Spinoff: Defunct Stores

[pinkxray]

I forgot about some of these like Childworld and Kbtoys! Miss those and Toys RUs. We would go to Toys R us almost every Friday night and I could browse the Barbie aisle forever.

We always shopped at Caldor, Bradlees and Kmart. I loved picking out Jaclyn smith socks for the new school year.

Service Merchandise was always pretty boring as a kid but I loved using the computer to pretend to work there.

We also spent many Sundays at Sears. My dad had a billion tools and we were always going there. That was pretty boring too.

I also really miss the Disney store. I know they have some somewhere but not near me. We used to have one at the mall a few towns over. It was a special trip to that mall and we loved getting something at the Disney store. Another mall farther away had the Disney store and Warner brothers store.

Also miss Waldenbooks. Bookstores in general. It was awesome being a kid and browsing. Loved going in and picking up the new Babysitters Club book. It is so hard to find books and toys now without stores like these.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I think most of the ones I remember have already been mentioned. I remember liking Venture and Phar Mor quite a bit. I also remember ShopKo, I think those are gone now too.

 

[RedAngie]

Kaufmann's

If you wanted to meet up in downtown Pittsburgh, all you had to say was, "I'll meet you under the clock."

In Philadelphia it was “Meet Me at the Eagle” in the Grand Court inside John Wanamaker department store.



When Wanamakers closed, it was called something for a few years whose name I can’t recall. Then it became Lord & Taylor. Now it’s a Macy’s. All of them kept the major JW traditions, including daily organ recitals and the Christmas light show.




At one time there was even a monorail and a carousel in the toy department.

 

[RedAngie]

I lived near the original Filene's basement. There was nothing like it. The high end clothing was priced incredibly low. The store would have these markdown sales and you could spend the day in there going through all the discounted items. Once a year they would have their bridal sale and my grandmother would take me in on the streetcar to watch the brides line up. It wasn't like the TV shows. No appointments. Everyone just rushed in and the photos would always make the front page of the Boston Globe the next day.

All the Filene's Basement stores that came after the original were a poor copy and not worth going to in my opinion.

I was in the original Filene’s Basement in downtown Boston once, but no special sales were going on. Just normal everyday reduced prices on what didn’t sell upstairs.

Maybe they also sold lower line merchandise too. I know all 4 Philadelphia department stores had basements called the “Budget Store” with less expensive clothing and softlines.

I really don’t remember the Filene’s Basement chain. I went once somewhere and wasn’t impressed.

 

[RedAngie]

I’ve heard of most but not all of the stores mentioned.

Another discount store was JM Field’s.

Stern’s department store.

JJ Newberry 5&10

 

[kymom99]

I worked at Kmart for a number of years.

Does anyone remember ordering from Penney’s catalog? When you had to call in and submit your order? We had a small Penney’s in my area. They had a special entrance to go in and pick up your package.

 

[fly girl]

Phar-mor

Phar Mor

I remember liking Venture and Phar Mor quite a bit.

Interestingly, when the Zayre near me closed, the first thing to move into the space was Phar Mor. My grandmother worked there for a short time. If I recall though the store didn't last long.

I worked as a cashier at Phar-Mor when I was in high school! And it was before scanners, manually had to enter prices needing the Phar-Mor orange price sticker. I still remember the price of Finesse shampoo, $2.78. (For some reason those always lost the price sticker so after a few times waiting for a price check I remembered.)

The reason Phar-Mor didn't last was because the president and cfo committed fraud and embezzlement.

Shame because it was a very popular store. It was a rare day that my line wasn't busy working there.

 

[BlueStarryHat]

In Philadelphia it was “Meet Me at the Eagle” in the Grand Court inside John Wanamaker department store.

View attachment 756265

It's actually, "Meet me at the Iggle." C'mon Angie, you should know that.

 

[Colleen27]

I loved Zellers. We used to go over to the one across the border for Canadian Sailor Moon merch we couldn't find in the States.

Ben Franklin, Woolworth, Kmart, Sears. Chatham grocery and Perry's drugs.

