# Department store chains that are now defunct **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 24, 2009, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488 "2009-12-24T22:23:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Tibby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tibby/32/17030_2.png) [@Tibby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tibby)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 8:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488/81 "2009-12-29T08:52:58Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > \ > In Philadelphia the two big ones were John Wanamker and Strawbridge and Clothier. I believe [John](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanamaker%27s) [Wanamaker’s](http://www.robbender.com/gallery/wanamakers?page=1) earns a couple of links and special recognition as a once iconic retail establishment of the highest order, with many innovative “firsts” to its credit. My only regret is that I was born a little too late to experience Wanamaker’s early to mid-20th century heyday, as did my grandmother—often rhapsodizing poetic her frequent center city Philadelphia jaunts, by trolley, perhaps stopping off for a bowl of egg custard at [Horn & Hardarts](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horn_&_Hardart), to fuel up for the main shopping event. She’d spar with Gimbel’s, Strawbridge & Clothier and Lit Brothers before taking on the Heavyweight Champ, John Wanamaker. Meeting “at the eagle”, passing through the Grand Court, listening to the magnificent Wanamaker Organ, eating in the Crystal Tea Room, bringing the kids to see the Christmas Light Show…this was the zenith of department store shopping, folks. Actually, it was not so much a mere place to shop, than a transcendent event destination where one also had the opportunity to purchase merchandise of interest, at their leisure. I’d gladly be more frugal in saving money and make do with less stuff in general, if I could go back to the time before the ubiquitous discount mega-shopping boxes infested our suburban landscape. I long to return to the golden age of downtown department stores, where you were more likely to see fellow shoppers dressed to the nines than in curlers, t-shirts and stretch pants not quite containing super-sized buttocks. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488/82 "2009-12-29T13:07:56Z")
Anyone know the current status of the Wanamaker organ? Sad to see it fall victim to the chain’s demise. Woolworths, despite its collapse in the US long ago, only went out of business in the UK last December but has since [resurrected itself](http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/8117433.stm)as an [online-only business](http://www.woolworths.co.uk/). A few of the local branches were bought from the administrators and re-opened as Woolworth clones, including: > [@](#): > > In January this year, the former Woolworths branch in Dorchester was reopened by a former Woollies manager as Wellworths and celebrated its 100,000th customer within three months. ---
**Author:** ![melodyharmonius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/melodyharmonius/32/21310_2.png) [@melodyharmonius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/melodyharmonius)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488/83 "2009-12-29T13:47:12Z")
Growing up it was: King’s Ames/Zayre’s Bradlees Caldors and then our local chains: The Mart The Fair and the mother of all stores: [Spags](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spag's) - weird thing to note: it was bought out by Building 19. . . ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488/84 "2009-12-29T15:16:24Z")
> [@](#): > > Korvettes was really E. J. Korvettes > My father told me it was founded by Eight Jewish Korean Veterans. E.J. Korvettes. In the suburbs of Chicago in the 60’s, I used to by singles and albums there, too. Like most such stories, apparently not really true: > **[Does E.J. Korvette Stand For 'Eight Jewish Korean War Veterans?'](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/ej-korvette/)** > > This retail tall tale starts with a grain of truth — that there is no "Mr. Korvette" — but this story is a little off the mark. There was an E.J. Korvette’s in North Brunswick, N.J. I used to get books there. They had a GREAT toy department – they had a long, plexiglas-covered display inside where theyt unpacked toys and put them on action display, especially around Christmas time. ---
**Author:** ![gang\_green](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f07891/32.png) [@gang\_green](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gang_green)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488/85 "2009-12-29T15:47:05Z")
I grew up in west Texas, and there was a chain (don’t think it was very large) called Gibson’s. For years, any empty building in my hometown was going to be a Gibson’s. Anthony’s is another one that seems to have disappeared. Beall’s looked dead for a while, but seems to have replaced all the Anthony’s stores. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488/86 "2009-12-29T16:12:29Z")
[Miller and Rhodes](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miller_&_Rhoads) [Thalhimers](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thalhimers) ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488/87 "2009-12-29T16:25:42Z")
West Brothers-Gibson Howard Brothers Wilson’s–later became Service Merchandise, or at least the one I knew did. K&B Drugs–ok, it was mostly a drug store, but had other stuff too, like Walgreen’s. D. H. Holmes ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488/88 "2009-12-29T16:30:19Z")
> [@Mudshark](#): > > Also, Ben Franklin’s [Ben Franklin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Franklin_Stores) is still around, I was surprised to see one in WV. They’re more craft-type stores now though. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488/89 "2009-12-29T17:58:03Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > [Hudson’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hudson's) (or J.L. Hudson). A popular chain in the Detroit area. Hudson’s was bought out by Marshal Field’s, which eventually was bought out by Macy’s. I think the general consensus was that Hudson’s turning into Marshal Field’s was a step down in quality, but MF turning into Macy’s was a step up again. K-Mart is still around, but is in dire straits these days. ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488/90 "2009-12-29T18:15:41Z")
[dating myself] \*\*Zodys \*\*[/dating myself] ---
