Hess's

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Hess's
Type department stores
Founded 1897
Headquarters Allentown, PA
Industry Retail
Products Clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, electronics and housewares.

Hess's was a department store chain based in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The department store in Allentown, Pennsylvania, known as Hess Brothers was founded on February 19, 1897, by Charles and Max Hess.[1] Max Hess came to Allentown in 1896 on a business trip and envisioned a department store serving the area. He moved his family to Allentown from Perth Amboy, New Jersey, in 1897 and opened Hess Brothers on Ninth and Hamilton Streets.[2]

Contents

[edit] History

Hess Brothers continued expanding its store by acquiring neighboring properties and filled almost a city block by 1915. While the exterior of the store still appeared as separate buildings, the inside was renovated to look as one large building.[3] Magnificent crystal chandeliers graced the main hall of Hess Brothers, and many windows allowed natural light to fill the store. These and other displays enables the Hess brothers to succeed at making their store look like a "big city department store."[4]

Max Hess, Sr., died in 1922, and Charles continued to run the store from 1922 to 1932. Max Hess, Jr., continued the Hess’s legacy from 1932 through 1968.[5] The younger Hess was seen as a leader in retailing. In the 1953 B.C. Forbes & Sons book, America’s Twelve Master Salesmen, Hess is listed as the second master salesman. According to this book, Hess’s principle was, “Strive for a specific goal.”

Charles, and later Max Jr., made Hess Brothers a shopping destination. Flamboyance and excitement were cornerstones of the store. It was well known for its fashion apparel as a result of introducing the latest trends from Europe. Additionally, the facade of the store was updated in 1947 using the Art Moderne style,[6] and a 45-foot-tall, 8-ton, red neon sign marked the outside of the flagship store from December 23, 1947 to June 30, 1972.[7] Children delighted at the giant toy soldiers Hess’s used as Christmas decorations in addition to "Pip the Mouse" in a puppet show at the flagship store. All shoppers were treated to the annual May flower show, fashion shows, and celebrity appearances, including by Johnny Carson, Zsa Zsa Gabor, Barbara Walters, Rosalynn Carter, and Rock Hudson. Additionally, visitors fondly remember The Patio, the store’s restaurant, popular with many shoppers, for its strawberry pie and sundaes.[8]

In 1968, Max Hess, Jr., sold the store to Philip Berman. At this time, the store business was officially renamed Hess’s, and Berman began an expansion plan for the store, opening new locations in suburban areas, many in shopping malls.[9] In October 1979, Crown American, a developer and owner of hotels and shopping malls, purchased the Hess’s chain, then 17 stores large, as a wholly owned subsidiary.[10] Under Crown American’s leadership, Hess’s enjoyed the booming retail market of the 1980s and expanded to 76 stores by 1990.[11]

In addition to opening stores in available locations, Hess’s purchased other department store chains and converted them to the Hess’s nameplate, such as Penn Traffic Department Stores, based in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in 1981, and Rices Nachmans, based in Virginia Beach, Virginia, in 1985.[12] Hess's also purchased the Knoxville, Tennessee based Miller's Department Store chain from Allied Stores in 1987.[13] In September 1987 Hess's agreed to acquire Snyder's, Inc., a privately held Louisville, Kentucky department store, as well as five L.S. Ayres stores in Kentucky that Snyder's had agreed to buy (L.S. Ayres having assumed them from Stewart Dry Goods and Pogue's only a few years earlier). This new Kentucky-based division was briefly operated under the Snyder's name, but in November 1987 Hess's announced that it would phase out the Millers and Snyder's names in favor of its own moniker in February 1988.

In a few short years, however, Hess’s suffered under increased retail competition and a national recession, so it sold or shuttered 43 of its stores, especially in the South, including the Knoxville stores to Dillard's and 18 sold to Proffitt's in two deals in 1992[14] and 1993. The remaining 30 stores were sold off in 1994, ending a 97-year enterprise; May Department Stores purchased 10 locations, and Bon-Ton bought 20.[15]

The flagship store at Ninth and Hamilton Streets in Allentown was among those bought by Bon-Ton. The store closed in 1996, due to underperformance and the cost of maintaining the store, as it was a victim of various renovations and additions, none of which were consistent to the previous one. It was torn down in 2000 to make way for The Plaza at PPL Center, an eight-story office building used by PPL.

