What is your favorite Department Store?

[ronhic]

Actually, the Hudson bay does rightly claim oldest operating 'store', but David Jones is the 'oldest department store still trading under it's original name'. The Hudson bay was not opened as a department store. David Jones was. Further more, the Hudson bay didn't become a department store until after 1838 or David Jones could not legally make the claim... And you can he guaranteed that there would have been legal action from somewhere on the globe if it wasn't fact.

 

[twinniefan]

Waltons

Mine is from the past and no longer around it was Waltons, they were great they had clothing, shoes, toys, homewares and best of all heaps and heaps of appliances, and working from memory here,they were one of if not the first dept. store to offer layby.
I remember when I first started working I put a Sunbeam frypan and a General Electric vacuum cleaner on layby for my mother's birthday which was 2-3 months later.
Unfortunately they sold out to Bond corporation who basically screwed them into the ground.
I was also a big fan of the old Woolworths and Coles variety stores which were very big for a long time.
One of my favourite pasttimes was on Saturday morning, Mum would take me into the local shopping centre and we would have lunch at the Coles cafeteria which was upstairs.
Oh how I yearn for my younger years to come back sometimes.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Terry, the one time I saw the tree in Marshall Field's I viewed the tree from an upper floor and it was a real tree then, before fire regulations made them switch to an artificial one. It was a brief glimpse. My mother was not interested in it so I was not allowed to linger as she held my hand. Children were not allowed to run around stores in those days.

 

[tlee618]

Hi Tom, I know just want you are talking about. Even today you can go up to the 8th floor and look down on the tree. It is a good memory from my childhood. When I lived back in Illinois there were a group of us that went to Chicago every November on a Saturday for the lighting of the tree. They still do it today.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Terry, do you find Christmas in Florida sort of difficult? I was usually there in October or November to escape the dreary, rainy chill that made coping with the anniversary of my brother's death more difficult. Watching people in stores putting out Christmas decorations made me think they had a horrible job when it was so hot and sunny outside. There was a home in the Bradenton area that wrapped the trunks of two palms in blue lights and that looked nice at night, but we drove past it with the AC on in the car so it was weird seeing holidy lighting when it was so warm outside.

 

[spookiness]

I'm not brand or store loyal

To anything. I will grudgingly drag myself to Macy's on occasion, but never without a coupon, and most stuff I buy there ends up getting returned after I have time to think about it. Most purchases are made from various retailers and discounters according to their various strengths.

I must say however that I've been happy with JCP lately. The mens suits have been weak the past couple years, but they keep sending me coupons so I go to get casual wear, basics, and holiday gifts. I hate ties, so my mantra is to never pay $15 for one. The last $10 "bonus cash" coupon I got was used for a tie. I also like that you can order online, have it delivered to the store, pay not shipping, and return it on the spot if you don't like it. That's convenient, and smart because I think its the future of brick and mortar retailing.

As has been discussed many times on this blog, pretty much everything is crap unless you go high-end or vintage, so if its all crap anyway, you might as well pay the least amount you can. JCP stuff is slightly better quality crap at a fair price, if that makes any sense, especially compared to Macy's, which is overpriced crap.

 

[sudsmaster]

I get most of my clothes from Costco. The selection is limited and if something new pops up that you like, it's best to get multiples because you may never see it again there. The quality is generally good to excellent, with just about the best prices.

I admit I'm not too fond of department stores, and I can't remember when I bought clothing at one. Maybe 20 years ago at Mervyn's, which is now bankrupt and gone.

 

[tlee618]

Tom, I really have to agree with you! The holiday season just isn't the same down here. However I must admit that putting up some outdoor decorations is a lot nicer when your fingers aren't numb.LOL What helps me is I usually fly to Chicago on Christmas day where I meet up with friends and spend a few nights in the city. This has become a tradition and it is always fun. Then it is usually on to Omaha for New Years with Greg and others so that really helps.

