but it has been remodeled again and condensed to 3 floors. The 4th floor and basement are no longer open to the public. I think it's mostly apparel now. It's an ok branch and I'm glad it's still there, though it looks nothing like you would remember (not, of course, that the Minneapolis store does anymore either). It will *always* of course, be Dayton's. When someone insists on invoking the "M" word, I simply remind them that that store is located in Chicago, LOL. I have nothing against that name or store, it's just that's Chicago to me, not Minneapolis.

I've heard tell of the Emporium, but I don't know if I was ever in it, we were on the Minneapolis side and it closed when I was pretty young too. I know they were a big Hoover dealer according to my friend.

I don't know if you know, but "The Golden Rule" was actually a locally owned St. Paul store as well. About 1960 or 61, Donaldson's (it was always Donaldson's in Minneapolis) decided they wanted a branch in St. Paul, and bought into The Golden Rule. It was known for a time as "Donaldson's Golden Rule" and later just Donaldson's, although many folks stuck to "The Golden Rule." Dayton's got a similar start in St. Paul in the late 1950s, having bought into an old independent St. Paul retailer and later buying it out completely. They then built the new building (where the sculpture was) in 1963. I have pictures of when it was built and when they were moving into it. The original store had been located directly across Wabasha from the old, down from Walgreens.

A lot of stores had those bells, and they were predecessors to pagers and that sort of thing. Different people had different "codes" and different codes had different meanings. Remember those little groups of colored lights above the escalator landings at Dayton's? That was a visual version of the same principle. I always liked elevator operators, wish we still had them.

We shopped at Dayton's a lot, but Donaldson's was a perennial favorite too. The fact that they were a Frigidaire dealer was of special interest to me, LOL. Back then, they had the same fun Christmas things (like the train you mentioned in St. Paul) that Dayton's had, and cool display in their street level windows in Minneapolis.

 

[westytoploader]

I'd LOVE to find a JCPenney W/D set!! I heard they stopped making appliances in '83. The washer was the Hotpoint design, with the curved side-opening lid and a straight-vane agitator, some with the "Handwash" system.

KMart was cool back in the early 90's when I was 4-5; I remember looking at the vacuums and the "junk" old vacuums by the stocking door...I don't know why those were there. Montgomery Wards was really neat around that time as well, but pretty much went downhill by '97-'98 or so. And of course Sears stopped showing the "demo" machines on the floor.

Now malls are pretty much unimpressive around here. Katy Mills is a "supermall" in Katy with many interesting stores, but no major-appliance retailers. Willowbrook and the resurrected Memorial City in Houston (almost met the fate of demolition...) have Sears, Foley's, JCPenney, and I think Dillard's but I'm not sure.

And I agree David, just what we need is ANOTHER damn cell-phone store! More than 100 in Houston. Cell phones are the junk electronics of the 21st century...mine was $130; now the voice-answer system is broken and when you talk longer than 5 minutes it starts getting hot and burning your face...geez! And it's still mint--not handled roughly or anything!

--Austin

 

[drmitch]

David, We used to have a Woolwrth here and we loved it, although they had no appliances. They had a great little cafe attached and had the best cheesecake ever! Mom, Dad,and my brother and I would go there every time we went to the mall.

 

[scott55405]

Oh David, I forgot to mention that the Roseville Target will soon be replaced by a new "Super Target" at the same location. That's kind of too bad, since that was the original Target, though it looks nothing like it used to.

What part of St. Paul did you grow up in? I remember that Woolworth's store. Both the old and new ones in Minneapolis were fun too and had the dining facilities. They were in every mall and any business street back then.

 

[scott55405]

Apache

David, I know you were in St. Paul, but did you ever go here? (See link). We weren't close to it, but I remember it and remember going there. It's gone now, but there's some fun old pictures and things in the site.

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apacheplaza.com

 

[partscounterman]

Daytons

Even though we weren't really Daytons people (too upscale for the McShannocks!) I discovered the Minneapolis Daytons when I was going to North Central Bible College (please don't ask!). That store was HUGE and had everything-even a small drug department, a sewing machine dept. a smoke shop every darn thing! They gave me my first credit card and my first taste of horrible debt!

