Re: remember department stores ?

millieshops · ‎03-09-2010

@151949The area where I grew up had no such department stores - at least not any more than 2 stories and that size store meant a day trip. Loved those days because yes, one of the stores my mother liked to shop also had a lunch counter which always had delicious pies! I don't remember anything else we ate, but I can still see the pies.

Nowadays, I still like department store cafes- at the few places they still exist. Mostly, it's just food courts which are not nearly as interesting, imo.

Jayjay · ‎03-11-2010

@hovis wrote:
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.
@hovis wrote:
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.
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I am from Chicago and remember the huge fancy department stores. I worked downtown in the mid to late 70's.

We just went to the Walnut Room last year for the first time but I don't think we will make it back this season. No longer Marshall Fields and it's just not the same any longer.

Preds · ‎12-17-2012

Fate whispers to her, "You cannot withstand the storm." She whispers back, "I am the storm."

Shelbelle · ‎03-09-2010

@151949 wrote:
@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.

Just to clarify, not to be confused with the Lerner Shop, which was just a ladies clothing store, we had that here too in the Baltimore area.

HB glamma · ‎08-23-2011

Yes! I remember and loved them. I grew up in Buffalo,NY in the '50s. Going "downtown" at Christmas was a wonderful day. I remember eating in the tea room, seeing the beautiful window displays, seeing Santa. Just a warm childhood memory that no longer exists. this cannot compare to the circus-like malls of today's world and eating junk in a food court. Life was so good back then

GCR18 · ‎07-03-2013

I've been to many Wal-Mart stores. Wal-Mart is a discount retailer. A department store is generally thought of as an upscale store.

drizzellla · ‎03-14-2010

Abbey - I remember! We always ate lunch in the Crystal Room in Wanamakers and watched the light show and listened to the organ. The shows were every hour on the hour. Then we would walk to Strawbridges and look at the Dickens (?) Village.

And we would dress up for this shopping trip for our picture with Santa too.

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

@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.

No, IMO. Department stores sold clothing, shoes and handbags, jewelry, cosmetics and fragrance, undergarments and sleepwear. A few (Sears, Montgomery Ward) sold other items, but department stores that were not mail-order stores never sold "everything" and were never "one stop" stores. Most had tea rooms or small restaurants with table service, not fast food.

The true department store is largely a thing of the past exept for Macys, Nordstrom & a couple of others.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all