**Author:** ![kath94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/67e7ee/32.png) [@kath94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kath94)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488/91 "2009-12-29T18:16:46Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > K-Mart is still around, but is in dire straits these days. K-Mart is definitely still around these days. Only now they spell it SEARS, ---
**Author:** ![myskepticsight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/cc9497/32.png) [@myskepticsight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/myskepticsight)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488/92 "2009-12-29T18:21:44Z")
> [@interface2x](#): > > My first thought was [Venture](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Venture_Stores). My mom worked for them for over 20 years and still was there when they went under. Venture was pretty cool from what I remember, pretty much a precursor to modern Target. And mom got to go to sample sales and come home with trash bags full of random stuff from Venture for a few dollars; that was always fun. [Value City](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Value_City) is in liquidation so I guess they’re gone. The one by our Target is closed. That place kind of sucked but it had it’s purpose. And now there is just a huge empty building. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488/93 "2009-12-29T18:27:14Z")
one store not listed in that Wikipedia list was **Modell’s Shopper’s World**. Not to be confused with the current Sporting Goods store (although this site claims the Sporting Good place was an outgrowth of the original department store: [Modell's - AbsoluteAstronomy.com](http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/Modell%27s) ), this was a full-line department store, including a Supermarket. They erected one such store in East Brunswick, N.J. around 1970, and it was huge. It had an enormous parking lot, and on one side had one of those conveyor belt-like set of roller racks so you could send your goods out without a shopping cart into a protected area and simply drive your car over to pick them up. It might have succeeded, except that a.) It was located out of sight in a big Hole In The Ground b.) It was surrounded by well-established department stores and supermarkets. In particular, Two Guys operated a giant department store-cum-supermarket right across Route 18. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488/94 "2009-12-29T18:49:38Z")
There was also [Consumers Distributing](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consumers_Distributing), which wasn’t really a department store but sold most of the same things. That went belly-up, which I suppose is good because it did so before it would have had the indignity of a miserable demise in the Internet era. ---
**Author:** ![Sticks\_and\_Scones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sticks_and_scones/32/16951_2.png) [@Sticks\_and\_Scones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sticks_and_Scones)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488/95 "2009-12-29T20:37:28Z")
> [@control-z](#): > > [Ben Franklin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ben_Franklin_Stores) is still around, I was surprised to see one in WV. They’re more craft-type stores now though. Yeah, you beat me to it. There’s also one in Canton, Ohio. ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488/96 "2009-12-29T20:41:29Z")
> [@Amp](#): > > The three I remember from growing up in Northeast Ohio in the 80’s: > > [Zayre](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zayre) > [Gold Circle](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold_Circle) > [Hills](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hills_Department_Stores) > > I was also going to say [Silverman’s](http://www.silvermans.com/pages/main.html) but apparently they are still in business, much to my surprise. I grew up there in the 1960’s, so don’t forget [O’Neil’s.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O'Neil's) After a visit to shop there, we’d all head to the [Red Barn!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Barn_(restaurant)) ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2009, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488/97 "2009-12-29T21:05:13Z")
A couple more west coast ones: Bullocks (my English boyfriend thinks this is hillarious) I. Magnin And I don’t think any Floridopers mention Mason Blanch or Burdines ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488/98 "2009-12-30T12:57:28Z")
> [@kath94](#): > > K-Mart is definitely still around these days. Only now they spell it SEARS, There are still at least a couple of stores that carry the K-Mart name. There’s one near where I work. I’m sure they’ll be gone before long. K-Mart has the same low-class reputation Wal-Mart has; they can’t possibly compete. K-Mart’s other competitors, Target and Meijer, are more middle-class, and are much nicer places to shop. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488/99 "2009-12-30T14:26:43Z")
I grew up in Johnstown, PA, which seems to be somehting of an elephant’s graveyard for chain stores, plus I had relatives in both the east and west of the state, so I remember the Pittsburgh and Philly-based chains as well. Ones I’ve actually been in and remember from my formative years (and later) include: Ames (Zayre’s) Fisher’s Big Wheel Foleys (spent a bit of time in Houston as well) Glosser Bros. (later Gee Bee) Hills Horne’s G. C. Murphy Kaufmann’s Penn Traffic Service Merchandise Value City Wanamaker W. T. Grant Woolworths This thread, for some reason, is depressing me, apparently due to thinking about all the lost shopping opportunities. I kid you not, between my mom passing away in May '08 and Johnstown’s Value City closing later the same year, my former hometown is dead to me. ---
**Author:** ![FatBaldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@FatBaldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FatBaldGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 30, 2009, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488/100 "2009-12-30T17:25:13Z")
For many years in Utah we had a chain of department stores called Z.C.M.I (Zions Cooperative Mercantile Institution). It was actually started by the Mormon pioneers under the leadership of Brigham Young, because a lot of the merchants in those days refused to deal with the Mormons. It prided itself on being “the oldest department store in America.” The flagship store in downtown Salt Lake City was a local landmark. Unfortunately, in 1999 the stores were sold to the May Corporation and renamed as Meier & Frank, then when May merged with Macy’s, they became Macy’s stores. That causes confusion sometimes, because there is a locally owned chain of grocery stores all over the state called Macey’s (with an e), so you have to be careful if you tell someone you’ll meet them at Mac(e)y’s. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/department-store-chains-that-are-now-defunct/522488.md?page=6)