List of defunct department stores of the United States
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The extent of department stores in America is an incalculable number. Many towns had multiple department stores over the years. Others changed names and some existed for only a short time. The stores on this list of defunct department stores of the United States range from small-town one-unit stores to big city mega-chains that have disappeared over the past 100 years, including both traditional department stores and discount stores.
Department stores involved with Federated and May
Many United States department store chains and local department stores, some with long and proud histories, went out of business or lost their identities between 1990 and 2005 as the result of a complex series of corporate mergers and acquisitions that involved Federated Department Stores and The May Department Stores Company and that resulted in many stores becoming units of Macy's, Inc.. The following is a list of the affected stores, including some local and regional stores that earlier had been absorbed into chains that became part of Federated, May, or Macy's.
Other department stores
- A.G.E.
- The Akron, closed 1984
- The Broadway (Los Angeles), converted to Macy's
- Brock's (Bakersfield)
- Bruener's
- Buffum's
- Bullock's (Los Angeles), converted to Macy's
- Bullocks-Wilshire (Los Angeles), converted to I. Magnin, then Macy's
- Butler Brothers (California)
- CBSS (Sacramento)
- H. C. Capwell Co. (Oakland)
- City of Paris Dry Goods Co. (San Francisco), became City of Paris by Liberty House. Demolished except the rotunda, now part of Neiman Marcus.
- Crowley's (Vallejo)
- Daly's (Eureka)
- Fedco
- FedMart
- Fedway (Los Angeles)
- Gemco
- Goodman's (San Francisco)
- Gottschalks, bankrupt March 31, 2009, which closed all of the stores. A few former Gottschalks stores were replaced as Macy's and Forever 21 in the Pacific region. Three remaining stores in California, Auburn, Clovis and Oakhurst reopened in spring 2011.
- Gottschalks Mainline, clearance, etc.
- Hale Brothers (San Francisco), merged into The Emporium under Carter, Hawley & Hale
- A. Hamburger & Sons. (Los Angeles), purchased by May Co. 1923
- Harris Department Store, absorbed by Gottschalks
- Hart's Department Store (San Jose)
- Henshey's
- Hilson's (Martinez), three locations closed 2001
- Hink's (Berkeley)
- Hinshaw's (Arcadia and Whittier)
- Kahn's (Oakland)
- Levee's (Vallejo)
- Liberty House (became Macy's)
- Lubin's (Sacramento), merged with Weinstock's
- I. Magnin (San Francisco), converted to Macy's
- Joseph Magnin Co., closed 1984
- May Company (Los Angeles), converted to Robinsons-May, then Macy's
- Mervyns of California, operated stores in western US. Bankrupt Dec 2008
- F.C. Nash & Co. - Nash's (Los Angeles)[2]
- O'Connor, Moffat & Co., purchased by Macy's 1945, name changed to Macy's 1947
- Prager's (San Francisco)
- Rhodes (Sacramento and Central Valley), became Liberty House
- J.W. Robinson (Los Angeles), converted to Robinsons-May, then Macy's
- Rosenberg's (Santa Rosa), located on Third Street; now a Barnes & Noble
- Sage's Market (San Bernardino)
- Unimart (Los Angeles, San Diego), locations variously became Two Guys, Gemco, FedMart
- Walker Scott (San Diego), Solana Beach branch is now a Ross discounter
- Weinstein's (San Francisco)
- Weinstock's (Sacramento) AKA Weinstock/Lubin
- White Front
- The White House (San Francisco)
- Whole Earth Access (Berkeley)
- Zody's (Los Angeles), bankrupt and sold to Ralphs in 1986
- Ames Department Stores Inc. (Rocky Hill)
- Arlan's Department Store (Waterbury)
- Caldor (Norwalk)
- D&L (Davidson & Leventhal) (New Britain), branch store at the Manchester Parkade.
