REVISED: The Death of the City Department Store Chain: The Philadelphia Story

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David P. Dillard

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Sep 23, 2007, 9:55:34 AM9/23/07

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The Death of the City Department Store Chain: The Philadelphia Story

Death of Philadelphia Department Stores

UNITED STATES: CITIES: PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA :
RETAIL: DEPARTMENT STORES :
HISTORY: UNITED STATES: CITIES: PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA
The Death of the City Department Store Chain: The Philadelphia,
Pennsylvania Story

Dennis Linsky, who has posted a
substantial group of posts to me
privately that have been shared on
Net-Gold over time, posted to the
Philly_Traction discussion group on
Yahoo Groups a brief summary of the
changes over some years that occurred
in the realm of the history of
department stores in Philadelphia.

Plate 12: High Street, from Ninth Street
<http://www.ushistory.org/birch/plates/plate12.htm>

I responded with a post that holds
additional detail about this history
that will be found below a substantial
group of photographs from the Temple
University Library's Urban Archives
Department digitized photographs that
show the history of department stores
and their environment in Center City
Philadelphia where at one time
Snellenbergs, Lit Brothers, Gimbels,
Strawbridge and Clothiers and John
Wanamakers all existed between
7th Street and 13th Street on Market
Street.

<http://diamond.temple.edu:81/search/Xsnellenberg%27s&sea
rchscope=10&SORT=D/Xsnellenberg%27s&searchscope=10&a
mp;SORT=D&Submit=Search&SUBKEY=snellenberg%27s/1,1,1
,B/l962&FF=Xsnellenberg%27s&searchscope=10&SORT=
DZ&1,1,,0,0>

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street+and+trolley&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&9,9,,0,0>

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&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&extended=0&SUBKEY=ma
rket%20street%20and%20trolley/1,25,25,B/l962&FF=Xmarket+
street+and+trolley&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&16,16,,0,0>

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<http://diamond.temple.edu:81/search/Xmarket+street+and+troll
ey&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ/Xmarket+street+and+trolley
&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&extended=0&SUBKEY=ma
rket%20street%20and%20trolley/1,25,25,B/l962&FF=Xmarket+
street+and+trolley&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&17,17,,1,0>

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<http://tinyurl.com/2t37jq>

<http://diamond.temple.edu:81/search/Xmarket+street+and+troll
ey&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ/Xmarket+street+and+trolley
&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&extended=0&SUBKEY=ma
rket%20street%20and%20trolley/1,25,25,B/l962&FF=Xmarket+
street+and+trolley&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&18,18,,0,0>

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rket%20street%20and%20trolley/1,25,25,B/l962&FF=Xmarket+
street+and+trolley&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&19,19,,0,0>

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ey&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ/Xmarket+street+and+trolley
&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&extended=0&SUBKEY=ma
rket%20street%20and%20trolley/1,25,25,B/l962&FF=Xmarket+
street+and+trolley&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&20,20,,0,0>

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<http://tinyurl.com/3ygv7s>

<http://diamond.temple.edu:81/search/Xmarket+street+and+troll
ey&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ/Xmarket+street+and+trolley
&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&extended=0&SUBKEY=ma
rket%20street%20and%20trolley/1,25,25,B/l962&FF=Xmarket+
street+and+trolley&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&21,21,,0,0>

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<http://tinyurl.com/2wh9py>

<http://diamond.temple.edu:81/search/Xmarket+street+and+troll
ey&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ/Xmarket+street+and+trolley
&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&extended=0&SUBKEY=ma
rket%20street%20and%20trolley/1,25,25,B/l962&FF=Xmarket+
street+and+trolley&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&24,24,,0,0>

A shorter URL for the above link:

<http://tinyurl.com/376ppk>

<http://diamond.temple.edu:81/search/Xlit+brothers&search
scope=10&SORT=DZ/Xlit+brothers&searchscope=10&SO
RT=DZ&extended=0&SUBKEY=lit%20brothers/1,14,14,B/l96
2&FF=Xlit+brothers&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&10,10,,0,0>

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<http://tinyurl.com/3ddxur>

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<http://tinyurl.com/2lsbxo>

A shorter URL for the above link:

