Retail coming to Philadelphia (York, Willow Grove: salons, indoors, starting)

[cpomp]

Looks like Lord & Taylor will be no more

"Venerable U.S. retailer Lord & Taylor plans to liquidate inventory in its 38 department stores once restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus are lifted"

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/05/lord...urces-say.html

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Looks like Lord & Taylor will be no more

"Venerable U.S. retailer Lord & Taylor plans to liquidate inventory in its 38 department stores once restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus are lifted"

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/05/lord...urces-say.html

It's very sad. As you know the Bala store has been there since the 50s.

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by kyb01

It's very sad. As you know the Bala store has been there since the 50s.

Its also designed by Raymond Loewy Associates. This day in age, I could see it getting torn down for another apartment box, but who knows...

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Its also designed by Raymond Loewy Associates. This day in age, I could see it getting torn down for another apartment box, but who knows...

Raymond Loewy. One of the greats without a doubt!

[acenturi]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Looks like Lord & Taylor will be no more

"Venerable U.S. retailer Lord & Taylor plans to liquidate inventory in its 38 department stores once restrictions to curb the spread of coronavirus are lifted"

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/05/05/lord...urces-say.html

When I was in 8th Grade, my Father wanted to get something special for my Mother one Christmas, so we (he and I) went over to L&T on City Ave and bought her a mink stole. We were far from poor, but my Mother was ultra conservative and instead of expressing profound thanks, she took it back a few days after the holidays for a refund. I'll never forget my Father's displeasure - which resulted in him refusing to visit my grandparents (mother's side) in Pittsburgh for their annual family New Years celebration. Fortunately, his ire ended shortly afterwards and he continued showering her with "extravagance" through the years. She never minded it, as long as the extravagance wasn't worn for all to see.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Its also designed by Raymond Loewy Associates. This day in age, I could see it getting torn down for another apartment box, but who knows...

Raymond Loewy designed buildings too?

I'm more familiar with his output as an industrial product designer. Among the icons he produced in that realm: the Pennsylvania Railroad's sleek GG-1 electric locomotive and the Trimline telephone for the Bell System's manufacturing arm, Western Electric.

The Atlantic had a great article on Loewy's design philosophy a few years back. It could be summed up in the acronym he used to describe it: "MAYA" ("Most Advanced Yet Acceptable") — IOW, the product should look as futuristic as it can, but not so much so that the public would reject it.

L&T Bala-Cynwyd, even in its slightly disfigured state (its lower level on the City Avenue side also used to be exposed before the owner of the shopping center decided to raise the parking lot there to the level of the lot used by the rest of the center), is a midcentury modern classic, so it doesn't surprise me at all to learn this.

The apartment box has already risen behind the Bala Cynwyd Shopping Center.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

Raymond Loewy designed buildings too?

I'm never too old to learn. From the official Raymond Loewy website:

Loewy has also left his mark on the area of store design. One of his early innovations, the first fully climate-controlled, windowless department store, was so well received that the Loewy organization formed a separate division devoted entirely to store design. Under the leadership of Loewy’s partner, William Snaith, the company designed for prestigious clients such as Saks Fifth Avenue, J. L. Hudson, Macy’s, J.C. Penney, Bloomingdale’s and Lord & Taylor.

By the 1970s Loewy’s New York office was engaged almost exclusively in store design. Loewy decided to sell the American company and to transfer the base of his design activities to Europe, because he said store design had “never been my particular field.” Retaining the name Raymond Loewy International, he started a new firm in Friebourg, Switzerland, and accelerated existing operations in London and Paris. He discovered fertile ground for his interests, saying in an interview that, “industrial design in Europe is where it was in the United States 25 years ago.” Loewy’s efforts overseas found great success, and his Raymond Loewy International, now Loewy Group, is the largest firm of its kind in Europe.

(emphasis added)

So he sort of backed into it, then backed out of it.

[swaggyp123]

Craft beer bar with a mini golf course that spells out PHILLY coming to 16th & Girard. I think this was the old St. Joe's Hospital is now an apartment building.

https://www.inquirer.com/food/libert...-20200501.html

[Mayvenne]

Well I know it's not Philadelphia, but I just read in another forum that Land's End is opening a store in Exton. I had no idea that they still did stores.
This is the shopping center with TJM, HomeSense, Raymour and Flanigan outlet, and I forgot what else because it's been a few months since anything was open!
https://patch.com/pennsylvania/westc...chester-county

[cpomp]

This thread has been quiet a while, I have some updates regarding Rittenhouse Row from PhillyChitChat (Hugh E Dillon).

Walnut Street Closings (some repetitive mentions):

Lucky Brand Jeans
Cole Haan
Intermix
Zara
Talbot's
Timberland
Dr. Martins
Vans
Stuart Weitzman (not 100% certain)
Saxby's 20th & Walnut

Chestnut Street Closings:

Hats in the Belfry
Forever 21
J Crew closed but expected to re-open

Several retailers remain closed but plan to re-open, Boyd's is the most notable.

Several have re-opened: Scotch & Soda, Vince, Theory, Rag & Bone, Apple, Blue Mercury and others.

Sad situation, and I agree with Hugh that landlords should take the boards down on stores that are closed and replace the glass.

Hopefully the energy of the city can slowly bounce back with each passing week. I am seeing the same situation in Manhattan, but Philadelphia felt more eerie and disheveled even in its nicest neighborhoods (not meant to be mean).