Nostalgia Place

Remembering the Jordan Marsh Department Store. Jordan Marsh & Company was an American department store chain that was headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts and operated throughout New England. It was founded by Eben Dyer Jordan and Benjamin L. Marsh in 1841.  After World War II, the management of Jordan Marsh announced that it would build a new store in downtown Boston. It would take up a full city block. Covering an area larger than Harvard Stadium, it would have two stories under ground; another 14 would rise into the air. It would have all the latest technology, including air conditioning, automatic doorways, block-long show windows, and radiant-heated sidewalks. They advertised it as “New England’s Largest Store.”

Remembering the great Kaufmann’s Department Store. If you lived in Pittsburgh PA this was the place. Kaufmann's flagship store was built in 1887 at 400 Fifth Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh. It was known as The Big Store. And no wonder, at one point, the building was the largest department store in Pittsburgh with twelve retail floors, spanning an entire downtown city block. Kaufmann's Big Store had a landmark outdoor clock at Fifth Avenue and Smithfield Street. It was popular downtown meeting place, with the oft-used phrase "Meet me under Kaufmann's clock."  The clock is still a Pittsburgh icon.

Remembering E. J. Korvette, also known as Korvettes. Korvettes was an American chain of discount department stores, founded in 1948 in New York City. It was one of the first department stores to challenge the suggested retail price provisions of anti-discounting statutes. Founded by World War II veteran Eugene Ferkauf and his friend, Joe Zwillenberg, E. J. Korvette did much to define the idea of a discount department store. It displaced earlier five and dime retailers and preceded later discount stores, like Walmart, and warehouse clubs such as Costco.

S. S. Kresge, founded in 1899, was a Detroit-born dime store where shoppers could find daily needs such as housewares, linens, clothing, school supplies, and toys. It was one of America’s top three variety store chains and had 742 stores by its 40th anniversary in 1938, primarily in the Midwest and eastern U.S. In 1962 Harry B. Cunningham president of Kresge, opened the first Kmart discount store in Garden City, Michigan. Kmart stores expanded nationwide, eventually replacing Kresge stores, the last of which were sold to the McCrory Corporation by 1987.

S. H. Kress & Co. was a chain of "five and dime" stores, established by Samuel Henry Kress, which operated from 1896 to 1981. In the first half of the 20th century, there were Kress stores with ornamented architecture on "Main Street" in hundreds of cities and towns. The Kress chain was known for the architecture of its buildings.[5] "Samuel H. Kress... envisioned his stores as works of public art that would contribute to the cityscape."[6] A number of former Kress stores are recognized as architectural landmarks and many are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the 1913 building on Canal Street in New Orleans (now the New Orleans Ritz-Carlton) and the 1929 neoclassical store in Asheville, North Carolina.

Remembering the well-loved Lazarus Department Store in Columbus Ohio. Lazarus was a regional department store retail chain operating primarily in the Midwest. Lazarus developed or was an early adopter of many shopping innovations such as "one low price" (no bargaining necessary, earlier implemented by the John Wanamaker Store), first department store escalators in the country, first air-conditioned store in the country, and Fred Lazarus Jr. successfully lobbied President Franklin Roosevelt to permanently fix Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday in November, ensuring a stable timetable for the official beginning of the Christmas shopping season.

Remembering LINENS-N-THINGS. Linens 'n Things was a Clifton, New Jersey-based big-box retailer specializing in home textiles, housewares, and decorative home accessories. The chain operated 571 stores in 47 U.S. states and six Canadian provinces.

Remembering LINENS-N-THINGS. Linens 'n Things was a Clifton, New Jersey-based big-box retailer specializing in home textiles, housewares, and decorative home accessories. The chain operated 571 stores in 47 U.S. states and six Canadian provinces.

Remembering Mac Frugal's, a bargain close-out store, formerly call Pic N Save. It was eventually bought out by Big Lots.

Remembering the great Marshall Field’s Department Store. Marshall Field's was a department store in Chicago, Illinois, founded in the 19th century that grew to become a large chain before being acquired by Macy's, Inc in 2005. Marshall Field's great six-story merchandising emporium catered to urban women with leisure time. Rather than "buyer beware," Field's motto was "Give the lady what she wants." He had that motto displayed on a sign above his desk.

