tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post4768989089112240861..comments2024-03-18T03:00:29.951-05:00Comments on Pleasant Family Shopping: A Mid-50's Inside Look at SearsDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07788722183424550052noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-28606237756340277052012-08-15T13:35:48.737-05:002012-08-15T13:35:48.737-05:00My father worked for Sears during the 60's and...My father worked for Sears during the 60's and 70's as a merchandise manager. I would love to see all the pictures you have!!! Wendyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04170430817863647179noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-11480714496364877752009-09-16T15:12:47.699-05:002009-09-16T15:12:47.699-05:00I love to see these old stories and old pictures. ...I love to see these old stories and old pictures. It really means alot to be going back and looking at these. Young people today should take pictures, because in 40 years, it will change again. I remember McLellan's in Nashville, TN downtown...would love to hear stories of others who remember or have pictures.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-66875016356731070262008-05-02T18:26:00.000-05:002008-05-02T18:26:00.000-05:00Love those shots...the only photo missing is the m...Love those shots...the only photo missing is the most important part of my experience going to Sears...the candy and popcorn counter! Walking into any Sears (here in Los Angeles anyway) you where immediately hit with a big shot of Carmel and popcorn scent when you walked in there!<BR/><BR/>Thanks for the great blog!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-48364437801353245762008-02-19T00:12:00.000-06:002008-02-19T00:12:00.000-06:00The escalator has to be my favorite shot here. It...The escalator has to be my favorite shot here. It looks so much like the one in the Sears Town I mentioned in the other post, right down to the bright orange wallpaper.Livemallshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01567198484359363455noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-89211529705125762192008-02-18T22:32:00.000-06:002008-02-18T22:32:00.000-06:00Truth and Consequences - Thanks for sharing your S...Truth and Consequences - <BR/><BR/>Thanks for sharing your Sears memories! I'm pretty sure it's a real color photo, but this one's typical of the oversaturated color you sometimes see in 50's publications. I have another photo of an early 60's Sears catalog counter where the colors are different still, so they must have used a number of different color and decor schemes. <BR/><BR/>Your father definitely worked there during a golden era. I miss the turquoise colored Sears service trucks that seemed to be everywhere in the 60's and 70's.<BR/><BR/>Interesting that you mentioned the "B" designation. I plan to talk about the A-B-C classifications Sears used in my upcoming post. The Daytona store in the most recent post is a "B" store as well.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07788722183424550052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-28368138184528261832008-02-18T19:04:00.000-06:002008-02-18T19:04:00.000-06:00Hi ... love these pics. As I remember from my Sear...Hi ... love these pics. As I remember from my Sears store in Vineland, N.J. (a "B" size store), the colors in the Sears catalog department pic are way off since it appears they badly colorized a B&W photo. The countertop should be off-white and the sides should be in brown to match the (Formica-like) woodtone; same with the display-case frames and similar accents, plus the wall coloring would be more accurate as off-white or cream. Also, the spotlight lamps would be gold-tone. <BR/><BR/>I have great fondness for Sears as my father worked there repairing electronics from '58-87. He took great pride in his work on "Silvertone" and other Sears-brand electronics.TruthandConsequenceshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06236001568213859450noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-61951514045679462292008-02-17T21:19:00.000-06:002008-02-17T21:19:00.000-06:00I always liked the clothes from both Sears and JC ...I always liked the clothes from both Sears and JC Penney. Sears though isn't so great in teh fashion department anymore as tehy try to mock the cheap crap from Kohl's. Not good. JC Penney still does well with the fashions.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-36873993445419040692008-02-16T21:32:00.000-06:002008-02-16T21:32:00.000-06:00Sears got into major shopping centers fairly early...Sears got into major shopping centers fairly early and its Homart real estate subsidiary became a major mall developer (often as a partner with other, regional developers). Wards came to major metropolitan areas later and rarely got into Class A plazas or malls. <BR/><BR/>Sears also operated small hard goods stores in urban neighborhoods and larger hard goods stores in the suburbs. These tended to supplement their big stores. The suburban locations were developed in the 50s; the neighborhood stores probably started earlier. The smaller ones were oriented around paint and tools. The larger ones usually had auto centers, large auto parts selections and departments like lighting and plumbing. Both types of stores had catalog desks. the small stores seemed to disappear in the late 60s/early 70s. The bigger ones either got converted into full-line stores or disappeared by the 80s. The full-line urban stores from the 20s and 30s seemed to last until the 70s or early 80s. A few continued longer, particularly those in regional distribution facilities. there are still several in the city of Chicago--6 Corners, Lawrence Avenue, and Stony Island.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-20207387371112884362008-02-16T11:37:00.000-06:002008-02-16T11:37:00.000-06:00I agree that Penneys has undergone a great resurge...I agree that Penneys has undergone a great resurgence and has risen well to the challenge posed by Kohl's. And they've done it largely through the "White Sale" favorites, always a strength - linens, towels, bedding, etc., and through updating their line of clothing. My kids like their clothes, which is something I certainly couldn't have said a few years ago.<BR/><BR/>Sears has suffered from a bland image for over three decades now. It needs some store design and merchandising spark (I agree soft lines are key), and to my mind is still fixable at this point, but they can't wait much longer.<BR/><BR/>Didi - One reason frequently given was his age - 80 at a time when nearly all companies shoved their execs out the door between 60 and 65. <BR/><BR/>The more likely reason, to me, is the fact that Avery had steered Wards through the depression so successfully - Wards was sitting on a mountain of cash while most competitors were struggling big time or going under totally in the 30's. He was trying for a repeat performance, but times had changed.Davehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07788722183424550052noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-45801639238072630012008-02-15T20:10:00.000-06:002008-02-15T20:10:00.000-06:00Love the mid-century mod furniture!What was Avery ...Love the mid-century mod furniture!<BR/><BR/>What was Avery smoking in thinking there would be a depression after WWII? Hunh?<BR/><BR/>Let's hope Sears DOES NOT follow in Wards' footsteps.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1033289293807518844.post-1307826594475987792008-02-15T11:38:00.000-06:002008-02-15T11:38:00.000-06:00Sears' softlines have languished with lackluster m...Sears' softlines have languished with lackluster merchandising and poor quality for the price range and conservative selection. The hardlines which Sears has become synonomous are still among the best sellers in their categories, but the big box stores and home improvement stores keep margins low for these categories while Sears has spun off its credit, real estate, and insurance subsidiaries for cash infusions.<BR/>JCPenney has made soflines their focus, which is a large part of their revitalization, it has resulted in a more contemporary store experience and provides higher margins.<BR/><BR/>It's a shame their are virtually no Sears from this era anymore. The typical mall Sears is relative bland and a relic of the late 60's-mid 80's era of look alike malls. While dated, the look would be more unique than SearsMallMart look found today. I particularly like the Googie-esque escalator in the Nashville picture. The future is today, come on up and see what's in store for the modern family shopper at Sears.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com