Nostalgia – The Wonderful Department Stores of Yore!
At
this time of year my dreams are filled with visions of shopping in the
wonderful department stores of days gone by, which celebrated the holiday
season with delightfully decorated displays in the windows that actually caused
people to make a special trip to the center of town to experience the spirit of
Christmas. The day after Thanksgiving we
would venture to Indianapolis or Chicago to shop and absorb the holiday spirit
surrounded by music and decorations. At that time it wasn’t about the deals. It
was just the sheer joy of embarking on an expedition to buy gifts or enjoy the
elaborate decorations.
I
miss my favorite department stores mostly because today’s shopping experience
has become generic, boring, uninspiring and soulless. Ever store looks the
same, offers the same merchandise and offers the same sales on the same days.
Yawn!
These
are the wonderlands of retail that I miss:
Marshall
Field & Company
Foley’s
L.S.
Ayres & Company
Block’s
Lazarus
Strawbridge
& Clothier
Woodridge
& Lothrop
Famous-Barr
I.Magnin
Sanger-Harris
Parisian
Lazarus
Carson
Pirie Scott
Robinson’s
Wanamaker’s
Jordan
Marsh
Rich’s
Jacobson’s
Bonwit
Teller
Joske’s
Pogue’s
And
my heart still sings when I thing of Gidding Jenny, the Cincinnati retail
establishment that brought style to the Midwest. Ah! The memories! Gidding
Jenny was the first store I’d visited that served champagne to customers in the
dressing rooms. Sigh!
These
shopping establishments had character, personality and class that are now lost
to history. The retail conglomerates of
today are mere shadows of their forebears that offered a richness of experience
that is missing today. The merged stores no longer owned by the families that
founded them offer the same merchandise in every outlet. That is why people have abandoned brick
& mortar stores. The only way to find a diversity of merchandise it to shop online.
& mortar stores. The only way to find a diversity of merchandise it to shop online.
I
bought my first fur coat at Gidding Jenny, my first TV at L.S. Ayres, my first
piece of real adult furniture at Lazarus, my camel hair coat at Saks Fifth
Avenue, my first sofa and end tables at Blocks – places that are sadly no more.
Life is less pleasurable because of it.
Images Courtesy of The Department Store Museum.
Images Courtesy of The Department Store Museum.
This post brings back memories of a time when shopping was more about experiences, emotions, and personal connections rather than just buying products. Older department stores had a special charm because every visit felt meaningful. I think many traditional items still carry that same feeling today. A prayer mat, for example, can become more than a simple household item because it holds personal memories and spiritual value. Many people choose designs that create a peaceful corner in their homes for reflection and prayer. Like the old stores mentioned here, handmade items often have character and tell a story. A carefully chosen prayer mat with beautiful patterns and comfortable fabric can remind us of family traditions and quiet moments. These meaningful pieces bring warmth into modern homes where personal touches are sometimes missing.
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