Remembering the great Marshall Field’s Department Store. Marshall Field's was a department store in Chicago, Illinois, founded in the 19th century that grew to become a large chain before being acquired by Macy's, Inc in 2005. Marshall Field's great six-story merchandising emporium catered to urban women with leisure time. Rather than "buyer beware," Field's motto was "Give the lady what she wants." He had that motto displayed on a sign above his desk.

Remembering the great Marshall Field’s Department Store. Marshall Field's was a department store in Chicago, Illinois, founded in the 19th century that grew to become a large chain before being acquired by Macy's, Inc in 2005. Marshall Field's great six-story merchandising emporium catered to urban women with leisure time. Rather than "buyer beware," Field's motto was "Give the lady what she wants." He had that motto displayed on a sign above his desk.

Remembering Meier & Frank Department Stores. Meier & Frank was a prominent chain of department stores founded in Portland, Oregon, operating in the Pacific Northwest from 1857 to 2006. For a time, Meier & Frank reigned as the largest retail outlet west of the Mississippi and one of the largest stores in the nation in the early 1930s. It was considered as one of America’s great stores. Meier & Frank pioneered the concept of a "money-back guarantee", until then unheard-of in merchandising. Clark Gable worked at Meier & Frank selling neckties.

Remembering Modell's Sporting Goods. Modell's Sporting Goods was an American sporting goods retailer with locations in the Northeastern United States. Modell's carried both sporting goods and related apparel. Modell's had more than 150 retail locations in ten states and the District of Columbia. Their flagship store was at 234 West 42nd Street near Times Square.

Remembering Mongomery Ward. The original Montgomery Ward & Co. was a world-pioneering mail-order business and later also a leading department store chain that operated between 1872 and 2001. Many humoruosly refrerred to it as Monkey Ward.

Remembering Pic 'N' Save, bargain close-out store. It eventually became Mac Frugal's and was then bought out by Big Lots.

Remembering Pier 1 imports stores.. The retail chain operated 973 stores, specializing in imported home furnishings and décor, particularly furniture, table-top items, decorative accessories, and seasonal décor.

Remembering Pogue's Department Store in Cincinnati, Ohio. A Cincinnati tradition was born when a bridge across the second level of the arcade was constructed to connect two Pogue buildings, with the Ice Cream Bridge featuring local favorite Graeter's Ice Creams. "The Bridge" was an instant hit.

Remembering the wonderful Rich’s Department Store in Atlanta, Georgia.  Rich’s began in Atlanta in 1867. In 1924 Rich's moved into its flagship store at 45 Broad St. SE, which it would occupy until closing in 1991. Rich’s had 2 beloved holiday traditions, the Great Tree and the Pink Pig Flyer. Starting in 1948, the Great Tree was set on top of the multi-level glass "Crystal Bridge" connecting the main downtown Atlanta store across Forsyth Street. The Pink Pig (installed in 1956, and known originally as The Snowball Express) was a child-scaled monorail. The original Pink Pig Flyers monorail cars are now at the Atlanta History Center.

Remembering the much-loved Robertson’s Department Store in South Bend, Indiana. People who grew up in Northern Indiana and Southwestern Michigan have fond memories of Robertson’s. Robertson’s was the largest department store in South Bend at six stories plus basement which totaled nearly 185,000 square feet of retail space. This building featured a two-level menswear section, a mezzanine featuring a book store, bake shop and luncheonette as well as photo studio on the second level, a third floor dedicated to women's fashions, three floors comprised of housewares, electronics and major appliances, and a sixth floor tea room with auditorium which was used for fashion shows and product demonstrations. A sad time for all when it closed in 1986.

J. W. Robinson Co., Robinson's, was a chain of upscale department stores that operated in Southern California and Arizona. Robinson's gleaming flagship store was located on Seventh Street, slightly off the Broadway retail corridor in Los Angeles. Robinson's - often mentioned by Johnny Carson' on the Tonight Show - was a bastion of luxury and good taste for the Southern California's carriage trade. It was eventually bought by the May Co. and became Robinsons-May.

