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Quisenberry's Department Stores (Oregon)

Posted: 12 Sep 2014 23:46
by Super S
In the mid-1980s, there was a regional department store chain by the name of Quisenberry's which had stores in eastern Oregon and Idaho. This chain was purchased by the (Troutman's) Emporium chain based in Oregon in the mid-1980s.
I am curious, however, about a current Quisenberry's department store located in Ontario, Oregon. I am wondering if this was owned by the same family, or was simply not purchased by Emporium and remained open. I know that the mall in Ontario (whose name escapes me, but is largely a dead mall today) had an Emporium store, it still had signs up when I last drove through Ontario in 2009. The logo is very similar, if not identical, to the one that was present on the stores they had in Boise.

Quisenberry's does not appear to have a website, but they do have a Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Quisenbe ... 1251626329
There are several photos of the current location in downtown Ontario, Oregon, and several historical photos. However, no mention is made about other stores.

Re: Quisenberry's Department Stores (Oregon)

Posted: 24 Oct 2014 06:15
by steps
I found this under one of their timeline photos on Facebook:

"1954 - Toggery Bill's acquired by Mr. Quisenberry.
1986 - After the completion of the sale of his Quisenberry's Department Stores, Mr. Quisenberry retained Toggery Bill's and changed the name of his men's store to Quisenberry's."

So it seems this store was tied to the original department stores.

Re: Quisenberry's Department Stores (Oregon)

Posted: 26 Oct 2014 22:50
by Super S
I didn't even see that photo the first time I looked. So...Toggery Bill's was technically a "mother store" of sorts. I am now curious what year, and where, the first larger department store that bore the Quisenberry's name opened. Ontario seems logical, as I mentioned, there was an Emporium store at the mall there that very well could have began life as Quisenberry's. I was only in that mall one time during the 1980s with my parents and can't recall what was there at that time.

The Quisenberry's Department stores in Boise that I remember were full-line department stores which had a bit of a "western" feel to them. I seem to recall several poles inside having large pictures of cowboys, rodeos, etc. on them. The stores became more mainstream, and those photos disappeared, when Emporium took over.

Re: Quisenberry's Department Stores (Oregon)

Posted: 29 Oct 2014 15:47
by nysw3636
I found an article from 2-1-86 that says Emporium Inc has bought the 8 unit chain of Quisenberry's. Stores were Boise(2) and Mountain Home, Idaho and Pendleton, La Grande, John Day, Ontario, and Vale, Oregon. The Vale store served as headquarters and distribution center for the company. Interesting reading...

Re: Quisenberry's Department Stores (Oregon)

Posted: 31 Oct 2014 00:36
by Super S
nysw3636 wrote:I found an article from 2-1-86 that says Emporium Inc has bought the 8 unit chain of Quisenberry's. Stores were Boise(2) and Mountain Home, Idaho and Pendleton, La Grande, John Day, Ontario, and Vale, Oregon. The Vale store served as headquarters and distribution center for the company. Interesting reading...
Do you have a link or something to that article?

I actually do not remember seeing a Quisenberry's or Emporium in Mountain Home, but at the time, there wasn't much at all in the way of shopping in that town.