Community Chat

[MacDUFF]

@catwhisperer

You may be a bit younger than I because I hardly remember Dayton-Hudson...I left Michigan in the early '70's for Cali (to find myself or some such regrettable nonsense).  But I remembered my family talking about the changes, etc., when it became Dayton-Hudson.  I had to look up how Hudson became Dayton-Hudson...

In 1969, the Detroit-based J.L. Hudson Co. merged with the Dayton Company [founded in 1902 in Minneapolis, Minnesota] to form the Dayton-Hudson Corporation. In 1990, Dayton–Hudson acquired Chicago-based Marshall Field's.  Both Dayton's and Hudson's retained their individual store names until 2001, when they were united under the Marshall Field's nameplate. Dayton's was the parent of Target, opening the first Target in 1962 as the discount store version of Dayton's.

Hudson's flagship store, on Woodward Ave. in downtown Detroit (demolished October 24, 1998), was the tallest department store in the world as of 1961, and, at one time, claimed to be the second largest department store (next to Macy's) in the USA in terms of square footage.

I tried to find some pics of Dayton's Sky Room for you (precious memories of lunch with dad!), but no go...was this the Dayton's in Minneapolis?  Or in Dayton, Ohio?

I miss that midwest era more than I can express...a bygone era.

[just bee]

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@spix wrote:

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@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.

t

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And it was "the" meeting place, under the clock at Fields

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[MacDUFF]

@gardenman

@jlkz

Wanamaker's Organ at Christmas...

[catwhisperer]

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@MacDUFF wrote:

@catwhisperer

You may be a bit younger than I because I hardly remember Dayton-Hudson...I left Michigan in the early '70's for Cali (to find myself or some such regrettable nonsense).  But I remembered my family talking about the changes, etc., when it became Dayton-Hudson.  I had to look up how Hudson became Dayton-Hudson...

In 1969, the Detroit-based J.L. Hudson Co. merged with the Dayton Company [founded in 1902 in Minneapolis, Minnesota] to form the Dayton-Hudson Corporation. In 1990, Dayton–Hudson acquired Chicago-based Marshall Field's.  Both Dayton's and Hudson's retained their individual store names until 2001, when they were united under the Marshall Field's nameplate. Dayton's was the parent of Target, opening the first Target in 1962 as the discount store version of Dayton's.

Hudson's flagship store, on Woodward Ave. in downtown Detroit (demolished October 24, 1998), was the tallest department store in the world as of 1961, and, at one time, claimed to be the second largest department store (next to Macy's) in the USA in terms of square footage.

I tried to find some pics of Dayton's Sky Room for you (precious memories of lunch with dad!), but no go...was this the Dayton's in Minneapolis?  Or in Dayton, Ohio?

I miss that midwest era more than I can express...a bygone era.

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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.

[MacDUFF]

@nomless

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

[jlkz]

@MacDUFF

Thank you so much for those two photos of Christmas at Wanamaker's....what wonderful memories seeing them in color !!!!!

[Tinkrbl44]

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@HB glamma wrote:

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

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Another Buffalo girl here !!   ..... my mom took me to Bergers, Hengerers, AM&As, and others that will come back to me, I'm sure.   Do you remember any of the names of the stores you visited?

[Tinkrbl44]

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@Moonchilde wrote:

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@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.

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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.

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Department stores also have individual check out in each department .... you paid for stockings in the hoisery dept, makeup at the cosmetic counters .... etc.    None of this take it to the front of the store and check it all out at once, like at a grocery store!

[MacDUFF]

@Azcowgirl

Frederick and Nelson Seattle Christmas...

[just bee]

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@just bee wrote:

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. 

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(Anyone from Chicago remember Wieboldt's?  Goldblatt's?)