I think the store that Daytons bought out in St. Paul was called Schunamans or something like that.

I guess I miss the big store that seemed to have everything. Now, stores like Sears are so limited in what they sell-its like if they can't make a billion dollars in a particular area, they just drop it. So they drop the candy counter, the smoke shop, the paint dept, the record dept (Oh, did I say records? I meant CDs! Ooops)

 

[partscounterman]

Scott-

I grew up in the postwar suburb of Maplewood, in fact I was raised on Prosperity Rd (such a charmed life...!)near Lake Phalen.(named for a murderer I've heard)

There was a thriving shopping center near us called Phalen Center that had a discount dept. store called Shoppers World (not to be confused with Shopper Shitty, uh I mean City) That went out when I was about 5, to be replaced by JCPenney Outlet. Phalen Center died a horrible tragic death in the '90's and now has been turned into a wetland. It was almost frightening how quickly that shopping center went from bustling to dead before your very eyes.

I remember seeing TV ads for Apache Plaza-they also had a cool train for the kiddies! We never went there though- St. Paulites just don't go that far west!

Here in Kahului, we have the Kahului Shopping Center, which contains Ah Fooks Groceries, a Salvation Army and Dels Farm and Feed. The sign outside proclaims that it is the oldest shopping center (not mall) west of the Mississippi (yah, WAY west). My father says the oldest shopping center is Highland Village in Highland Park (St. Paul again)which is just a few blocks east of the Mississippi

 

[partscounterman]

Oh, and Scott

You said you were going to get a picture of that sculpture before you leave-Don't tell me you are also moving from "Gods Country"?

 

[spiralactivator]

I grew up in a pretty remote area, so the biggest department store we had was Boscov's. I remember being impressed by Boscov's when I was very small. The decor was very ornate, with huge chandeliers. They gutted and remodeled the whole store in the '90s, and as I recall Rose Marie and Morey Amsterdam appeared at the "grand re-opening." (I wasn't there, just read about it later).

We also had a Hess (later bought out by Bon Ton), a couple of McCrory dimestores, and a half hour's drive away there was a Hills store and a Laneco. The only appliance I remember was a 40-inch 1950s electric stove Hess used as part kitchenware display. I was fascinated by all the drawers and compartments.

 

[partscounterman]

Memory Lane...

I suppose folks not from the Twin Cities are getting bored with me by now- but the Apache Plaza link was too fun!

We shopped the nemisis mall-Rosedale, sister mall to Southdale, Ridgedale and Brookdale.

Captain Kangaroo, Marlo Thomas, GT Murphys etc-my head is swimming!

 

[scott55405]

It is a lot of fun David, that's why I posted it. Even if you're not from here, the historical pictures and info are fun!

I know exactly where you lived, near Presentation of the BVM.

I remember that Phalen Center, I had heard that area had gotten real dicey a while back there.

As for your other question, I'll drop you an email!

 

[angus]

Hmmm..favorite department stores.... Well, we Brooklyn natives didn't go to Manhattan to shop. We went "downtown to Fulton Street. And there you had a wonderful array of huge (or so it seemed to me) stores for every price range. The most elegant store was Martin's. It was quiet and always smelled of perfume, with middle aged elevator operators who wore white gloves. I didn't particularly like that store since it was all ladies apparel and accessories.

Probably the best all around store was Abraham & Straus (unfortunately consolidated into the Macy's stable). It was considered the "carriage trade" store. Physically it was and is a beautiful example of Art Deco construction. Curved brick fenestration on the front of the building and glossy marble tavertine floors on the street level with an elegant central elevator lobby. Nestled among the black marble walls were twelve elevators each with its own operator who announced all of the nine floors. Elevator doors were fronted with frosted glass and brass and at Christmas a huge tree hung from the ceiling by its top and spun slowly. I recall that the "information booth" was so cool, a pulpit sort of affair carved right into the black marble of the elevator bank wall - we felt so important as one of our neighbors (Mae Wenzinger) was the information lady. I think what made that store so special was that like Marshall Field's is immediately identified proudly with Chicago, A&S's was to us Brooklynites. No appliances though, but my mother once bought herself the most elegant Christian Dior dress and hat for a "Very Important Wedding". A&S's also had a neat frozen custard stand in the basement near the subway entrance. That was always worth a trip downtown.