- D.W. Rogers Co (Greenwich)
- The Edw. Malley Co., formerly the largest downtown department store in Downtown New Haven
- Fairfield Store (Fairfield), closed 1996
- G. Fox & Co. (Hartford), merged into Filene's, converted to Macy's 2006
- Grant's (central Connecticut, Stamford)
- Howland's Department Store (Bridgeport), merged into Steinbach of New Jersey
- Howland Hughe's Company (Waterbury), now operating as the Connecticut Store on Bank Street
- Jenung's Department Store (Danbury), became Howland's some time in the late 1970s
- Kamen's (Glastonbury)
- Luettgen's Ltd. (Hartford), 2-floor main anchor at Hartford Civic Center Mall, owned by Aetna Life and Casualty, created because Filene's would not located in downtown Hartford
- Marlow's Department Store (Manchester), closed 2003
- Raphael's Department Store (New Britain), branch store at the Bristol Centre Mall
- Read's Department Stores (D.M. Read) (Bridgeport), merged into Jordan Marsh
- Sage-Allen (Hartford)
- Seapark's Department Store (East Hartford)
- Shartenberg's Department Store (1915–1962), Downtown New Haven. Razed in 1964 as part of Mayor Richard C. Lee's redevelopment plans.
- Skydel's (Bridgeport)
- Adler's (Savannah)
- Chamberlin-Johnson-DuBose (Atlanta)
- Cullum's (Augusta), higher-end department store
- Davison's (Atlanta), owned by Macy's since 1925 and converted to Macy's in 1986
- Fine's (Savannah)
- Goldstein's (Marietta)
- Hogan's (Savannah)
- J.B. White (Augusta), became Dillard's in 1998 after J.B. White name was retired
- J. M. High Company (Atlanta)
- J.P. Allen (Atlanta), women's store only, men's store run separately named Zachry
- Jones (Canton)
- Kessler's (Atlanta), also locations in Rome, Newnan and Canton; low-end chain that closed in 1995
- Kirven's (Columbus), also one store in LaGrange
- Leon Frohsin's (Atlanta)
- Levy's (Savannah), converted to Maas Brothers in 1987
- Michael Brothers (Athens), bought out by Davison-Paxon, later Davison's
- Muse's (Atlanta), later operated mostly as a specialty shop
- Regenstein's (Atlanta), higher-end department store that closed in the late 1970s
- Rich's (Atlanta), acquired by Macy's
- Saul's (Marietta), closed in 1970s
- Upton's (Atlanta), liquidated in 1999; regional chain similar to Kohl's
- Ackemann's (Elgin), three-store chain; main store downtown Elgin, branch store downtown Woodstock, furniture gallery Crystal Lake. Chain closed downtown Woodstock store and then sold furniture exclusively until closing in the mid-1990s.
- Block & Kuhl (Peoria), acquired by parent company of Carson Pirie Scott, which was later acquired by P.A. Bergner & Co. (also established in Peoria, now Bergner's, a division of Bon-Ton Stores)
- Bressmer's (John Bressmer and Company) (Springfield), purchased by L. S. Ayres (Indianapolis) in 1958, downtown store closed in 1980
- Community Discount (greater Chicago)
- The Fair (Chicago and suburbs), acquired by Montgomery Ward in 1958
- Gately's People's Store
- Goldblatt's (Chicago), some stores acquired by Ames Department Stores Inc.
- K's Merchandise Mart (Decatur)
- Lewis's (Champaign)
- Linn & Scruggs (Decatur)
- Henry C. Lytton & Co. (Chicago, with branch in Gary, Indiana)
- Madigan's
- MainStreet Chicago, acquired by Kohl's in 1988
- Marshall Field's (Chicago), converted to Macy's September 2006 despite local protest
- Maurice L. Rothschild's
- Mayflower (Downtown Chicago), early 1920s to 1930s
- Montgomery Ward, mail order store. Founded in 1872, Montgomery Ward pioneered mail-order catalog retailing and opened its first retail store in 1926. A bankruptcy reorganization in 1999 failed to turn the chain around. Closed 2001. Still exists as a catalog/internet/mail order retailer.
- Morris' (Chicago)
- Myers Brothers (Springfield), relocated from downtown to White Oaks Mall in 1977, and acquired by Bergner's of Peoria the following year
- Robeson's (Champaign)
- Shopper's World (Chicago), acquired by Community Discount
- Joseph Spiess Company (Elgin), four locations, with former downtown Elgin retail store remaining as corporate office and warehouse. Closed all locations by 1996.
- Chas A. Stevens (Chicago)Purchased by Hartmarx Corp. before being closed.
- Thrun's Department Store (Chicago), converted to women's clothing only approximately 1973. Opening of Ford City Mall was the beginning of the end.