<http://tinyurl.com/33epho>

<http://diamond.temple.edu:81/search/Xgimbels&searchscope
=10&SORT=DZ/Xgimbels&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&
extended=0&SUBKEY=gimbels/1,27,27,B/l962&FF=Xgimbels
&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&16,16,,2,0>

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<http://tinyurl.com/3adz73>

<http://diamond.temple.edu:81/search/Xgimbels&searchscope
=10&SORT=DZ/Xgimbels&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&
extended=0&SUBKEY=gimbels/1,27,27,B/l962&FF=Xgimbels
&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&16,16,,0,0>

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<http://tinyurl.com/2k6kkz>

<http://diamond.temple.edu:81/search/Xstrawbridge&searchs
cope=10&SORT=DZ/Xstrawbridge&searchscope=10&SORT
=DZ&extended=0&SUBKEY=strawbridge/1,27,27,B/l962&
;FF=Xstrawbridge&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&21,21,,0,0>

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<http://diamond.temple.edu:81/search/XWANAMAKERS&searchsc
ope=10&SORT=DZ/XWANAMAKERS&searchscope=10&SORT=D
Z&extended=0&SUBKEY=WANAMAKERS/1,16,16,B/l962&FF
=XWANAMAKERS&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&15,15,,0,0>

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<http://tinyurl.com/2tnw4s>

<http://diamond.temple.edu:81/search/XWANAMAKER&searchsco
pe=10&SORT=DZ/XWANAMAKER&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&
amp;extended=0&SUBKEY=WANAMAKER/1,66,66,B/l962&FF=XW
ANAMAKER&searchscope=10&SORT=DZ&37,37,,0,0>

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amp;extended=0&SUBKEY=WANAMAKER/51,66,66,B/l962&FF=X
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WEBBIB0708

The above collection of photographs is
dedicated to Margaret Jerrido who
after a large number of years at
Temple University Libraries as Head
of our Urban Archives department and
an overall illustrious career as a
librarian and archivist, has retired
this month from Temple University,
although in a part time capacity, she
will continue the book discussion
group that has been so useful and
enjoyable for those who attend these
Temple University events.

Margaret Jerrido
Head, Urban Archives Department
Urban Archives
Location Samuel L. Paley Library (017-00)
Room: 12a
1210 W. Berks Street
Philadelphia, PA 19122
phone 215-204-6639
fax 215-204-3681
email m...@temple.edu

Learn more about Margaret Jerrido
from the content found at the links
provided in these search results.

<http://www.google.com/search?sourceid=
navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=DAUS,DAUS:2006-11,DAUS:en&q=%
22margaret+jerrido%22>

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Now turning to the comments Dennis
made followed by my response.

Quoting Dennis Linsky:

"The first department store to go was
Snellenburg's in 1963. Half the
building was demolished and the first
2 stories were rebuilt and became
Girard Square in 1966. Lit Brothers
went next; it eventually became the
Mellon Center. Gimbels closed in the
1980's and was totally demolished.
Wanamaker's became Hecht's, then Lord
and Taylor, and now Macy's.
Strawbridge and Clothier lasted the
longest; it closed last year."

Very Sincerely,

Dennis M. Linsky

May Department Stores
<http://web.archive.org/web/20050205043058/
www1.mayco.com/common/index.jsp>

A shorter URL for the above link:

<http://tinyurl.com/yqknwg>

----------------------------------------

Sep 9, 2006 2:11 pm US/Central
Remembering Marshall Field's
A Look Back At The Legendary Store Name
As It Vanishes
Get breaking news alerts
(CBS) CHICAGO It became official on the
morning of Saturday, Sept. 9 the
legendary Marshall Fields name is but a memory.
<http://cbs2chicago.com/vault/local_story_252085543.html>

The State Street flagship remains, with
its iconic clock, the Walnut Room,
and the windows that feature intricate
craftsmanship during the holidays,
but they are all now part of Macy's.

In this edition of the Vault, we look
back at some of the people who
worked and shopped at Marshall Fields,
and we hear Mayor Richard M. Daleys
comments from when the State Street
stores candy kitchen closed six years
ago.

Marshall Fields start in downtown Chicago
goes back to the 1852 opening of
a dry goods store by businessman Potter
Palmer. Four years later, a young
man named Marshall Field joined Palmer
in the dry goods business, and
later bought it out with partner Levi
Leiter, according to the Web site
Jazz Age Chicago.