[edit] Hess's Locations

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

[edit] Georgia

  • Rome - Riverbend Mall (former Miller's, acquired by Bon-Ton 1994, closed shortly thereafter)
  • Rome - Mount Berry Square (opened 1991, sold to Proffitt's early 1993, closed 2005)

[edit] Indiana

[edit] Kentucky

  • Ashland - Ashland Town Center (opened 1989, became Proffitt's 1993, now Belk)
  • Bowling Green - Greenwood Mall (former Snyder's, closed early 1993, became Dillard's 1996, which relocated to former Castner Knott 1998; became Famous-Barr 1999, Macy's 2006)
  • Elizabethtown - Towne Mall (former Snyder's, sold to Proffitt's 1993, now Belk)
  • Florence - Florence Mall (former Pogue's, L.S. Ayres, and Snyder's, closed late 1993, became Lazarus Home Store 1995, Macy's Home 2006)
  • Lexington - Fayette Mall (former Stewart's, L.S. Ayres, and Snyder's, closed 1993, became JCPenney 1994)
  • Louisville - Bashford Manor Mall (former Snyder's, closed late 1993, reopened as Bacon's Home Store, became Dillard's Home 1998, closed 2003)
  • Louisville - Dixie Manor Mall (former Snyder's, closed late 1993)
  • Louisville - Downtown (former Snyder's, closed 1993)
  • Louisville - Jefferson Mall (former Stewart's, L.S. Ayres, amnd Snyder's, closed 1993, reopened as Bacon's, became Dillard's 1998)
  • Louisville - Oxmoor Center (former Stewart's, L.S. Ayres, and Snyder's, closed 1993, became Jacobson's 1994, Von Maur 2003)
  • Paducah - Kentucky Oaks Mall (former Snyder's, closed 1993, became Dillard's 1994)

[edit] Maryland

[edit] New Jersey

[edit] New York

[edit] North Carolina

[edit] Pennsylvania

  • Allentown - Downtown (Flagship, building demolished)
  • Allentown - South Mall (became Bon-Ton 1995)
  • Altoona - Logan Valley Mall (became Kaufmann's 1995, Macy's 2006)
  • Bethlehem - Westgate Mall (became Bon Ton 1995)
  • Camp Hill - Capital City Mall (Originally Bowman's, opened 1979, became Hecht's 1995, Macy's 2006)
  • Chambersburg - Chambersburg Mall (briefly Bon-Ton, now JCPenney)
  • Doylestown - Doylestown Shopping Center (became Bon-Ton 1995)
  • Easton - Palmer Park Mall (became Bon-Ton 1995)
  • Frackville - Schuylkill Mall
  • Harrisburg - Harrisburg East Mall (now Harrisburg Mall) (Originally Gimbel's, opened 1986, became Hecht's 1995, Macy's 2006)
  • Johnstown - Richland Mall (originally PennTraffic, became Bon-Ton, mall torn down 2003)
  • Lancaster - Downtown (closed mid-1970's, converted to Hamilton Technologies factory)
  • Lebanon - Lebanon Plaza Mall (became Bon-Ton 1996, subdivided as mall space 2006)
  • Pottstown - Coventry Mall (became Bon-Ton 1996, now Kohl's)
  • Plymouth Meeting - Plymouth Meeting Mall (originally Lit Brothers, now Boscov's)
  • Quakertown - Richland Mall (became Bon-Ton 1996)
  • Scranton - Viewmont Mall (became Kaufmann's 1996, Macy's 2006)
  • Somerset(originally PennTraffic, now Tractor Supply)
  • State College - Nittany Mall (became Bon-Ton 1996)
  • Stroudsburg - Stroud Mall
  • Trexlertown - Trexlertown Mall (became Bon-Ton 1996)
  • Uniontown - Uniontown Mall
  • Washington - Franklin Mall (now Washington Crown Center)
  • Wilkes-Barre - Wyoming Valley Mall (became Kaufmann's 1996, Macy's 2006)
  • Williamsport - Lycoming Mall (became Kaufmann's 1996, Macy's 2006)
  • Whitehall - North Mall (store demolished mid-1990s, now site of Wal-Mart and Sam's Club)
  • York - West Manchester Mall (became Hecht's 1996, Macy's 2006)

