topic Re: remember department stores ? in Community Chat

remember department stores ?

QVCkitty1 — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 19:12:43 GMT

All of this talk about Christmas shopping reminded me of shopping with my mom long ago.

We would go to a small city about 25 miles away, and there were at least 5 large department

stores beautifully decorated, and to a child full of color and kind of magical. . We would have

lunch in a tea room in one of the stores, and I felt fancy . All of those stores are gone now,

and the mall that replaced them is full of empty stores. , it's kind of sad, but everything changes.

Re: remember department stores ?

deepwaterdotter — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 19:19:45 GMT

Would Walmart be considered a department store? I don't shop there, but past descriptions from others here that do bring the term 'department store' to mind.

Re: remember department stores ?

151949 — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 19:20:55 GMT

When we were little my Grandpa would take us into Pittsburgh to see all the dapartment store windows and to help us shop for our Christmas presents for our parents - which , of course, he paid for. We would walk from one end of down town to the other to see all the stores.Thank Goodness Pittsburgh isn't a very large city. In one store there would be a DJ from a local radio station who would do his show from the store window to raise money for the Children's hospital. Grandpa would buy something pretty for Grandma for Christmas and we would be sworn to keep it secret. We would go to grandpas office and I'd get a Christmas pin to wear on my coat - my grandpa was a jewelery designer so it was always something special for me. I still have most of them.

Re: remember department stores ?

151949 — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 19:25:21 GMT

@deepwaterdotter wrote:
Would Walmart be considered a department store? I don't shop there, but past descriptions from others here that do bring the term 'department store' to mind.

When I say department store I am thinking Macys or Nordstroms type stores. Only they were huge and many floors (like 12 ) and would have one whole floor of toyland and another of Christmas stuff. And on the first floor there were huge decorations hanging from the ceilings and walls. It would take a kids breath away. plus they always had delightful windows at Christmas.

Re: remember department stores ?

spent2much — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 19:24:27 GMT

I have the same fond memories of shopping in department stores with my mom in a town about 10 miles away. We would usually make a stop at the "Nut House" to buy warm cashews. We would have lunch at a round counter at Walgreen's, I believe. Our family never went out to lunch or supper, so that was a real treat. I ordered a hamburg, french fries and a soda.

LOL I guess I was a "whiner" because I remember one time, just before we left, she said, "Now if there's any whining, we're going to get on that bus and go right home." I bet I was a really good little girl on that trip!

Re: remember department stores ?

151949 — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 19:27:29 GMT

@spent2much wrote:
I have the same fond memories of shopping in department stores with my mom in a town about 10 miles away. We would usually make a stop at the "Nut House" to buy warm cashews. We would have lunch at a round counter at Walgreen's, I believe. Our family never went out to lunch or supper, so that was a real treat. I ordered a hamburg, french fries and a soda.

LOL I guess I was a "whiner" because I remember one time, just before we left, she said, "Now if there's any whining, we're going to get on that bus and go right home." I bet I was a really good little girl on that trip!

Are you from Erie,Pa. They used to have a fabulous little store in downtown Erie called the nut house and they too served warm fresh roasted nuts.

Re: remember department stores ?

Shelbelle — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 19:30:02 GMT

Oh yes, I worked in one for many years, had 8 floors, 2 restaurants, there was one downtown on 4 different corners. My kids grew up not knowing about such huge stores, only 2 floors and malls.

Re: remember department stores ?

MaggieMack — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 19:31:15 GMT

In the 80s, I worked in San Francisco and the Macy's there was decorated so beautifully. My local Macy's now can't hold a candle to it.

Re: remember department stores ?

Suziepeach — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 19:32:33 GMT

S H Kress at the holidays!! What a nice memory, back then we were allowed to shop alone- I mean this was a small town and our house was almost in town- so our mom would let us go alone plus everyone knew us.. And it would always snow, how I miss all of that but glad for the memories.

Re: remember department stores ?

spent2much — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 19:32:37 GMT

Are you from Erie,Pa. They used to have a fabulous little store in downtown Erie called the nut house and they too served warm fresh roasted nuts.

No, I'm from CT. I guess those little nut houses were popular back then, huh?

Re: remember department stores ?

hovis — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 19:32:50 GMT

If anyone is from the Chicago area they will surely remember Marshall Fields downtown on State St. It was just beautiful at Christmas. I remember going there with my mom and having lunch in the English Tea Room and the huge Christmas tree that went through the middle of the room. Even when the store wasn't decorated for Christmas it was always so much fun to go there. One floor was just purfume. Another floor was just china. And it went on and on. I don't remember how many floors the store had but there was no other store like Marshall Fields.

Re: remember department stores ?

Deanie — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 19:33:20 GMT

Who remembers Hess Department Stores?

Re: remember department stores ?

DoneTryin — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 19:35:19 GMT

I recall enjoying the stores' holiday scenes in the windows. When I was very young, I did my shopping at Woolworth's & Ben Franklin's, Mom always standing by to supplement my few dollars of saved allowance money. More than that, though, was how my sisters & I practically wore out the Montgomery Wards holiday catalog, dogearring the pages with our wishes. Good times

Re: remember department stores ?

Shelbelle — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 19:36:19 GMT

Anyone remember Lerner's Dept Store in the PA area, it was owned by Kathy Levine's grandparents.

Re: remember department stores ?

morganjen — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 19:36:36 GMT

I believe I remember Hess when I lived in the DC area. I remember when department stores used to be downtown. Was such a treat to be able to go with my Mom. Even Revlon used to be behind the counter.

Re: remember department stores ?

just bee — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 19:39:22 GMT

I grew up in Chicago in the 60s and my mother would take us to the Loop. We'd have lunch at The Tartan Tray inside Carson, Pirie, Scott & Company.

Re: remember department stores ?

151949 — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 19:39:47 GMT

@Shelbelle wrote:
Anyone remember Lerner's Dept Store in the PA area, it was owned by Kathy Levine's grandparents.

Really? My first prom dress was from Lerners.

Re: remember department stores ?

Puzzle Piece — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 19:39:58 GMT

I so used to enjoy The Broadway department stores. They had everything. A more upscale store that had just about everything. Clothing, shoes, intimate apparel, notions, candy, jewelry, housewares, fine china and accessories, furniture, luggage department, electronics, flooring/rugs/wall hangings, cosmetics and perfumes, a cafe, travel agency, flower shop, beauty shop, baby and childrens clothing, accessories, and an auto shop outside the store. Everything nice under one fancy roof.

Re: remember department stores ?

terrier3 — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 19:43:14 GMT

Saks Fifth Avenue is still like that.

Maybe that's why I always enjoy visiting there.

Re: remember department stores ?

abbeythe 8th — Sat, 12 Dec 2015 19:47:36 GMT

I grew up in suburban Philadelphia. For us it was John Wanamaker and Strawbridge & Clothier. The flagship store was in the city with branch stores in the suburbs. I loved taking the train into the city with our Nana and her sister for breakfast with Santa.