- Turn Style (Melrose Park), created by The Jewel Companies, Inc., sold to Venture Stores in 1978
- Venture Stores
- Charles V. Weise Company, also known simply as ''Weise's'', a Rockford-based department store. Acquired by P.A. Bergner & Co. in 1954, but remained an autonomous division until 1982 when all Chas. V. Weise and Bergner-Weise locations were renamed Bergner's.
- Wieboldt's (Chicago)
- Ayr-Way (Indianapolis, statewide), originally a division of L. S. Ayres, subsequently acquired by Target
- L. S. Ayres (Indianapolis, 6 stores, and statewide)
- Ball Stores (Muncie)
- Brite-Way (South Bend)
- William H. Block Co. (Indianapolis, central Indiana)
- Clark's (Elkhart)
- Cook's (Elkhart)
- Danner's (Indianapolis, statewide), several locations also known as 3D Discount
- DeJong's (Evansville) Purchased by Hartmarx Corp. before being closed.
- Drake's (Elkhart)
- Fetla's (Valparaiso)
- Frank's Dry Goods (Fort Wayne)
- The Giant Store (Anderson)
- G.L. Perry 5 & 10 (Elkhart)
- Goldblatt's (South Bend)
- Gordon's (Gary)
- Heck's (Fort Wayne)
- K&S Department Store (Kokomo)
- King's (Fort Wayne)
- George H. Knollenberg Co. (Richmond)
- Levine's Boston Stores (La Porte and Crown Point)
- Loeb's Department Store (Lafayette)
- Maddy's (Middletown)
- McNaughton's (Muncie)
- Meis (Terre Haute), acquired by Elder-Beerman in 1987
- Edward C. Minas Co. (Hammond), also had a branch store in Calumet City, Illinois at River Oaks Center
- Mr. Wiggs (Fort Wayne)
- Robertson's Department Store (South Bend and Elkhart)
- Rody's (Greenfield and Knightstown)
- Root Dry Goods Co. (Terre Haute)
- L. Strauss & Co. (Indianapolis)
- Stillman's (Fort Wayne, downtown and Southgate), formerly The Grand Leader
- Thieme & Schuessler (Lafayette)
- Venture Stores (Indianapolis)
- H. P. Wasson and Company (Indianapolis)
- Weiler's Banner-Fair Incorporated (Anderson, Portland and Hartford City)
- The Wicks Co. (Bloomington)
- Wolf & Dessauer (Fort Wayne, downtown and Southtown, and Huntington), purchased from City Store Company by L. S. Ayres (Indianapolis) in 1969 and rebranded as Ayres
- Ziesel's (Elkhart)
James Black Co. A.K.A. Black's (Waterloo)
- S.W. Anderson's (Owensboro)
- J. Bacon's & Sons "Bacon's" (Louisville), division of Mercantile Stores Company. All locations merged into sister division McAlpin's (Cincinnati) 1980s, select locations converted to Dillard's 1998 with Dillard purchase of Mercantile.
- Ben Synder's (Louisville)
- The Denton Co. (Lexington)
- Kaufman-Straus (Louisville), changed to Kaufman's (1960), purchased from City Store Company by L. S. Ayres (Indianapolis) in 1969 and rebranded as Ayres
- Levy Brothers (Louisville) 1861-1987
- Mitchell, Baker & Smith (Lexington)
- Parson's (Ashland), furniture department continues to operate as standalone business circa 2009
- Purcell's (Lexington)
- H. P. Selman & Co. or Selman's (Louisville), purchased by Weiss Brothers (1961), name changed to Gus Mayer (1970)
- Stewart Dry Goods (Louisville and Lexington), division of Associated Dry Goods. Merged into L. S. Ayres (Indianapolis) along with H & S Pogue Company (Cincinnati) in early 1980s, then Macy's 2006.
- Wolfe-Wile Co. (Lexington)
- Abdalla's (Lafayette), last store closed in 2005
- Beall-Ladymon (Shreveport), purchased by Stage Stores, Inc in 1994. Stores converted to Stage soon there-after.
- Goudchaux's (New Orleans), on Canal Street; closed in 1986
- Goudchaux's (Baton Rouge), purchased by Maison Blanche in 1980s, converted to that nameplate exclusively soon after
- D. H. Holmes (New Orleans), purchased by Dillard's in 1989
- Krause & Company (New Orleans), unit of Mercantile Stores Co. Select locations converted to Dillard's 1998.