Remembering Sakowitz Bros. Department Store in Houston, Texas. Their downtown department store, doing business in Houston since 1911, defined luxury shopping in Houston. In 1951, the retailer erected a 254,000-square-foot temple to luxury shopping at 1111 Main Street — a confident response to the more middle-American Foley’s across the street, which had opened in 1947.

Remembering Sears.

Remembering the wonderful Shillito's Department Store in Cincinnati. One of the nation’s great flagship department stores.

Remembering Sibley’s Department Store. Sibley, Lindsay & Curr Company, known informally as Sibley's, was a Rochester, New York-based department store chain with stores located exclusively in the state of New York. Its flagship store was at 228 East Main Street in downtown Rochester and at 1.1 million square feet it was the largest department store between New York City and Chicago. Sibley's is fondly remembered as the premier department store in upstate New York.

Sports Authority

sports authority

Remebering the Speigel Catalog or as they called it, the Home Shopping Book. Spiegel was an American direct marketing retailer founded in 1865 by Joseph Spiegel. Spiegel published a catalog, like its competitors Sears and Montgomery Ward, which advertised various brands of apparel, accessories, and footwear, as well as housewares, toys tools, firearms and electronics. Spiegel benefited from television exposure and advertising in the form of prizes given away on several game shows, most notably The Hollywood Squares and Let's Make a Deal. Announcers emphasized Spiegel's large catalog offerings in on-air promotional announcements and included Spiegel's Chicago zip code, 60609.

Sterling Lindner Davis. Department Store. Cleveland, Ohio

Remembering Stix, Baer & Fuller. Stix, Baer and Fuller was a department store chain in St. Louis, Missouri that operated from 1892 to 1984. For many years the company was known as the leading high-end fashion store in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area.

Strawbridge & Clothier was a department store in the northeastern United States, with stores in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. In its day a gracious urban emporium, the Center City Philadelphia flagship store added branch stores starting in the 1930s, and together they enjoyed annual sales of over a billion dollars by their zenith in the 1980s

Remebering Thalhimers Department Store. Thalhimers was a department store chain in the South. Based in Richmond, Virginia, the venerable chain at its peak operated dozens of stores in Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and one store in Memphis, Tennessee. Thalhimer's traditions were most notable during the holiday season with visits from the sticker-distributing Snow Bear and, in later years, the arrival of Lego Land at the downtown Richmond store. Its luxurious restaurant, the Richmond Room, was the source of many recipes still published today. The Richmond Room also had a fast food spin-off, the fried chicken chain Golden Skillet.

Remembering the much-loved Wanamaker’s Department Store, in Philadelphia. John Wanamaker Department Store was one of the first department stores in the United States. Founded by John Wanamaker, it was influential in the development of the retail industry including offering the first restaurant to be located inside a department store as well as being the first department store with electrical illumination (1878) and the first to use price tags. And in pop culture much of the 1987 movie Mannequin was filmed at Wanamaker's as was the 1991 sequel, Mannequin Two: On the Move. The Wanamaker's flagship store in Center City, with its famous organ and eagle from the St. Louis World's Fair, was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1978.

Remembering the F. W. Woolworth Co. The F. W. Woolworth Company (often referred to as Woolworth's or Woolworth) was a retail company and one of the original pioneers of the five-and-dime store. It was among the most successful American and international five-and-dime businesses, setting trends and creating the modern retail model that stores follow worldwide today. It's where we did all our shopping when we were kids.

Remembering the F. W. Woolworth Co. The F. W. Woolworth Company (often referred to as Woolworth's or Woolworth) was a retail company and one of the original pioneers of the five-and-dime store. It was among the most successful American and international five-and-dime businesses, setting trends and creating the modern retail model that stores follow worldwide today. It's where we did all our shopping when we were kids.

Remembering Younkers Department Store. Younkers was adepartment store chain founded as a family-run dry goods business in 1856 in Keokuk, Iowa. In 1899 the Younker brothers' main store in downtown Des Moines was moved to 7th and Walnut Streets, and it operated at the same location for 106 years before closing on August 12, 2005. The downtown Des Moines store became known for its Tea Room restaurant, which opened in 1913 and closed shortly before the store did. It also installed Iowa's first escalator, known as the "electric stairs," in 1939.