Waldenbooks and B. Dalton's - two bookstores in one mall, truly a golden age!

And Frank's Nursery & Crafts. I suspect having that place a short bike ride from home explains a lot about my choice of hobbies even now.

 

[BrianL]

I worked as a cashier at Phar-Mor when I was in high school! And it was before scanners, manually had to enter prices needing the Phar-Mor orange price sticker. I still remember the price of Finesse shampoo, $2.78. (For some reason those always lost the price sticker so after a few times waiting for a price check I remembered.)

The reason Phar-Mor didn't last was because the president and cfo committed fraud and embezzlement.

Shame because it was a very popular store. It was a rare day that my line wasn't busy working there.

I think ours did have scanners - it may have come in late in the game. Actually, if I remember, Zayre was the first place I ever saw scanners - the reader pad even ahd their logo shape in the glass.

 

[jl]

I think ours did have scanners - it may have come in late in the game. Actually, if I remember, Zayre was the first place I ever saw scanners - the reader pad even ahd their logo shape in the glass.

Re: Service Merchandise was Brand Names before that
Western Auto, Pharmhouse

 

[RedAngie]

It's actually, "Meet me at the Iggle." C'mon Angie, you should know that.

Of course, how silly of me to say otherwise.

 

[LuvOrlando]

Not sure how many NYers are on here but if you were above the below but below the upper back in the 80's the flea market game was strong.
This was the ONLY place for the right sort of bedazzled purses, hair products, lip liners and lipgloss or lipsticks to be ordered by number, not brand, for a night at the clubs. If I close my eyes I can still smell it, a mix of hotdogs, Drakkar Nior, knish and sausage with the sound of Beastie Boys drifting out of some store selling Blaupunkt removable cassette players.

 

[kymom99]

I worked as a cashier at Phar-Mor when I was in high school! And it was before scanners, manually had to enter prices needing the Phar-Mor orange price sticker. I still remember the price of Finesse shampoo, $2.78. (For some reason those always lost the price sticker so after a few times waiting for a price check I remembered.)

The reason Phar-Mor didn't last was because the president and cfo committed fraud and embezzlement.

Shame because it was a very popular store. It was a rare day that my line wasn't busy working there.

That’s strange I’ve never heard of phar-mor and we come from the same general area.

 

[Disneefun]

Brendles
Iveys
Thalhimers
Bresler's Ice Cream
Sam Goody and Camelot Music stores
Any of the old shoe stores like Thom Mcan, Kinneys, Hofheimers, Hahn's, Stride Rite, etc.

I miss malls. Most of the malls around here have closed and gone in favor of "district" type developments. But I miss having a ton of restaurants and stores all indoors and easy to get to. I don't like having to drive all over now to find clothes and shoes because kohls is over here, and target is over there and the cute little dress shop is way over there.... Or having to buy it all on line and then send it all back because nothing fits my weird body shape.

 

[Mysterian]

Bradlees
Montgomery Wards (or Monkey Wards, as my dad called it)
Zayre

Non-department stores:
Kay Bee Toys
Toys R Us (maybe still around in some locations?)
Blockbuster
EB Games (closed in the US, now only in Australia?)
Waldenbooks
Tower Records

I've never been to Pennsylvania, but I can appreciate Hills from YouTube channels like Weird Paul and Pittsburgh Dad. Weird Paul even has VHS footage of Hills during the 80's.

 

[Mysterian]

Sam Goody and Camelot Music stores

Oh I remember those. Musicland too- did a search, and discovered Sam Goody was owned by Musicland.
Suncoast was also mentioned under Musicland, I forgot all about them!

 

[rangerxenos]

Just thought of two more, not sure if they were strictly CT or not, but Sage Allen and G. Fox.

 

[barkley]

i miss hastings. they were video, music and a bookstore rolled into one (with a very good selection of comic book store type toys and such).

 

[bcla]

Oh I remember those. Musicland too- did a search, and discovered Sam Goody was owned by Musicland.
Suncoast was also mentioned under Musicland, I forgot all about them!

In California we had a chain called The Wherehouse, but I think Tower Records was national/international. And of course Borders.