BrandlandUSA’s first polling contest is over. In our poll, we asked readers the simple question. “What department store do you miss most?”
Our readers top pick for a store to bring back? F. W. Woolworth, America’s legendary five and dime. We assume it’s probably because we’ve been writing about the tragedy of former parent company Foot Locker killing off this iconic American company, and the poll button was to the right.
Whatever the reason, Woolworth’s left the American scene a decade ago. Even then, the decision was pretty stupid. Thankfully, there is still time to reverse it, unless the trademark has run out and Woolworth’s has hit the public domain.
Note: the photo here of the legendary Cass Gilbert-design Woolworth Building is from the Library of Congress. It’s the Woolworth Building around 1910, from the LOC’s Detroit Publishing Company collection.
Number two in the BrandlandUSA poll is Marshall Field’s. Thankfully, the original Marshall Field store is still open in Chicago, but somehow, someone in corporate got confused and sent some Macy’s bags to Chicago, so people are being told by store officials that it’s a Macy’s. In addition, Macy’s New York headquarters keeps placing ads in the Chicago Tribune that say Macy’s, and Chicagoans don’t seem to understand what Macy’s is up to. Someone ought to tell them.
Tied for third “most missed” were the retailers Kress, Bonwit Teller and Peck & Peck.
Not on the list were Bradlee’s, Ames, J. B. Hunter, Korvettes and Woolco.
Author
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It would be very unlikely that Kresge would return as a brand for Kmart.
The Kresge family broke from Kmart under less than amicable circumstances. The Kresges were and, to the best of my knowledge, still are, staunch prohibitionists. S.S. Kresge died in the mid 1960s. When Kmart started selling beer in some of its stores, the family unloaded all their Kmart stock. The Kresge Foundation is still around and does good work but they make it very clear that the family has severed its ties with Kmart and that the foundation has no relationship with Sears or Kmart.
(My apologies for the mis-fire on the previous post.)
Jim
Former Kmart Employee back over 25 years ago.
Kresge could never return as a brand. The Kresge family broke from Kmart under less than amicable circumstances. The Kresges were and, to the best of my knowledge, still are, staunch prohibitionists. S.S. Kresge died in the mid
Richard: Good thought about Kresge; it was a great company. Kmart, the successor company, is still around, but judging by the Kmart store closest to my house, is not in top form.
Perhaps Kmart might do well to test out some store branded products with the Kresge name. Better to push brand names that you own, vs. brand names that are only leased, liked Martha Stewart.
what about Kresge.
Great site. Keep it up. So it isn’t just us in the UK who have our best brands stolen.
Thanks for the plug.
Alan Simonds
Founder of Bring It Back
Woolco?