Field and Leiter moved their store
in 1868 to its current location at
State and Washington streets.
The original building was destroyed
in the Great Chicago Fire of 1871,
and a replacement structure built
on the same site also burned down
two years later. But a third
building was constructed between
1893 and 1915. That building is the
legendary flagship store, at
111 N. State St.

Marshall Fields became the first
American department store to start a
European buying office, open a
dining room restaurant in-store,
and start a bridal registry, according
to the former Marshall Fields Web site.
Fields own name is seen across the city
most notably at the Field Museum
and the John G. Shedd Aquarium is named
for one of Fields successors at
the store.

<snip>

But as part of the Macys takeover, a
return of Frango mint production to
Chicago is still being pursued.

"We are actively pursing a candy
company or factory (in the Chicago
area) that can produce our Frango
mints," said Macy's public relations
manager Andrea Schwartz.

Further, the mints are being sold
nationwide.

MUSIC: CLASSICAL: ORGAN: RADIO: PROGRAMS:
May Department Stores and Temple University
Spend Some Quality Time Together
<http://tinyurl.com/yepnxh>

To my comments above, I add here these links here:

The John Wanamaker Radio
<http://www.transistor.org/tubes/wanamaker.html>

Wanamaker's Light Show
The 1911 store is no longer the
John Wanamaker's Department Store,
but the grand old building still
remains in center city Philadelphia,
largely retaining its original
grandeur, though in the hands of a
different retail corporation.
<http://sacradoctrina.blogspot.com/2003/01/
wanamakers-light-show-1911-store-is-no.html>

A shorter URL for the above link:

<http://tinyurl.com/3bdjw8>

Wanamaker's Grand Depot
Also known as: John Wanamaker's Grand Depot
<http://www.philadelphiabuildings.org/pab/app/pj_display.cfm/16183>

Newspaper advertisements kept pace with societal changes
By JIM WALSH
Courier-Post Staff
<http://www.courierpostonline.com/125anniversary/ads3.html>

The now-defunct W.T. Grant's
department store sits in a
shopping center on the White
Horse Pike in Clementon.
Those names and others, including
Korvette's, Woolworth's, Gimbel's,
Lit Brothers, John Wanamaker's,
Fields and more, are now but
memories of a bygone era in the
South Jersey retail scene.

U.S. History Images
The Marchand Collection is currently undergoing updates.
01/04/2005
<http://historyproject.ucdavis.edu/imageapp.php?Major=SY&Minor=M>

<http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en/thumb/b/b1/300
px-Philadelphia_wanamakergrandcourt.jpg>

A shorter URL for the above link:

<http://tinyurl.com/2pgvrh>

Wanamaker's
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wanamaker's>

Wanamaker's Department Store
architect
Daniel Burnham, FAIA
location
Philadelphia, PA
date
1909
style
Neo-Renaissance
construction
Stone cladding, steel frame
type
Department Store
<http://www.essential-architecture.com/
A-AMERICA-N/USA/USA-Northeast/NT-003.htm>

A shorter URL for the above link:

<http://tinyurl.com/38wdff>

Prior Net-Gold content regarding John Wanamaker's
may be found using these URLs:

<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Net-Gold/msearch?query=wanamak
er%27s&submit=Search&charset=windows-1252>

A shorter URL for the above link:

<http://tinyurl.com/yq4acy>

<http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Net-Gold/msearch?
query=wanamaker&submit=Search&charset=utf-8>

A shorter URL for the above link:

<http://tinyurl.com/yq9pts>

HISTORY: UNITED STATES: CITIES: PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA:
Memories of Kensington and Restaurants : Lintons and Horn and
Hardart's
<http://groups.google.com/group/net-gold/browse_thread/thread/
f1a025bc71a7208e/99bd77246f4df48c?lnk=st&q=
HARDART%27S+AND+DILLARD&rnum=2#99bd77246f4df48c>

A shorter URL for the above link:

<http://tinyurl.com/3y9nku>

Sincerely,
David Dillard
Temple University
(215) 204 - 4584
jwne@...
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<http://library.temple.edu/articles/subject_guides/general.jsp>
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Nina Dillard's Photographs
<http://homepage.mac.com/neemers1/PhotoAlbum3.html>
Nina Dillard's Photographs on Net-Gold
<http://tinyurl.com/36qd2o>
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