[edit] Tennessee

  • Chattanooga - Hamilton Place (former Eastgate, opened 1988, became Proffitt's 1992, now Belk)
  • Chattanooga - Northgate Mall (former Miller's, became Proffitt's 1992, now Belk)
  • Chattanooga - Eastgate Shopping Center (former Miller's, replaced 1988 by Hamilton Place, became Proffitt's 1992)
  • Clarksville - Governor's Square Mall (former Snyder's, closed 1993, became Dillard's 1994)
  • Cleveland - Bradley Square (opened 1991, became Proffitt's 1992, now Belk)
  • Johnson City - The Mall at Johnson City (originally Miller's, became Proffitt's 1992, now Goody's Family Clothing) This was one of the smaller stores and plans had been announced for a major expansion which never came to fruition because of Hess's demise.)
  • Kingsport - Fort Henry Mall (originally Miller's, became Proffitt's 1992, operated as Proffitt's Home Store, now Belk Home Store)
  • Knoxville - Downtown (originally opened as Rich's, and Miller's, now occupied by the University of Tennessee)
  • Knoxville - East Town Mall (renamed Knoxville Center) (originally Miller's, became Dillard's 1992)
  • Knoxville - West Town Mall (originally Miller's, became Dillard's 1992)
  • Maryville - Foothills Mall (originally Miller's, became Proffitt's 1992, now Belk)
  • Oak Ridge - Oak Ridge Mall (originally Miller's, became Proffitt's 1992, now Belk)

[edit] Virginia

  • Bristol - Bristol Mall (former Millers, became Proffitt's 1992, now Belk)
  • Chesapeake - Greenbrier Mall
  • Christiansburg - New River Valley Mall
  • Hampton - Coliseum Mall (opened 1973 as Nachmans, and Rices Nachmans, became Dillard's, now closed and demolished)
  • Newport News - Patrick Henry Mall
  • Portsmouth - Tower Mall (mall torn down)
  • Richmond - Chesterfield Towne Center
  • Richmond - Virginia Center Commons
  • Richmond - The Shops at Willow Lawn (opened 1987, closed 1993, became Leggett, Belk, then Dillard's, store now vacant)

[edit] West Virginia

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Philip I. and Muriel M. Berman Papers: Collection I, Series II.. Retrieved on December 20, 2006.
  2. ^ Sontag, Samantha (December 2006). "The Hess Experience". Lifestyles Over 50 1 (9): 12-14. 
  3. ^ Sontag, Samantha (December 2006). "The Hess Experience". Lifestyles Over 50 1 (9): 12-14. 
  4. ^ Sontag, Samantha (December 2006). "The Hess Experience". Lifestyles Over 50 1 (9): 12-14. 
  5. ^ Sontag, Samantha (December 2006). "The Hess Experience". Lifestyles Over 50 1 (9): 12-14. 
  6. ^ Sontag, Samantha (December 2006). "The Hess Experience". Lifestyles Over 50 1 (9): 12-14. 
  7. ^ Whelan, Frank. "Hess Sign in Allentown Was a Giant in Its Day", The Morning Call, 2005-07-27. Retrieved on December 21, 2006.
  8. ^ Sontag, Samantha (December 2006). "The Hess Experience". Lifestyles Over 50 1 (9): 12-14. 
  9. ^ The Philip I. and Muriel M. Berman Papers: Collection I, Series II.. Retrieved on December 20, 2006.
  10. ^ The Philip I. and Muriel M. Berman Papers: Collection I, Series II.. Retrieved on December 20, 2006.
  11. ^ "Court Blocks Developer's Bid for Gee Bee - Bankruptcy Court Halts Crown American Corp.'s Bid for Discount Store Chain.", Discount Store News, 1990-02-26. Retrieved on December 20, 2006.
  12. ^ "Hess's buying P-VH's Rices Nachmans.", Daily News Record. Retrieved on December 20, 2006.
  13. ^ Rothchild, John (1991). Going for Broke: How Robert Campeau Bankrupted America's Retail Giants. New York: Penguin, 124. 
  14. ^ [February 2002] Fashion Forward: Assessing the Future of Apparel Manufacturing in Los Angeles County. Los Angeles County Workforce Preparation and Economic Development Collaborative, 194. Retrieved on December 21, 2006. 
  15. ^ Macdonald, Laurie. "Hess's Exits Retail, Sells Sites to May, Bon-Ton.", Footwear News. Retrieved on December 21, 2006.

Store Conversions to Hecht's

1995: Wanamaker's | Woodward & Lothrop    1994: Hess's    1992: Thalhimer's    1990: Miller & Rhoads
See also: Strawbridge's (part of division from 1996)
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Store Conversions to Kaufmann's

1995: Hess's    1992: May Company Ohio    1991: Sibley's    1986: Strouss
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