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debm55

(53,665 posts)
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 02:09 PM Saturday

As a youngster or older, What stores did you do your holiday "shopping" at, that are no more? We would go to Kaufmanns

in Pittsburgh and look at all the decorated windows. We would go inside and with the eyes of a child, delight in the decorations. I don't ever remember buying anything myself, but the experience was magical.

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As a youngster or older, What stores did you do your holiday "shopping" at, that are no more? We would go to Kaufmanns (Original Post) debm55 Saturday OP
The Jones Store (Kansas City), Harzfeld's (Kansas City--even longer gone), Rich's (Atlanta), May D&F (Denver) hlthe2b Saturday #1
Thank you very much, hlthe2b.for sharing the memories. debm55 Saturday #7
Mostly at Sears. It's not totally gone (yet) but it might as well be. rsdsharp Saturday #2
Thank you rsdsharp. I loved Sears and their Holiday catalogue. back then our list was circling the toys we wanted from debm55 Saturday #8
I remember when the Sears Wishbook arrived in the mail RazorbackExpat 12 hrs ago #146
Me too! Thank you RazorbackExpat for bringing back that memory. debm55 4 hrs ago #148
K-Mart...they were worth going to back in the day Lochloosa Saturday #3
I loved K-Mart! And the blue-light special! CrispyQ Saturday #6
It was fun watching everyone trying to find the light. Lochloosa Saturday #9
Thank you Lochloosa. Kaufmann's was a treat for us. But K-mart is where we bought our items. debm55 Saturday #11
Thank you very much. Lochloosa. debm55 Saturday #48
How could I've forgotten KMart? MustLoveBeagles 17 hrs ago #143
Thank you MustLoveBeagles. debm55 17 hrs ago #144
This message was self-deleted by its author debm55 4 hrs ago #149
Wiebolt's for kid toys SheltieLover Saturday #4
Thank you very much, SheltieLover. debm55 Saturday #13
My faves were Hecht's. and Woodward & Lothrop (Woodies) dept. stores (DC area). 50 Shades Of Blue Saturday #5
Thank you very much for sharing with us. 50 Shades Of Blue. debm55 Saturday #49
It's great to see oberle Sunday #111
Ditto! 50 Shades Of Blue Sunday #120
Kresge's RandySF Saturday #10
Thanks RandySF, Didn't they later change to K-Mart? debm55 Saturday #50
Yep RandySF Saturday #54
Thanks. debm55 Saturday #60
I don't remember much shopping going on, Diamond_Dog Saturday #12
Beautiful, Diamond_Dog Simply beautiful. debm55 Saturday #24
My father worked in part-time in sales at Halle's... Wuddles440 Saturday #28
Halle's was my favorite downtown Cleveland department store! Diamond_Dog Saturday #31
Thank you very much for sharing that memory of your dad. debm55 Saturday #52
ohm myyyyyy! AllaN01Bear Saturday #38
S.S. Kresge Eugene Saturday #14
Thank you ,Eugene. My husband is from Boston. His mom would buy our son clothing from Jordan Marsh's basement. debm55 Saturday #53
Hudson's JoseBalow Saturday #15
Thank you very much, JoseBalow. Didn't they have there own Thanksgiving parade. I vaguely remember it as part of the CBS debm55 Saturday #55
Yes, the Hudson's Thanksgiving Day Parade JoseBalow Saturday #59
Thank you very much JoseBalow. debm55 Saturday #61
Yes, there is. I watched it yesterday! LisaM Saturday #78
I'm glad to know that tradition continues! JoseBalow Saturday #88
In detroit it was Hudson's, woolworth, kmart and sears. n/t Jacson6 Saturday #16
Thank you very much, Jacson6 for sharing. debm55 Saturday #56
Sears toy catalog DBoon Saturday #17
Thank you DBoon, I loved the Sears toy catalog. Spent hours looking through it. debm55 Saturday #22
Woolworth's...Federal's ....Hudson's... MiHale Saturday #18
Thank you very much, MiHale. debm55 Saturday #21
Federal's, yes Cirsium Saturday #86
Applebaums in the Twin Cities JMCKUSICK Saturday #19
Thank you very much, John debm55 Saturday #20
Sears, Montgomery Ward's lpbk2713 Saturday #23
Thank you Ipbk2713. Toys r Us and Zayre's around here. debm55 Saturday #57
Horne's (my favorite), Kaufmann's and Gimbels for the Yinzers in the audience. Wuddles440 Saturday #25
I loved going their to see all the decorations. Wasn't Horne's bought by Lazarus? I'm a Yinzer. debm55 Saturday #58
Yes, they were acquired by Federated Department Stores (Lazarus). Wuddles440 Saturday #80
Thank you very much, Wuddles440 debm55 Saturday #82
Our schools held little inexpensive gifts fairs to buy things for our families. Almost 70 years ago. And we loved Sears. marble falls Saturday #26
Thank you marble falls. When I taught they had the gift fairs for kids to buy gifts. We would go downtown to just look debm55 Saturday #62
