Spinoff: Defunct Stores

[RedAngie]

Someone mentioned Zellers in the Target thread.

What other defunct stores did you like shopping at? I’m thinking defunct Walmart type discount stores but all types welcome.

As a kid and young adult, in my area we had

Two Guys
E.J. Korvettes (the world’s best record/album department)
W.T. Grant
Jamesway

But my favorite was Clover, the discount division of Philly’s Strawbridge & Clothier.

 

[Cadiewampus]

We had WT Grants in my area (georgia) as well. There was also Service Merchandise, Richway, Zayre's, Eckards, Mervyns and probably my favorite Rich's.

 

[Disneylover99]

Before Wal-Mart, we had Woolco.

 

[BrianL]

We had Zayre's about a block from my house. I loved that store!

 

[kymom99]

Not a discount store, but mcalpins was the best department store ever. Nothing has come close.

 

[Minnesota!]

Dayton's, Mervyn's, Builders Square

 

[nw6675]

Anyone ever have an Erby's? It was like an Ollie's or Big Lots. What you were buying might have expired three years ago, but by gosh they had it!

Another vote for Zayre's and if you are from the south, Rose's.

 

[rangerxenos]

Caldor
Bradlees
Zayres
Mammoth Mart

 

[fla4fun]

We had Woolco, Rinks, Zayre’s, and Ontario stores, all gone now. The one that hurt me the most was the Lazarus department store. Their flagship store was downtown, and we usually only went there during Christmas shopping season. The building was several stories tall and had huge display windows around the base. At Christmas, they had animated displays in every window. They would set up a special shopping room where kids could go in without their parents to buy them gifts in secret, and of course, there was the obligatory photo with Santa. There were several restaurants in the store and there was a huge bargain basement area too. It was sad enough when they were taken over by Macy’s, but then the big store was closed and turned into office space. It was a magical place for a child, a totally different experience from going to the mall.

 

[Kae]

Big R, GL Perry's, Venture

 

[1420Elexismc]

Mars
Bradlees
Zayre
Caldor
Ames

 

[firefly_ris]

Caldor
Hecht Co.
Hutzler's
Woolworth

 

[Meriweather]

Mervyns.........I haven't heard of any of the other ones mentioned
Woolworth

 

[soccerdad72]

Hills Department Stores

 

[shh]

anyone remember burdines?

 

[leebee]

Mars
Bradlees
Zayre
Caldor
Ames

Zayre, Ames, Bradlees, Caldor, Service Merchandise, Woolworth, Ann&Hope, Mars, Newberry's... @1420Elexismc, I think we are from the same neck of the woods!

 

[BlueStarryHat]

Gimbel's in Philly. We would take the bus up to Center City, my Mom, sister and me. We never bought anything I don't recall, just looked at everything-it was huge in there, floors and floors full of everything you could ever want. My grandparents used to take us to the Thanksgiving Day parade, and Santa would climb up a ladder and go through a window into the toy section.

 

[1420Elexismc]

Zayre, Ames, Bradlees, Caldor, Service Merchandise, Woolworth, Ann&Hope, Mars, Newberry's... @1420Elexismc, I think we are from the same neck of the woods!

I'm from the East Coast!
Also:
Weathervane
D&L
5/7/9
Merry-Go-Round

 

[unrequited23]

Hills Department Stores

My mom and I would split a soft pretzel anytime we went to Hills.

 

[BrianL]

Nice to see all the love for Zayre! The one near me looked like a lot like this:



I always liked going there for the toy section. I'd buy Atari games there a lot, and also play the arcade games at the front. I can still see the back of the building it was in from my front door - it now has a Big Lots and a TJ Maxx in it.