COMMENTS

36 responses to “Open Thread Update: Whatever Happened To….?”

1. I really miss Sam Ash Music. They recently shut their doors for good. And even though I didn’t go there much, it was my favorite music store. I bought my first electric guitar from them.

   Reply to Larry Brown

2. K-mart for $10/15 nice shoes; JC Penny too for sheet set
   sales. Yes, Bed, Bath small appliances. Modell for winter
   wear and exercise stuff. Is TG&Y still in South?
   NYC local favorites were Webbers and OddLot for amazing
   odd stuff. You walked in and found something you never
   knew you needed but waited all your life for.

   Reply to gretchen vanmatre

3. Woodward & Lothrop (Woodies) 11th & F Sts. N.W. D.C. The lovely Christmas
   decorations in the windows, High’s Dairy , Blockbuster, McCrory’s, Hahn’s shoes, Lerner’s, Baker’s shoes Sooo many!

   Reply to Carla Gudger

   1. Grew up in Philadelphia. The Christmas decorations in the John Wanamaker’s flagship store in center city were wonderful! Strawbridge & Clothier a few blocks away was also wonderful (One of the stores — Wanamaker’s I think– had a monorail that ran around the ceiling in the huge toy floor. Children only. Wonderful memories.

      Reply to P.M. Bellace

4. So many iconic stores listed here. Marshall Fields, Lord & Taylor, Borders, Sears. I took my kids to Sears for photos, got their winter coats and Christmas dresses there. I shopped for my school dance dresses and Lord & Taylor. I miss Linens N Things! I loved their store brand items and just hunting for new finds.

   Reply to Elizabeth

5. Prell (I think) shampoo

   Graham crackers

   Reply to Jim reicker

6. From the midwest I miss, Venture, Zayre, Builders Square, Montgomery Wards, Carson Pirie Scott, KMart, Marshall Fields, National Food Store, A&P, and Sears and Roebuck.

   Reply to Linda

7. Bombay, Pier One, Lord & Taylor.

   Reply to Kay Erl

   1. Bombay and Pier One were always fun t shop in, even if I didn’t buy anything.
      Hopefully others did. Lord and Taylor for “nice” things without breaking the bank.

      Reply to Judith Karo

8. Bombay, Pier 1, yes Radio Shack. lots of small businesses that didn’t make it thru Covid.

   Reply to jane chirurg

9. i miss borders, b. dalton and waldenbooks. also woolworths and sears.

   Reply to karen ford

   1. I definitely miss Borders.

      Reply to Larry Brown

10. The next one to go will be Weight Watchers. Their business model has shifted to weight loss drugs. They have closed their storefront locations. I understand that they are having financial touble and are experiencing layoffs.

    Reply to Jeanne Chaikin

11. Worked at F W Woolworth when I was in high school.
    Walmart today is the FW Woolworth of yesterday.

    Reply to Karen Golden

12. I just saw a Radio Shack still open in Summerville, SC. I was shocked.

    Reply to T.M.

13. Our Radio Shack was Great and one very knowledgeable guy who worked there. That’s my biggest “miss”!!!
    Woolworth’s where I rode my bike to pop a balloon & pay that amount for a banana split.
    My family’s pawn shop most of all

    Reply to 53Classic

    1. OMG I biked to the Woolworth in the mall in Center Moriches every weekend in summer. The counter girls were all so nice – I think they felt bad I didn’t get the penny one; the last weekend in August one gal was very particular about which balloon they picked…and I finally got my penny banana split. thanks for the memory.

       Reply to Virge

14. Borders Books and Bed Bath and Beyond

    Reply to Carol P

    1. I miss Bed Bath and Beyond. It was my go to store for gifts.

       Reply to Renee

15. I miss Woolworth & McCory’s.

    Reply to DORIS SINGLETON

16. They just closed this year, but I really miss Sam Ash Music.

    Reply to L. Brown

    1. Sam Ash is alive and well in San Diego, California as well as online.

       Reply to Theresa

       1. I miss Waldenbooks, B.Dalton, Borders, Jordan Marsh, Lord & Taylor, J Byrons, Burdines, Oshmans, Sports Authority, Bed Bath and Beyond, Sears, Kmart, Payless Shoesource, Fayva (shoes), Woolworth, Specs and all the record stores, Blockbuster, the JCPenney catalog.