Sure you're not a buckeye? marble falls Saturday #64
Closer to WV. I am a Yinzer. debm55 Saturday #73
The Yinzers I knew were from Pittsburgh. marble falls Saturday #74
I am 10 miles south of Pittsburgh. I am a Yinzer, debm55 Saturday #76
My granmother from Nanny Glo used to use 'yooze' and 'you'uns'. marble falls Saturday #79
Thank you marble falls. I use yooze. Help me here, is Nanny Glo by Penn State. I have a brain freeze and can't remember. debm55 Saturday #83
A little south and east of Pittsburg, near Johnstown. My Grandfather was a coal miner and farmer. He dug coal at ... marble falls Saturday #90
After I posted to you, I remembered it was near Johnstown area. My father was born in Derry. debm55 Saturday #94
We're all a lot closer than we think. marble falls Saturday #99
Carson Pirie Scott and Marshall Field CanonRay Saturday #27
Yes, DOWNTOWN on the EL. Zackzzzz Saturday #39
Thank you very much, CanonRay. for sharing debm55 Saturday #63
Deb-We took our first son to either Horne's or Kaufmann's in Pittsburgh one Christmas, I forget which one it was. Diamond_Dog Saturday #29
Thank you very much, Diamond_Dog. Mark Malone--eye candy debm55 Saturday #66
While in college in Seattle, Frederick & Nelson, The Bon Marche KitFox Saturday #30
Wow. I like how you could activate the displays on the outside of the window.Thank you KitFox. I love it. debm55 Saturday #67
Strictly speaking, The Bon Marche didn't "go out of business"... regnaD kciN Saturday #108
Woolworth's and TG&Y...here in small town Kansas... wcmagumba Saturday #32
Thank you very much, wcmagumba. The last one I have seen was in the late 80s in Butler, PA. debm55 Saturday #68
Gibson's BOSSHOG Saturday #33
Oh, I had forgotten Gibsons...loved it too... wcmagumba Saturday #35
Thank you very much, BOSSHOG, debm55 Saturday #46
At one time, there was a Gibson's in Rogers, Springdale and Fayetteville RazorbackExpat 3 hrs ago #157
Thank you very much for sharing your memories. RazorobackExpat. debm55 3 hrs ago #158
That was late '60s, early '70s RazorbackExpat 3 hrs ago #160
Thank you very much. I liked the local mom and pop stores. TY RazorbackExpat. debm55 3 hrs ago #161
Back then, there were lots of mom-and-pop shops downtown RazorbackExpat 3 hrs ago #162
Sadly, most if not all are gone.Thank you for sharing RazorbackExpat. debm55 48 min ago #167
I worked Walmart #6 south of town BOSSHOG 1 hr ago #165
Thank you very much, BOSSHOG for sharing your memories. debm55 1 hr ago #166
A few stores that I use to holiday shop at: Niagara Saturday #34
Niagara, I have missed you. Yes, some of those I remember. Thank you debm55 Saturday #45
I've missed you too, Debbie. I hope that you're doing well. Niagara Saturday #91
Thank you. debm55 Saturday #106
Greengate Mall in Greensburg Pa. johnp3907 Saturday #36
Thank you johnp3907. I remember that Mall well. Spent my teen years there. Lived in North Huntingdon(Irwin) PA They had debm55 Saturday #44
may company. jc pennies and a few others that are fallen flags. AllaN01Bear Saturday #37
Thank you very much, Bear. Kaufmanns was bought out by the May Co. . debm55 Saturday #43
Along with many already mentioned, tavernier Saturday #40
Thank you very much, tavernier. I shopped at many of them. debm55 Saturday #41
K Mart duckworth969 Saturday #42
Thank you duckworth969. We had one that was local. Would run after the Blue Light cart to see what was on special. debm55 Saturday #47
Ogilvies Department Store. They had the best french fries. My applegrove Saturday #51
Thank you very applegrove. That sounds like so much fun. debm55 Saturday #70
Radio Shack, Robert Hall, KMart Linder Saturday #65
Thank you very much Linder. I remember the three in your title. Wow, I love carmel corn. Lucky you debm55 Saturday #71
Prange's in Sheboygan Wisconsin chowmama Saturday #69
Oh, I like the idea of a miniature store. That was a really great idea. Thank you chowmama debm55 Saturday #72
David's Dept Store in Wichita, KS. It had a unique pointed triangle roof design and refreshment stand at the exit... wcmagumba Saturday #75
Oh that would be neat to have a Santa's Workshop on TV. Thank you wcmagumba. debm55 Saturday #77
Hudson's. The downtown Detroit store was magical. LisaM Saturday #81
Oh yes, I remember the grand 4. I read about the bummer the coverage was this year. I liked it with the Grand 4. debm55 Saturday #85
Hudson's Cirsium Saturday #84
Thank you you very much, Cirsium. debm55 Saturday #95
Kaufmann's, Horne's, and Gimbels Deep State Witch Saturday #87
Thank you very much, Deep State Witch, I remember those stores. I worked at David Weis one Christmas. debm55 Sunday #115
