Community Chat

[MacDUFF]

Marshall Field's Christmas windows...

[Tinkrbl44]

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@tansy wrote:

Broadway, May Company, Buffums and Bullocks were the big department stores in southern CA when I was growing up.  None of these stores had more than three floors in my town.  Santa used to have his chair in one of the large windows at the Broadway.  Speakers were set up so the parents and onlookers could hear what the children asked for.  A picture was taken but it wasn't the focus of talking to Santa like it is now.  

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I miss not only Bullocks but Robinsons, Joseph Magnin, I Magnin, Saks Fifth Avenue and ..... hmm .... it'll come back to me.   Bloomingdales?   

[MacDUFF]

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@catwhisperer wrote:

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@MacDUFF...I'm 64. Dayton's Sky Room was in the Dayton's in Mpls. I miss so much about downtown Mpls. It changed drastically in the late 70's/80's. I had so many favorite restaurants that I would frequent weekly. There were many movie theaters there. My sister and I would ride the bus downtown almost every Sunday to see a movie and have lunch. Everything eventually closed down. I moved to Cali in the 70's as well.

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We're very close in age...and experiences.  All these memories...so much Americana...I'm feeling very nostalgic.

[just bee]

Any Californians remember The Emporium?  Liberty House?

[ladyroxanne]

@abbeythe 8th

as kids we always went to wanamakers for the decorations and to see santa.  they were the best!

[just bee]

This thread has me looking up old department stores and I just discovered that there was a Liberty House in Albuquerque several years ago (long before I moved here).  It was replaced by Mervyn's.  Loved Mervyn's.  That's gone, too, now.

This site -- The Department Store Museum -- is a delight.  Check it out!

http://www.thedepartmentstoremuseum.org/

[sandraskates]

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@MacDUFF wrote:

@gardenman

@jlkz

Wanamaker's Organ at Christmas...

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@MacDUFF Thank you so much for posting these photos. I lived on the East coast for several years and I remember going to that light show at Wanamakers in Phili with my neighbor and her young daughter. It was like watching animated Light Bright; simple yet spectacular.

I've often wondered if this show still goes on and if it's the same. I always thought that they probably *upgraded* it to some computer graphics-based show which to me would be a downgrade.

[js0717]

No kidding?

i worked at Lerner shops in nyc

[just bee]

Just remembered another one: Foley's.  Ring any bells?

[nomless]

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@MacDUFF wrote:

@nomless

More precious memories with dad...is this the place?  What gifts do you remember getting for your mom?

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@MacDUFF, yes,that's Field's Walnut Room.  Daddy would try to get a table right next to the tree so we could see all the ornaments well. 

As for the gifts we got for Mom, I remember when I was about 6 years old, we picked out a watch for her.  Daddy stressed the importance of keeping it a secret so it would be a surprise.  When we got home, the first thing I said was "Mommy, we didn't get you a watch!"   I really thought that would throw her off and she would try to figure out what else it could be.  LOL.  A sweater one year.  And one year a set of cookware.  Nonstick by West Bend in avocado green.  That was my idea, and I had saved my money so I could buy it.  I was sure proud of that.  

One year, we invited Mom to come with us for the annual Field's Christmas breakfast, and that year we got a set of TV tables for my aunt and uncle.  It was elegant....black wood, and each top had a gorgeous still life painted on top.  I still have them and still love them.

Another memory...we would drive from where we lived to River Forest and then take the el to Field's.  It stopped literally at the door to the store....get off the el train and walk straight into the store.  I loved taking the el.  It was quite a treat.

My, how I miss Mom and Dad.  I miss the golden days of Field's, too.  I have a Marshall Field's cookbook with lot of photos and good recipes.