17. I miss bed, bath and beyond .
    The cleanliness of the store was appealing and the quality of the products was excellent. Also, the treatment of shoppers was good . No trouble with returns.

    Reply to Dawn Schutt

18. I too miss Woolworth’s, Radio Shack, Tower Records & Bordens, plus Abraham & Straus, Sears Roebuck, W.T. Grant, Linens & Things, Flying A (gas stations), Waldenbooks, B. Dalton, National Shoes, Modell’s, Genovese Drug Stores, A&P, Flower Time, A.C. Moore, Pier 1, Leewards, Pergament, F.A.O. Schwartz, Rickel Home Centers, Lechters Housewares, Sunshine cookies & crackers, Hoffmann’s sodas, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, Mason Mints, Pet milk, RCA Victor, S&H Stamps, Rheingold beer & Miss Rheingold contests

    Reply to Rose Marie Wilson

    1. I concur on all of these. Two things I miss were particular to NYC. First, the Tower Records at Lincoln Center. Went to NYCBallet or NYCOpera on Friday nights and then went to Tower to investigate the music we had just seen/heard. Second, the Christmas Season in NYC. It dd not start until Macy’ s had the parade. The next day shoppers crowded a ten different department stores to see the decorations, from Bergdorf and Lord & Taylor, to Gimbel’s and Macy’s, to Orbach’s and Klein. Retail was fun!

       Reply to Barb

       1. Yes, we have similar experiences! I passed by Tower Records at Lincoln Center once, but didn’t have time to go in. Trips from the suburbs to NYC were rare, but I remember walking along 5th Ave with a friend, in the 1980s, stopping at all the Christmas windows. Some of the best were at Altman’s, Macy’s, Lord & Taylor, and Saks Fifth Ave. Those were terrific times!

19. I have so many memories of riding in the very back of a station wagon. I know there are bigger cars such as mini vans and SUVs that are way more comfortable for riding in than my old Pinto wagon was, but I had so much fun and so many adventures.

    Shopping online is very efficient but at Christmas time I really miss the huge Sears catalog for dreaming on the floor.

    Reply to Nancy S

20. I’m from New England (CT) originally, now living in TN. I miss a lot of iconic brands I grew up with: Royal Lunch milk crackers, Cain’s Sandwich spread and Tartar Sauce, Borden’s dairy, Caldor’s, Ame’s, Bradlee’s, A&P, Durgin-Park, Howard Johnson’s, Lord & Taylors; Ponderosa, Bob’s Big Boy, Read’s, Woolworth’s, Kresge’s, Grant’s – and the Great Danbury State Fair!

    Reply to Linda Inness

21. Hechts
    Woodies
    Raleigh’s
    Garfinkels

    A bunch of stores in the Washington DC Metropolitan Area that I used to love
    Scared to think about what’s next

    Reply to Gail

22. I thought I was the only one who miss the stores of yesterday…I now on line shop for most things…In the apple it is too dangerous to be shopping with the increase in crime on the rise..the enjoyment and sense of wholeness you experienced when you would stop at Woolworth for a quick bite or Horn and Hardart for soda are gone..Hearns use to fulfill many dreams when Lord and Taylor’s, Macy’s and Bloomingdale was beyond your reach…yes the stores of yesterday are gone but the memories are here

    Reply to Gene

23. I miss Heathkit. I built their amps & test equipment throughout college for people
    to implement my income.

    Reply to Paul F

24. I miss Sweetheart soap – it was available at least through the early 1970’s.

    Reply to Cath

25. Sears and Monkey Wards were a big loss, not to mention all the iconic car brands that have bit the dust in recent years: Pontiac, Oldsmobile, Studebaker, Hudson, among them.

    Reply to Chartles Moore

26. When I went to Minneapolis to see a show, I made a point to stop at The Mall of America. They have a Toys r Us! I took a pic of someone dressed like Geoffry out front of the store. I’m also lucky to live just under three hours away from the last Blockbuster store ever! It’s in Bend, OR. :-)

    Reply to Dorrie

27. Bed, Bath, and Beyond

    Could find everything I needed for the house.

    Reply to Susan Harris