Korvettes Bluestocking Saturday #89
Thank you very much. Bluestocking. debm55 Saturday #105
Bunches in Baltimore Bmoboy Saturday #92
Thank you very much, Bmoboy.for your selection of stores that once were but aren't anymore. debm55 Saturday #104
Zayre's again. Norrrm Saturday #93
Thank you , Norrrm. Wasn't Zayre's bought by Ames. I loved the Christmas commercial Zayre's did. debm55 Saturday #97
Woolworths displacedvermoter Saturday #96
Oh I remember Woolworths and their ice cream fountain. I remember popping the balloon. Never got a freebie. Thank debm55 Saturday #101
Arlens WmChris Saturday #98
Thank you very much. WmChris. debm55 Saturday #100
May Company, Sears, Woolworth Raven123 Saturday #102
Remember all three. Thank you very much for bringing the memories back to me. Raven123. debm55 Saturday #103
Bambergers and Sterns in NJ. GP6971 Saturday #107
Thank you very much for sharining with us. GP6971 debm55 Sunday #112
California: Starting in Fresno, Gotschalk's Department Store. vanlassie Saturday #109
Thank you for sharing, vaniassie. It's sad when your favorite store is done, debm55 Sunday #113
I don't know about holiday shopping but the department stores that are gone that I shopped at.... electric_blue68 Sunday #110
Thank you very much, electric_blue68. I loved to walk around the store and the malls and just see the decorations. When debm55 Sunday #114
Joske's department store, downtown San Antonio, TX. Paladin Sunday #116
Thank you very much , Paladin , for sharing your memeories with us. I also remember getting all dressed up to go go to debm55 Sunday #117
Woolworth's, Newberry's, and TG&Y lastlib Sunday #118
Thank you very much, lastlib. The locals are what I miss the most. I would walk to the hardware store. Upstairs , they debm55 Sunday #119
JB Branch & co WestMichRad Monday #121
Thank you very much for sharing WestMichRad. When I was a kid, I enjoyed watching those capsules. Drive through banks debm55 Monday #122
In eastern North Carolina, we went to Roses or Sears. OldBaldy1701E Yesterday #123
Thank you very much for sharing with us. OldBaldy1701E debm55 Yesterday #124
Bambergers, Epsteins, Hahnes beaglelover 20 hrs ago #125
Thank you very much for your selection of stores., beaglelover debm55 17 hrs ago #140
My father was in the Navy LogDog75 20 hrs ago #126
Thank you very much, for stores of your youth, LogDog75 debm55 17 hrs ago #137
Stores I went to as a child KC Shell 20 hrs ago #127
Thank you very much for sharing with us. KC Shell debm55 17 hrs ago #138
Back when I was a kid there were no malls. Downtown Wheeling doc03 20 hrs ago #128
Thank you doc03. I lived my years in Duquesne and McKeesport. Lots of small stores. Now there is nothing there. Sad. debm55 17 hrs ago #139
Can't remember generally, but . . . . no_hypocrisy 19 hrs ago #129
I remember those men's colognes. HAHAHAHHA. Got the message, no_hypocrisy. debm55 17 hrs ago #141
Sears, Montgomery Wards MustLoveBeagles 19 hrs ago #130
Thank you very much, MustLoveBeagles. I don't think we ever had a Bergners around here in SW PA debm55 17 hrs ago #142
The Ogden Mall Redleg 19 hrs ago #131
Thank you Redleg. Our local mall----Century III was beautiful at Christmas. Loved it. But now gone. debm55 17 hrs ago #136
Meier and Frank, Lippman Wolfe, Olds Wortman and King Thunderbeast 19 hrs ago #132
Thank you for sharing your selection with us. Thunderbeast. debm55 17 hrs ago #145
Caldor's, G.E. Madisons, and Alexander's dem4decades 18 hrs ago #133
Thank you very much, dem4decades. for sharing your selections with us. debm55 4 hrs ago #147
We visited Hills and Gold Circle religiously, and always during the holidays. Xavier Breath 18 hrs ago #134
Thank you very much, Xavier Breath. I loved shopping at Hills and Gold Circle here in SW PA debm55 4 hrs ago #150
Marshall Fields, The Boston Store, Goldblatt's ProfessorGAC 18 hrs ago #135
Thank you very much for sharing your selections ProfessorGAC debm55 3 hrs ago #151
The Downtown stores were so grand! 31st Street Bridge 3 hrs ago #152
HAHAHAH. I agree. 31st Street Bridge. They were great. I enjoyed the wooden escalators at Kaufmann's they reminded me of debm55 3 hrs ago #154
Oh the memories Abstractartist 3 hrs ago #153
Thank you very much for sharing your memories, Abstractactist. debm55 3 hrs ago #156
Toys by Roy markodochartaigh 3 hrs ago #155
Thank you very much for that memory. That is so old fashioned. TY markodochartaigh. debm55 3 hrs ago #159
Filene's Basement in Newark macwriter 2 hrs ago #163
HAHAHHa. Thank you very much, macwriter. There was a Filene"s Basement in Boston too. My MIL would buy my baby outfits debm55 2 hrs ago #164