- Krauss, 1903–1997
- Maison Blanche (New Orleans), last operated under that name by Mercantile Stores Co. Remaining Maison Blanche stores converted to Dillard's in 1998.
- M. Levy & Co. (Shreveport), last operated in the early 1980s.
- Muller's (Lake Charles), closed in 1986
- Palais Royal (Shreveport), purchased by Wellan's in 1985. Rebranded and later closed. Stage later revived the name after their purchase of Wellan's.
- Rubenstein's (Shreveport), shuttered in the late 1980s.
- Selber Bros. (Shreveport), purchased by and converted to Dillard's in 1988
- Weiss & Goldring (Alexandria), main store closed in 2005, now operates as a 5,000-square-foot (460 m2) men's store
- West Brothers, Minden
- WF Beall & Co. (Shreveport), converted to Beall-Ladymon in the 1980s.
- The White House (Lake Charles), Beaumont, Texas-based department store, closed in the early 1990s
- Arlan's Department Store (Portland)
- Berman's (Eastport)
- Freeses (Bangor), affiliated with Almy, Bigelow & Washburn (Almy's Stores), Salem, Massachusetts
- Giant (Brunswick)
- Grand City Variety (Brunswick)
- Grants Department Store (Bangor, Biddeford, Old Town, Rockland, Portland, Brunswick)
- Kresge (Lewiston)
- Mammoth Mart (Bangor, Biddeford, Scarborough)
- McLellan's (Westbrook)
- J.J. Newberry (Ellsworth, Norway)
- Porteous, Mitchell & Braun (Congress Street, Portland), branch locations in Auburn, Bangor, Brunswick, Presque Isle, South Portland, Newington, New Hampshire and Burlington, Vermont
- Rines Bros. (Portland)
- W.F. Senter (Brunswick), now called Senter Place
- A.H. Benoit (Portland)
- Acme (Dundalk, Baltimore)
- Bradleys (Dundalk, Baltimore)
- Braeger Gutman's (Baltimore)
- Braeger (Baltimore) merged with Gutmans, became Braeger Gutman's
- Gutman's (Baltimore) merged with Braeger, became Braeger Gutman's
- Cooks (Dundalk, Baltimore)
- Epstein's (Baltimore), started on Eastern Ave. and spread to the suburbs
- Eyerly's (Hagerstown and Frederick), bought by Bon-Ton in 1946 and changed name to Bon-Ton in the mid-to-late-1970s
- Garfinckel's (Washington, D.C., and Maryland suburbs)
- Hecht's (Washington, DC, Baltimore, and Maryland suburbs), converted to Macy's 2006
- Hochschild Kohn's (Baltimore and Maryland suburbs)
- Hutzler's (Baltimore and Maryland suburbs)
- S. Klein (Beltway Plaza, Greenbelt)
- Lazarus (Cumberland)
- Peskins (Cumberland)
- Stewart's (Baltimore and Maryland suburbs)
- Sunny's Surplus (Dundalk, Baltimore)
- Albert Steiger's (Springfield), sold to May Co, 1996
- Almy, Bigelow & Washburn (Almy's Stores) (flagship store in Salem)
- Ames
- Ann & Hope
- AJ Wright (Framingham, Massachusetts) Sold by TJX Companies in 2010
- Arlan's Department Store (New Bedford)
- Bailey's Department Store (Holyoke)
- Barnard, Summer & Putnam Co. (Worcester)
- The Bon Marche (Lowell), later merged into Jordan Marsh
- Boston Store (North Adams), owned by Forbes & Wallace; later became England Bros.
- Bradlees (Boston)
- Caldor
- Corcoran's (Cambridge)
- Denholm & McKay (Worcester), two branches at one time
- Edgar's (Brockton and Fall River), affiliated with Almy's Stores
- The Fair Department Store in Worcester, Spencer, Southbridge, West Boylston, Gardner, Whitensville, Millford.