 

[whirlcool]

I had forgotten about Nordstrom. I bought my last two suits there and a pair of ungodly expensive shoes there. The service was most excellent. The salesperson was one of the most sincerest of the type I have ever met. And the Houston location had a pianist in the middle of the store. Must be a Nordstrom thing....

I have bought a few items at Kohl's. Some of the clothes fit ok, some fit weirdly.
It' like some shirts are too big in the middle and too small at the shoulders. What I find fascinating is that the interiors of the Kohl's here are replicas of the former Mervyns stors. Right down to the floor tile and carpeting. It's weird.

Mervyn's did well in Houston, until they changed it to a Mervyn's California store.
Then it was no better than a Kmart. I bought a lot of clothing there before the change over.

Years ago I received a nice shirt from my sister for Christmas. When I washed it the sleeves came off! No rips or tears, they just kind of disconnected from the body of the shirt. I asked her where she bought it. Zayre!

Now Karen is after me to clear my closet out. I don't wear nearly as many clothes in retirement as I did when I was working. It's a chore I am not looking forward to. I have clothes in there that I haven't worn in maybe 7 years.

 

[circlew]

For the last 10+ years I've bought most of my clothing, linens and such at either Kohl's or JCPenney. I especially like the Croft & Barrow polo shirts at Kohl's, and the St. Johns Bay shirts from Penney's. Once in a while I'll get an item of clothing or shoes at Sears, but usually shop there only for tools, appliances and such.

 

[tolivac]

JCP

 

[kevin313]

Long gone the days of department stores....

...and how I miss those grand old places!

The greatest department store was J.L. Hudson's here in Detroit. They sold everything. Their service was outstanding. They stood behind their merchandise.

The department stores I find myself in most these days are Kohl's and Sears - they both have great sales.

 

[franksdad]

Dillard's

99% of my pants and shorts I pick up at thrift stores, Goodwill, Salvation Army, etc. However, my polos, dress shirts and dress clothes I get at Dillard's. I used to enjoy shoping at Belk but their quality has gone down the toilet as their prices have gone thru the roof. I buy my underwear from JCPenney, socks and ties at Ross, shoes at two local shoe stores named Newton's Shoes and GB Shoe Wearhouse. I shop Lands'End Eddie Bauer catalogues, and linens come from Ross or TJMaxx now that the Westpoint-Stevens Factory Store in no more. The last time I ordered polo shirts from LL Bean I was very disappointed and I have not ordered anything from them in years.

 

[gmmcnair]

Another Vote for JC Penney

A large portion of my clothing, bed linens and the like come from JCP. I loved the Bon Marche back in the day, but Macy's isn't the same. I rarely shop there. I remember the old days when you had Lamont's, Mervyn's, Frederick & Nelson (I liked them), and Miller's (a local dept store in southern Oregon). Shopping was more fun back then.

Nowadays, if I don't have to see it or try it on first, it's usually Amazon or Wal-Mart online.

 

[appnut]

The majority of my clothes have come from Sam's Club.  A few from Wally World.  And a few from Academy.  I've not set foot in macy's (used to be Foley's in Texas) in YEARS!!!  Allen, I have two blue mesh collanders I got at Mervyns near Willowbrook Mall, so that means I got them before 1986 when I was moved here. 

 

[sdlee]

It was Kresggees all the way.

On TV life Higbees from a christmas story

 

[laundromat]

GAYFERS

When I lived in baltimore,Maryland,my favorite store was the Hecht Company where they had their own line of major appliances named Duracrest made by either Kelvinator and/or Leonard.When I moved to Florida, Gayfers was my absolute favorite DS because their lettering was block letters like the FRIGIDAIRE logo from '58 through '76 and their shopping bags were turquoise.I bought a great set of stainless steel cookware there (11 pieces with see through lids,copper clad sandwhich bases and non-stick interiors) for a mear $99. I had them for 7 years and they were losing their interior finish. They came with a ten year warranty and the man who had sold the set to me honored the warranty and gave me another set!! They merged with Dillards then got bought out and became Macey's. I only wish I could find that set again. No idea who made them but they were the absolute best pots and pans I ever had.