hlthe2b

(112,346 posts)
1. The Jones Store (Kansas City), Harzfeld's (Kansas City--even longer gone), Rich's (Atlanta), May D&F (Denver)
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 02:20 PM
Saturday

mostly early childhood stores, but I still have a green and white striped gift box from Harzfeld's that my Mom used to store some nostalgic items.

debm55

(53,665 posts)
8. Thank you rsdsharp. I loved Sears and their Holiday catalogue. back then our list was circling the toys we wanted from
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 02:40 PM
Saturday

Santa.

RazorbackExpat

(821 posts)
146. I remember when the Sears Wishbook arrived in the mail
Wed Dec 3, 2025, 12:41 AM
12 hrs ago

I would go straight to the hobby and book sections. I especially loved the Peanuts and Winnie-the-Pooh books

CrispyQ

(40,525 posts)
6. I loved K-Mart! And the blue-light special!
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 02:32 PM
Saturday

Every January I refreshed my kitchen towels cuz they put them on sale three for $3. Nice terry cloth ones, too. Super absorbent. Now you pay $3 per towel. WTF happened? They had great deals all over the store!! The one I shopped at was one of the last retailers to offer lay-away.

debm55

(53,665 posts)
11. Thank you Lochloosa. Kaufmann's was a treat for us. But K-mart is where we bought our items.
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 02:44 PM
Saturday

Response to Lochloosa (Reply #3)

50 Shades Of Blue

(11,322 posts)
5. My faves were Hecht's. and Woodward & Lothrop (Woodies) dept. stores (DC area).
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 02:25 PM
Saturday

Woodie's downtown DC store had amazingly decorated windows for the holidays.

Diamond_Dog

(39,394 posts)
12. I don't remember much shopping going on,
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 02:45 PM
Saturday

But when my sister and I were kids, my parents took us to downtown Cleveland a few times, this would have been in the mid 60s. Among the several big department stores, there was one called Sterling-Lindner’s.
Every Christmas they had a huge real tree on display in the atrium of the store. The one in 1966 was 73 ft. Tall. Gazing up at that tree I felt like it must have reached into the heavens. I still remember it well to this day. We also went to Higbee’s, Halle’s, I’m sure others. It was such a magical time. Halle’s 7th floor was the toy floor. They had this guy there called Mr. Jingaling who was dressed in a costume supposed to be one of Santa’s elves. You could ride around the toy dept. on a little train and when you got off the train his helper would give you a little paper cup of Jordan almonds (which I disliked but that was a minor thing). Mr. Jingaling also made appearances on local kid TV shows so of course every kid in the area wanted their parents to take them to Halle’s 7th floor. Also the store had those vacuum tubes to send your payment to the office when you bought something. I was into Steiff stuffed animals back then and I remember my mother bought me a stuffed tiger. It was such a happy time.

Here is the Sterling Lindner tree from 1966.



Wuddles440

(1,937 posts)
28. My father worked in part-time in sales at Halle's...
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 03:36 PM
Saturday

during the late 1940's and early 50's. He was taking engineering classes at Case Institute (now Case Western) at the time, but said he seriously thought about pursuing a career in retail after his experience at Halle's.

Diamond_Dog

(39,394 posts)
31. Halle's was my favorite downtown Cleveland department store!
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 03:47 PM
Saturday

My Dad graduated from Case, too.

debm55

(53,665 posts)
53. Thank you ,Eugene. My husband is from Boston. His mom would buy our son clothing from Jordan Marsh's basement.
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 07:16 PM
Saturday

debm55

(53,665 posts)
55. Thank you very much, JoseBalow. Didn't they have there own Thanksgiving parade. I vaguely remember it as part of the CBS
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 07:19 PM
Saturday

line up.

JoseBalow

(9,023 posts)
59. Yes, the Hudson's Thanksgiving Day Parade
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 07:27 PM
Saturday

I'm not sure if there is still a Thanksgiving day parade in Detroit anymore, or what it is called, or who sponsors it. But it was a big deal back in the day.

LisaM

(29,450 posts)
78. Yes, there is. I watched it yesterday!
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 08:04 PM
Saturday

They call it "America's Parade" now. You can stream it next year on WDIV, which is what I did this year.

lpbk2713

(43,239 posts)
23. Sears, Montgomery Ward's
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 03:22 PM
Saturday


J M Fields, Zayre's, Toys r Us

Many others long gone.

J C Penney is still here, just hanging on by their finger nails.

