Search found 311 matches

by Dave
05 Mar 2007 14:34
Forum: History: USA Mid-Atlantic
Topic: Roanoke VA
Replies: 10
Views: 9662

I tried to find out some stuff about Mick-or-Mack back in May, 2006 without a great deal of success, but I did get some info from posting on Remembering Retail. That thread can be accessed here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/rememberi ... sage/15203
by Dave
01 Mar 2007 17:36
Forum: History: Department Store Chains
Topic: GEX/Oklahoma
Replies: 1
Views: 5780

...When visiting Denver in the 1970's, they had stores called GEM.....same type of sign, different name. Not sure what the letters stood for....or if the stores were related. If they were related, does anyone know why the different store names in different cities? My understanding is that G.E.M. an...
by Dave
26 Feb 2007 15:08
Forum: History: Miscellaneous and Not Region-Specific
Topic: Chains with two stores very close to each other
Replies: 30
Views: 20352

...I've lived in Granada Hills for 6 years and this has been a mystery to me, and it made no sense about which stores got closed and sold in the merger. There must be something in the lease that forces Ralphs to keep the duplicate store open... Given the age of the stores that you described, my gue...
by Dave
20 Feb 2007 10:32
Forum: History: Miscellaneous and Not Region-Specific
Topic: 2 Supermarkets In One Shopping Center
Replies: 68
Views: 97090

...I do know that many times a grocer will have an exclusivity clause written into their lease - meaning that another grocer can't move into a shopping center that's already occupied by a grocer. The Wal-Mart Supercenter co-exisitng with the VONS surprises me. That's true, but consider that what to...
by Dave
20 Feb 2007 10:24
Forum: History: Miscellaneous and Not Region-Specific
Topic: Bulk Food sections
Replies: 13
Views: 8199

I think that I'm hearing that sanitation and safety should have been a big factor in the demise of bulk food sections!

I don't even know if you can "sanitize" a 2 liter soda bottle for reuse. The mixup with the potpourri and herb tea could have been downright dangerous.
by Dave
20 Feb 2007 00:12
Forum: History: Miscellaneous and Not Region-Specific
Topic: 2 Supermarkets In One Shopping Center
Replies: 68
Views: 97090

There are a ton of shopping centers with two supermarkets. The first modern shopping center in Richmond, Cary Court, opened in the 1930's with an A&P and a Sanitary (later Safeway) next door to each other in the strip of shops. Although it's not as common as it once was, there's a Wal-Mart Super...
by Dave
19 Feb 2007 11:14
Forum: History: Miscellaneous and Not Region-Specific
Topic: Bulk Food sections
Replies: 13
Views: 8199

I would think that one of the main reasons that selling items in bulk, other than things like nuts, candy, and coffee beans, is that consumers probably resisted buying stuff like detergent in a plastic bag. It's one thing to ask folks to provide thier own containers to take their purchases home in l...
by Dave
18 Feb 2007 21:16
Forum: History: Drugstore Chains
Topic: Miscellaneous Drugstore Chain Discussion
Replies: 25
Views: 19740

Here are some from the 1966 Richmond telephone directory: Drug-Way Stores. Looks like a cooperative at the time, probably local, also noted as "Your Richmond Rexall Drug Stores" - but, not all Rexalls in Richmond were Drug-Ways. In 1966, their stores were still shown under individual names...
by Dave
18 Feb 2007 14:49
Forum: History: Miscellaneous and Not Region-Specific
Topic: Bulk Food sections
Replies: 13
Views: 8199

Some of the bulk food bins I've seen have hoppers where you put a bag under a chute to fill it up. That helps, but doesn't work for everything.
by Dave
17 Feb 2007 16:50
Forum: History: Department Store Chains
Topic: Department Store Gas Stations
Replies: 38
Views: 25643

This talk about JC Penney and Sears selling gas brings me back to when I first got a driver's license, which coincided pretty neatly with the 1973-1974 Arab Oil Embargo. About the only place around my part of Richmond that seemed to have gas on a regular basis was the Sears at Cloverleaf Mall. I rem...
by Dave
17 Feb 2007 12:38
Forum: History: Department Store Chains
Topic: Downtown D.C.'s long-gone department stores
Replies: 3
Views: 6257

Re: Downtown D.C.'s long-gone department stores

...Woodward & Lothrop (Woodies) opened on F Street 1887... Woodward & Lothrop actually left Washington for a few years in the late 19th century, moved to Richmond, then moved back. In particular, they were in the Masonic Temple building at 101 West Broad Street from September 1, 1891 to som...
by Dave
17 Feb 2007 09:41
Forum: History: Department Store Chains
Topic: Department Store Gas Stations
Replies: 38
Views: 25643

Here's a shot of said Penney's Blendomatic pumps at the Tacoma Mall: http://search.tacomapubliclibrary.org/images/dt3.asp?SX=30649&HIT=1&TOTAL=1&UNIQUE=1654818PM86 -- they look like everyday gas pumps to me! By the way, this auto center is a Firestone now. The gas pumps are gone, but no...
by Dave
16 Feb 2007 17:13
Forum: History: Department Store Chains
Topic: Department Store Gas Stations
Replies: 38
Views: 25643

Montgomery Ward in Oklahoma City had gas at their tire and auto center.....seems like it was called "Riverside" gas, or something like that. Also, JC Penney had at least one store here that sold gasoline.....Penncrest, maybe? I've seen a photo from 1965 with the name "Blendomatic&quo...
by Dave
16 Feb 2007 10:23
Forum: History: Specialty Retail Chains
Topic: Musicland/Defunct Record Store Chains Other Than Tower
Replies: 39
Views: 49976

We had a chain called Sight 'N Sound. They were operated by the Wards Corporation from 1971 to 1978. Wards is now Circuit City.
by Dave
15 Feb 2007 14:37
Forum: History: Miscellaneous and Not Region-Specific
Topic: 7-11
Replies: 36
Views: 24834

I had the opportunity the other day to drive by two of what are original 7-Eleven stores here in Richmond, and noticed that both of these stores still had the double entrance doors, and are still open as 7-Elevens. That seems to be pretty unusual these days, as the newer stores only have one entran...