We all liked Korvettes because it had the biggest record department. So every week my cousins who were teenagers would let me go with them to check out the latest 45's and LP's. Then over to Juniors for ice cream sodas. And if we were incredibly lucky, a movie at the RKO Albee - which was modeled after Radio City Music Hall, but on a smaller scale.

There were other stores downtown like JW Mays (kind of an upscale Two Guys but was great for $1.00 Wrangler "dungaree" sales), McCrorys (great for school supplies and ice cream waffle sandwiches at their fountain), Namm's and Loeser's both kind of like Macy's but closed before I reached retail consciousness...

Today, I shop in a number of stores - they are all somewhat similar though I guess I gravitate toward Brooks Brothers, Nordstrom, some outlets and occasionally Saks or Bloomingdales.

More recently, some of my "still favorite" stores are those that are no longer, victims of relentless consolidation or incredible mismanagement after being taken over by greedy "geniuses": B. Altman & Co, Bonwit Teller, I. Magnin & Co, John Wanamaker, Hahne's, The Broadway, Pogue's, Goldwater's, Robinson's (the new Robinson-May is NOTHING like Robinson's used to be)

 

[rickr]

Wolf & Dessauer

Well,here in Fort Wayne we had a great department store from 1896 until 1969. It was called Wolf & Dessauer. It was a seven story building with a discount basement. My grandmother worked there from 1941 until they were bought out my LS Ayres in 1969. They had everything,from large appliances(including Frigidaire) to gym trunks. Ladies could get their hair done,they had a "ready to wear" dept.as well as a tailoring service.A "tea room" on the top floor,and of course delivery service for anything they sold.The best thing they did however was CHRISTMAS!! Although the owners were Jewish,they really did up Christmas right. They had santa for the kids,and took pictures of every child and gave a copy to the parents at no charge. They had a small train for the kids to ride with an elf at the locomotive!They even had an elf who would help children pick out presents for mom and dad,and the other family members. Then were the W&D (as the store was called) magic windows. The store took up a whole city block,and was located downtown. All the windows on the ground level would be decorated in Christmas winter scenes,with animated elves,teddy bears,santa,and his elf helpers,and of course Mrs. Claus. There was a huge lit Christmas wreath on both ends of the building that were several stories high.And on the side of the building facing Washinton Blvd,was a HUGE lighted santa,sleigh and reindeer! The thousands of lights were in sync to make santa wink,and the reindeer's legs move as though they were running!! REALLY something. And EVERY kid in Fort Wayne ding donged their mom and dad to take them to W&D! In the 1950's and 60's it was THE place to go!
The original white terra cotta glazed brick building has long been torn down. Replaced with an ugly 1980's unfinished cement office building. However,about 20 years the both wreaths and the santa/reindeer display were found in an old warehouse. Several electrical companies donated the time to relamp and rewire the huge outdoor displays. And on Thanksgiving eve of 1985,a contracting company had huge cranes hoist all 3 of the restored outdoor displays up on three building in downtown Fort Wayne,and turned on the power! It was sure a surprize for all of us!They had kept the secret well! A blast from several generations of Fort wayne people's past.Although the displays are on 3 buildings now,instead of just one, it has become a tradition in Fort Wayne. On Thanksgiving eve parents take their kids downtown to see the lighting of the Christmas displays.Just like their parents took them,so many years ago.

Thanks,
Rick

 

[kenmore1978]

L.A. Department Stores

My Grandmother and her sister-in-law used to go "window shopping" which bored me to death, since they never seemed to BUY anything.

Back then (Sixties), the players were:

The Broadway
I. Magnin
May Co.
Robinson's
Bullock's
Buffum's
Sears
Montgomery Wards

Two Guys was here, too

 

[rickr]

Wolf&Dessauer dept store display

Here is a film clip about the W&D store from Fort Wayne (see my past post in this thread) I was incorrect about one thing on the santa display. The reindeers legs do not move,instead santa's arm moved,and cracked the whip. ):
Enjoy a blast from the past!
Rick

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