Wuddles440

(1,937 posts)
25. Horne's (my favorite), Kaufmann's and Gimbels for the Yinzers in the audience.
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 03:24 PM
Saturday

Really couldn't afford to do much actual shopping, but the atmosphere was magical and exciting.

debm55

(53,665 posts)
58. I loved going their to see all the decorations. Wasn't Horne's bought by Lazarus? I'm a Yinzer.
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 07:26 PM
Saturday

Wuddles440

(1,937 posts)
80. Yes, they were acquired by Federated Department Stores (Lazarus).
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 08:04 PM
Saturday

One of my first jobs after graduating from college in the early 1980s was with Horne's as an Assistant Buyer. They were owned by Associated Dry Goods during that period. I loved that store, but the salary wasn't great and the hours were long.

marble falls

(69,965 posts)
26. Our schools held little inexpensive gifts fairs to buy things for our families. Almost 70 years ago. And we loved Sears.
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 03:29 PM
Saturday

And going downtown to see the windows at O'Neil's and Polsky's



If I was lucky, Granma Schenk would take me to the Oak Room for "luncheon".

debm55

(53,665 posts)
62. Thank you marble falls. When I taught they had the gift fairs for kids to buy gifts. We would go downtown to just look
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 07:33 PM
Saturday

at the windows and decorations and maybe eat at the Tea Room .

debm55

(53,665 posts)
83. Thank you marble falls. I use yooze. Help me here, is Nanny Glo by Penn State. I have a brain freeze and can't remember.
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 08:13 PM
Saturday

marble falls

(69,965 posts)
90. A little south and east of Pittsburg, near Johnstown. My Grandfather was a coal miner and farmer. He dug coal at ...
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 08:30 PM
Saturday

...the Bethlehem mines one person he worked with until the war was Charles Bronson. Nanty Glo ( a Welsh word) was literally a bump in the road. He died of Black Lung, and Jake Yablonski and the UMW made his last years much better. I am pro union partially from this.

debm55

(53,665 posts)
94. After I posted to you, I remembered it was near Johnstown area. My father was born in Derry.
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 08:59 PM
Saturday

Zackzzzz

(214 posts)
39. Yes, DOWNTOWN on the EL.
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 05:41 PM
Saturday

We went DOWNTOWN to look ALL the Xmas displays;
Goldblatt's and the wonderful windows of Lebolt and Peacock Jewelry.
My brother designed and arranged windows at one of those store....

Diamond_Dog

(39,394 posts)
29. Deb-We took our first son to either Horne's or Kaufmann's in Pittsburgh one Christmas, I forget which one it was.
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 03:44 PM
Saturday

This would have been the early 80s, my son was about 4 or 5. We oohed and ahhed at the Christmas decorations. And we saw Mark Malone sitting at a table signing autographs! There was a long line of people waiting for an autograph. He was quite good looking!

KitFox

(482 posts)
30. While in college in Seattle, Frederick & Nelson, The Bon Marche
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 03:46 PM
Saturday

and Jay Jacobs were great stores for shopping and looking at all of the lights and decorations inside and in the huge windows. They have all gone out of business. Frederick & Nelson had elaborate window displays with Santa always in one of them. Their windows also had motorized displays that you could activate by pressing your hand on a panel on the outside of the window. When I was a kid, I lived in a small town and J C Penny’s was the only corporate chain store but we had many locally owned shops.

debm55

(53,665 posts)
67. Wow. I like how you could activate the displays on the outside of the window.Thank you KitFox. I love it.
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 07:41 PM
Saturday

regnaD kciN

(27,390 posts)
108. Strictly speaking, The Bon Marche didn't "go out of business"...
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 10:15 PM
Saturday

It merged into Federated, which continued running chains under their original identities until a decade or two ago, when they deciddd to rebrand all of them as Macy’s. They’re very much still around, although they moved out of downtown Seattle thereafter.

debm55

(53,665 posts)
68. Thank you very much, wcmagumba. The last one I have seen was in the late 80s in Butler, PA.
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 07:46 PM
Saturday

BOSSHOG

(44,287 posts)
33. Gibson's
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 04:29 PM
Saturday

As they say in New Orleans - “ain’t dere no more.”

Gibsons similar to Walmart 50+ plus years ago. Charmingly cluttered like todays Dollar General.

wcmagumba

(5,372 posts)
35. Oh, I had forgotten Gibsons...loved it too...
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 05:03 PM
Saturday

We had a small one in my little Kansas town, I bought a lot of record albums there...

