Which defunct stores do you remember fondly? (drugstore, African, beauty)

[s1alker]

I was not much more than 2-3 years old in the early 80s and recall my parents going to Woolworth somewhere in New Jersey. They would always buy me an inflatable ball since they always broke.

In the early 90s I recall in the local mall "The Wall" with shelves of music cassette tapes. There was also a really cool video store called "Suncoast" that was dark inside and meant to resemble the atmosphere of a movie theater. It was really overpriced though. That later became a RadioShack that closed up and became a T-mobile store or something.

[MarciaMarshaMarcia]

Broadway, Bullock's, Buffum's, Robinsons, I. Magnin, Ohrbach's, Gemco, Fedmart, Licorice Pizza, Tower Records, Two Guys. The first 3 had beautiful, well-made clothing, and not just for old ladies. I was young and bought a lot of career clothing there. I bought my first legit piece of furniture at Broadway, a bentwood rocker that I still love. It took me a year to pay it off. I liked Mervyn's in the beginning but they changed so I stopped shopping there.

[baileyvpotter]

Originally Posted by katenik

I remember when Carson's in Chicago was Carson Pirie Scott. I got my first pair of grown-up "designer" jeans there when I was 13.

It's still there since it is a historic building but there's also a Target inside.


Favorites were Marshall Fields, Carson Pirie Scott & Co. Tower Records, Virgin Records, 5,7,9 Shop,
Robertsons (they had a cute tea room), Bonwit Teller, Turnstyle, Chandlers Shoes, The Wild Pair,
Waccamaw, Venture and Woolworth's as a kid.

Here's a good site for those posters who lived near or in Chicago

CraigsLostChicago

[IShootNikon]

Gart Brothers (believe merged with Sports Authority)
BEST

[Ethereal]

Grace Bros.

[linda814]

Originally Posted by Praline

Bonwit Teller
Marshall Fields
The 5,7,9 Shop
I miss getting a Sears catalog

I LOVED the 5 7 9 Shop!!!!!

Now they need to have a 10 12 14 Shop...more my size now!!!!

[katenik]

Originally Posted by thisplacesucks

Broadway, Bullock's, Buffum's, Robinsons, I. Magnin, Ohrbach's, Gemco, Fedmart, Licorice Pizza, Tower Records, Two Guys. The first 3 had beautiful, well-made clothing, and not just for old ladies. I was young and bought a lot of career clothing there. I bought my first legit piece of furniture at Broadway, a bentwood rocker that I still love. It took me a year to pay it off. I liked Mervyn's in the beginning but they changed so I stopped shopping there.

A few years back, I was watching the old horror-soap, "Dark Shadows," on Netflix, and noticed that Ohrbach's was credited with providing the women's wardrobe for the show. Before that, I hadn't thought of that place in ages. I used to pop in occasionally, as it was located across the street from my favorite May Co. store (on Wilshire and Fairfax, not LaBrea, as I wrote in the OP.), but I can only recall buying something there once.

[gouligann]

How I wish it was Walmart.

Bring back all the other smaller (and better) like Zellers and K-Mart) store chains and locally owned stores.

[Seagrape Grove]

Originally Posted by In_Correct

Sooo ... It was a store much bigger than today's Walmart?

The one that used to be in that building in Fort Worth was the biggest I ever saw anywhere. It was one of the biggest department stores in Fort Worth--maybe THE biggest. MW and Sears were the biggest chain department stores in the country at one time. This was before businesses began expanding globally.

[katenik]

Originally Posted by JustJulia

Anybody remember Buffum's? Another rich old lady store.

Best (Best Company? Best & Co?) was where I used to buy Christmas gifts in my teens. Or at Gemco, which I think Target swallowed.



Aww, they're gone? I used to buy all my suits there.

Loehmann's still has an online presence. Before the brick-and-mortar stores closed, the company expanded quite a bit, and the quality of their merchandise declined rapidly. I never shopped there for myself, but sometimes went with others who were looking for high quality business suits or dresses for special occasions, and I remember that in the 80's they sold premium designer labels at a discount that was considered a bargain only because the full retail prices were high. Later, they became more like an outlet store for mid-level brands.