RazorbackExpat

(821 posts)
157. At one time, there was a Gibson's in Rogers, Springdale and Fayetteville
Wed Dec 3, 2025, 09:41 AM
3 hrs ago

The Fayetteville store was on College Avenue, the Springdale store was in a shopping center just off Thompson Avenue, and the Rogers store was on South 8th Street. I remember getting some Mighty Mites firecrackers at the F'ville store, a Monster Magnet at the S'dale store, and an LP record at the Rogers store After that, Gibson's became Howard's, and then Howard's just kind of faded away

RazorbackExpat

(821 posts)
160. That was late '60s, early '70s
Wed Dec 3, 2025, 09:53 AM
3 hrs ago

Gibson's was trying to compete with a local mom-and-pop shop called Wal-Mart Discount City, and local residents were placing bets on which store would come out on top. I doubt that anyone back then imagined that Wal-Mart would get as big as it did

RazorbackExpat

(821 posts)
162. Back then, there were lots of mom-and-pop shops downtown
Wed Dec 3, 2025, 10:12 AM
3 hrs ago

Two dime stores, two hardware stores, two shoe stores, three pharmacies (two with soda fountains), two barber shops, three clothing stores, two jewelry stores, 4 gas stations, 3 supermarkets, one bookstore, one seed store. There was also a Sears catalog order store (which burned down). And all of those stores are long gone

BOSSHOG

(44,287 posts)
165. I worked Walmart #6 south of town
Wed Dec 3, 2025, 11:31 AM
1 hr ago

Had lunch at Mr Quick across the highway. My grandmother and her sisters all said they could have married Sam Walton. Gibsons was so bad it was good. And there was the Pizza Hut down the highway near Gibsons which had a basement were the bar was. Geez Louise I had a helluva time.

Niagara

(11,241 posts)
34. A few stores that I use to holiday shop at:
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 04:32 PM
Saturday

Bon-Ton, K-mart, RadioShack, Schultz's, Fisher's Big Wheel and On Cue.

johnp3907

(4,185 posts)
36. Greengate Mall in Greensburg Pa.
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 05:19 PM
Saturday


Though we probably bought more from the G. C. Murphy’s in West Newton.

debm55

(53,665 posts)
44. Thank you johnp3907. I remember that Mall well. Spent my teen years there. Lived in North Huntingdon(Irwin) PA They had
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 06:12 PM
Saturday

beautiful displays.

tavernier

(14,139 posts)
40. Along with many already mentioned,
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 05:42 PM
Saturday

Lerner, Five and Dime, Gilmore, JC Penney, Robert Hall. There were several shoe stores named after shoe brands but I don’t remember the names now.

debm55

(53,665 posts)
47. Thank you duckworth969. We had one that was local. Would run after the Blue Light cart to see what was on special.
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 06:27 PM
Saturday

Mother would buy their god awful hoagies to eat when we came back home. I would take all the mystery meat off and have a vegetarian sub.

applegrove

(129,485 posts)
51. Ogilvies Department Store. They had the best french fries. My
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 07:12 PM
Saturday

friends and I would go swimming at a local hotel when we were tweens and then go to ogilvies for french fries.

Linder

(7 posts)
65. Radio Shack, Robert Hall, KMart
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 07:37 PM
Saturday

The Fair Store, Goldblatt's. Marshall Fields windows. We would stop at a small store for freshly made Carmel Corn. The Walnut Room in Marshall Fields. Skating, the Chicago Tribunes 'Silver Skates'.

debm55

(53,665 posts)
71. Thank you very much Linder. I remember the three in your title. Wow, I love carmel corn. Lucky you
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 07:51 PM
Saturday

chowmama

(949 posts)
69. Prange's in Sheboygan Wisconsin
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 07:47 PM
Saturday

They had a special area for children to buy for their parents. The doorway was only 3 feet high and only children and a few store advisors were allowed in. You went in with a little cash (nothing was over about five dollars, which at that time was high end for most children) and came out with a completely gift-wrapped and tagged item for under the tree. The parents had no idea until Christmas what their present was going to be. It was really special.

After we moved across state, we went to Minneapolis to see the Dayton's Christmas exhibit, but I don't remember shopping there. My parents did, but we just wandered and watched. Mostly wandered.

debm55

(53,665 posts)
72. Oh, I like the idea of a miniature store. That was a really great idea. Thank you chowmama
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 07:53 PM
Saturday

wcmagumba

(5,372 posts)
75. David's Dept Store in Wichita, KS. It had a unique pointed triangle roof design and refreshment stand at the exit...
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 07:57 PM
Saturday

Great toy dept. for a kid, back in its own corner of the store...We always got popcorn and a soda on the way out...The company sponsored the "Santa's Workshop" show on local TV station, on daily in Dec. The show had a little talking puppet they called KAKE Man (after the station name). They later changed the puppet's name to Toy Boy...He was always pushing a particular product which he and Santa would play with...as an adult in my 30s I worked with a guy who did the voice of KAKE Man, woo hoo. I tried but couldn't get him to do the voice...oh well...

LisaM

(29,450 posts)
81. Hudson's. The downtown Detroit store was magical.
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 08:09 PM
Saturday

And on Thanksgiving Day, we would watch the then-national coverage of all four Thanksgiving Parades - the Detroit one, of course, but also Macy's in New York, Gimbel's in Philadelphia, and Eaton's in Toronto. They'd switch between all four.

It was a big deal and it's still a little shocking to me that those days are gone forever. It all seemed so permanent. Now the only one with an original sponsor is Macy's, and their parade is more like an ad for Broadway, at least the part they show on TV.

debm55

(53,665 posts)
85. Oh yes, I remember the grand 4. I read about the bummer the coverage was this year. I liked it with the Grand 4.
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 08:17 PM
Saturday

Pittsburgh had one today. But it is put on by, I think , KDKA.

Cirsium

(3,244 posts)
84. Hudson's
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 08:16 PM
Saturday

The J. L. Hudson Company department store, on Woodward avenue in downtown Detroit.

Deep State Witch

(12,492 posts)
87. Kaufmann's, Horne's, and Gimbels
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 08:24 PM
Saturday

In Pittsburgh. We'd also go to Murphy's Mart, Claber's, or David Weis for stuff, too.

debm55

(53,665 posts)
115. Thank you very much, Deep State Witch, I remember those stores. I worked at David Weis one Christmas.
Sun Nov 30, 2025, 08:43 AM
Sunday

debm55

(53,665 posts)
104. Thank you very much, Bmoboy.for your selection of stores that once were but aren't anymore.
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 09:21 PM
Saturday

debm55

(53,665 posts)
97. Thank you , Norrrm. Wasn't Zayre's bought by Ames. I loved the Christmas commercial Zayre's did.
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 09:03 PM
Saturday

displacedvermoter

(4,039 posts)
96. Woolworths
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 09:02 PM
Saturday

It had an ice cream fountain, you could get a hot fudge sundae and then pop a balloon to see how much you had to pay. Maybe 49 cents, maybe ten cents, maybe free! They had candy cane ice cream at Christmas.

debm55

(53,665 posts)
101. Oh I remember Woolworths and their ice cream fountain. I remember popping the balloon. Never got a freebie. Thank
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 09:12 PM
Saturday

you displacedvermoter.

debm55

(53,665 posts)
103. Remember all three. Thank you very much for bringing the memories back to me. Raven123.
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 09:15 PM
Saturday

GP6971

(37,398 posts)
107. Bambergers and Sterns in NJ.
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 09:59 PM
Saturday

Bambergers was at the Garden State Plaza shopping center and Sterns was in the Bergen Plaza shopping center.

vanlassie

(6,206 posts)
109. California: Starting in Fresno, Gotschalk's Department Store.
Sat Nov 29, 2025, 10:31 PM
Saturday

Sadly missed to this day.
😢

electric_blue68

(25,213 posts)
110. I don't know about holiday shopping but the department stores that are gone that I shopped at....
Sun Nov 30, 2025, 02:19 AM
Sunday

maybe at holiday time, too ;
Gimbels, Alexander's, Korvette's.

While not shopping there (usually too expensive) it's always fun to see Sak's Fifth Ave Holiday windows, and facade.

debm55

(53,665 posts)
114. Thank you very much, electric_blue68. I loved to walk around the store and the malls and just see the decorations. When
Sun Nov 30, 2025, 08:34 AM
Sunday

I was young I thought I wanted to do that as a living.

Paladin

(32,122 posts)
116. Joske's department store, downtown San Antonio, TX.
Sun Nov 30, 2025, 09:10 AM
Sunday

Within spitting distance of The Alamo.

My mother and grandmother (and usually an aunt or two) started dragging me there when I was maybe five years old, back in the 1950's. As was the custom back then, they were always immaculately dressed for the occasion: their best dresses, hats, stockings, etc. I look back on it with fondness, but I hated it, at the time. Whole different world...

debm55

(53,665 posts)
117. Thank you very much , Paladin , for sharing your memeories with us. I also remember getting all dressed up to go go to
Sun Nov 30, 2025, 09:19 AM
Sunday

downtown Pittsburgh. It was an experience.

lastlib

(27,293 posts)
118. Woolworth's, Newberry's, and TG&Y
Sun Nov 30, 2025, 11:50 AM
Sunday

Also Montgomery Ward's and Sears.

And a local entity, Wild Woody's.

debm55

(53,665 posts)
119. Thank you very much, lastlib. The locals are what I miss the most. I would walk to the hardware store. Upstairs , they
Sun Nov 30, 2025, 12:12 PM
Sunday

had all the toys. Went by myself and would just look around. They are long gone.

WestMichRad

(2,837 posts)
121. JB Branch & co
Mon Dec 1, 2025, 08:03 PM
Monday

Coldwater Michigan. A old 3- floor department type store that specialized in millinery, i.e. carpet and flooring, draperies, and the like, but also a host of other home furnishing things. On the ground floor, they had an overhead cable system for sending a capsule to another room, for cash and receipts… operated until they closed in the mid 80s. Might have been the last operating capsule system, or whatever it was called, of that type. It was pretty cool!
My one purchase there was a stereo receiver… one of the best buys in my life. Still in occasional use!

debm55

(53,665 posts)
122. Thank you very much for sharing WestMichRad. When I was a kid, I enjoyed watching those capsules. Drive through banks
Mon Dec 1, 2025, 08:52 PM
Monday

them too.

OldBaldy1701E

(9,721 posts)
123. In eastern North Carolina, we went to Roses or Sears.
Tue Dec 2, 2025, 09:22 AM
Yesterday

My home area was too rural for a K-Mart. But, in the town 26 miles away we had a Roses and a Sears. A J.C. Penny's opened up when I was around twelve.

My home town had a Western Auto, and a Pope's. That was it at the time.

LogDog75

(1,012 posts)
126. My father was in the Navy
Tue Dec 2, 2025, 05:07 PM
20 hrs ago

so we shopped at the base exchange. The other store was Sears.

KC Shell

(3 posts)
127. Stores I went to as a child
Tue Dec 2, 2025, 05:14 PM
20 hrs ago

Montgomery Ward. It was a huge department store in my neighborhood, in Northeast, KCMO. They even had and a white Santa and a black Santa. Fancy....

doc03

(38,707 posts)
128. Back when I was a kid there were no malls. Downtown Wheeling
Tue Dec 2, 2025, 05:16 PM
20 hrs ago

had everything, now there is nothing. Back then the downtown was shoulder to shoulder crowds
and cops directing traffic at crossings.

debm55

(53,665 posts)
139. Thank you doc03. I lived my years in Duquesne and McKeesport. Lots of small stores. Now there is nothing there. Sad.
Tue Dec 2, 2025, 07:39 PM
17 hrs ago

no_hypocrisy

(53,942 posts)
129. Can't remember generally, but . . . .
Tue Dec 2, 2025, 05:21 PM
19 hrs ago

when I was 17 and it was Christmas, I was really pissed at my father.

So I went to the local drugstore and bought two men's colognes: Brut and English Sterling ("Make him a legend in his own time" )

My father was so obtuse. He never got the underlying message.

debm55

(53,665 posts)
142. Thank you very much, MustLoveBeagles. I don't think we ever had a Bergners around here in SW PA
Tue Dec 2, 2025, 07:47 PM
17 hrs ago

debm55

(53,665 posts)
136. Thank you Redleg. Our local mall----Century III was beautiful at Christmas. Loved it. But now gone.
Tue Dec 2, 2025, 07:26 PM
17 hrs ago

Thunderbeast

(3,741 posts)
132. Meier and Frank, Lippman Wolfe, Olds Wortman and King
Tue Dec 2, 2025, 05:54 PM
19 hrs ago

Portland, Oregon downtown anchors.

Xavier Breath

(6,328 posts)
134. We visited Hills and Gold Circle religiously, and always during the holidays.
Tue Dec 2, 2025, 07:05 PM
18 hrs ago

Both were founded in Ohio, but I believe Hills was present in Pennsylvania, New York, Virginia and the South as well. They've both been gone for decades, but I miss them still.

debm55

(53,665 posts)
150. Thank you very much, Xavier Breath. I loved shopping at Hills and Gold Circle here in SW PA
Wed Dec 3, 2025, 09:20 AM
4 hrs ago
152. The Downtown stores were so grand!
Wed Dec 3, 2025, 09:26 AM
3 hrs ago

Kaufmann's windows and Gumbel's basement and Horne's classy wooden cases on the first floor. Add the streetcars, the lights, the small independent retailers and Pittsburgh was a holiday treasure chest, even into the 1980s. I miss it all so.

But as a kid, those wooden escalators at Kaufmann's upper floors scared the heck outta me!!

debm55

(53,665 posts)
154. HAHAHAH. I agree. 31st Street Bridge. They were great. I enjoyed the wooden escalators at Kaufmann's they reminded me of
Wed Dec 3, 2025, 09:30 AM
3 hrs ago

the wooden steps at the Noah's Ark at Kennywood.

Abstractartist

(398 posts)
153. Oh the memories
Wed Dec 3, 2025, 09:29 AM
3 hrs ago

Sears, Montgomery Ward, Hutzlers, Hecht Co., Macys, Target.

I grew up in the county outside of Baltimore, Md.

markodochartaigh

(4,742 posts)
155. Toys by Roy
Wed Dec 3, 2025, 09:35 AM
3 hrs ago

When they were closing in the mid 80's I remember reading that shopping malls weren't doing so well anymore because women were spending less time shopping and more time working.

macwriter

(253 posts)
163. Filene's Basement in Newark
Wed Dec 3, 2025, 10:25 AM
2 hrs ago

When I was a kid, in the run up to Christmas and Easter my family went to Filene's Basement store in Newark. It was a madhouse, but there were bargains plenty. I hated shopping for Easter bonnets, in particular

debm55

(53,665 posts)
164. HAHAHHa. Thank you very much, macwriter. There was a Filene"s Basement in Boston too. My MIL would buy my baby outfits
Wed Dec 3, 2025, 10:40 AM
2 hrs ago

And ship to us.

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