- England Brothers (Pittsfield), closed 1988
- Filene's (Boston), converted to Macy's 2006
- Filene's Basement (Boston), separated from parent Filene's in 1988, closed 2011
- Forbes & Wallace (Springfield)
- Gilchrist's (Boston)
- Grover Cronin (Waltham)
- J.M. Fields
- Jordan Marsh (Boston), converted to Macy's in 1991 due to bankruptcy
- Kennedy's (Boston)Merged with Hamburger's of Baltimore, closed completely in 1992
- King's Department Stores Inc. (Brockton)
- Lechmere Closed 1997 Cambridge, Massachusetts
- London's (Attleboro)
- Mammoth Mart (flagship store in Framingham)
- Mars' Bargainland (New Bedford)
- McCollum's (Northampton), owned by Forbes and Wallace
- R.A. McWhirr (Fall River)
- Michell & Co. (Haverhill)
- Orbit's, acquired by Bradlees in the late 1960s
- Parke Snow Inc. (Fitchburg)
- A. G. Pollard's & Sons (Lowell)
- H.W. Pray Co. (Newburyport)
- Raymonds Department Stores (Boston)
- Remick's (Quincy)
- Rich's Department Stores (Greenfield)
- T.W. Roger's Co. (Lynn)
- The Shepard Co. (Boston)
- SPAGS (Shrewsbury), 1936–2004, sold to Building 19
- Spark's Department Store (Norwood)
- Star Store (New Bedford and Fairhaven)
- R.H. Stearns Co. (Boston)
- Service Merchandise
- Stuart's Department Store (Lowell)
- Sutherland's (Lawrence), with a branch in Newington, New Hampshire
- System Co. (Lynn)
- R.H. Whites (Boston, Leominster, Worcester); Worcester location owned by Almy's stores just before closing
- William A. Allen Co. (Leominster), one branch remaining out of four
- Zayre (Framingham)
- Arlan's Department Store (Detroit: 8 Mile Road and Telegraph N.E. Corner, Warren)
- B. Siegel (Detroit), seven stores at the chain's peak, closed in 1981
- Colonial (Detroit)
- Crowley's (Detroit), sold to Value City in 1999
- Demrey's (Detroit), purchased by Crowley's in 1974
- The Fair (Lansing, Flint)
- Federal's (Detroit), discount department store, closed in 1980.Locations were at Livonia and Universal Malls
- Gilmore Brothers (Kalamazoo), closed in 1999
- Goodyear's (Ann Arbor)
- Grand Leader (Battle Creek)
- Herpolsheimer's (Grand Rapids, Muskegon), sold to Lazarus in 1988
- Himelhoch Brothers & Company (Detroit), closed in 1977
- Houseman's (Grand Rapids)
- Hudson's (Detroit), converted to Marshall Field & Company, then Macy's 2006
- J.W. Knapp's (Lansing), also included Smith Bridgman's of Flint; all three buildings were sold to J. C. Penney in the 1980s
- Jacobson's (Jackson), independent regional luxury department store chain located primarily in Michigan and Florida, but also had stores in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, and Kansas. The last store closed its doors in early 2002. Then, one store in Winter Park, Florida was re-established as Jacobson's in 2004.
- John Preih Mercantile Co. (Mount Clemens), Closed June 1982
- Kern's (Detroit), closed in 1959
- Kresge's and S. S. Kresge (Michigan), former owners of K-Mart, frequently credited with invention of the modern discount department store with start of K-Mart in 1960. Last stores closed early 1980s. Stores included lunch counters and fountain service as well as full department stores. Also operated Jupiter stores which were a smaller-scale version of Kresge's.
- May's of Michigan (Grand Rapids)
- Milliken's (Traverse City)
- Miracle Mart (Detroit: 8 Mile Road)
- People's Outfitting Company (Detroit)
- Robinson's (Battle Creek)
- Rogers Department Store (Grand Rapids)
- Steketee's (Grand Rapids)
- Toeller's (Battle Creek), sold to L. W. Robinson Co. in 1971
- Topp's (RedfordTownship),Telegraph & Schoolcraft
- Winkelman's (Detroit)
- Wurzburg's (Grand Rapids)
- Brett's (Mankato), 1858–1992
- H. Choate & Co. (Winona), est. 1861
- Dayton's (Minneapolis), converted to Marshall Field & Company, then Macy's 2006
- Donaldson's
- Dueber's Inc. (Waconia)
- Emporium
- Fandel's Department Store (St. Cloud), 1882–1986
- Field Schlick Co. (St. Paul)
- Frank Murphy's
- Glass Block (Duluth, MN) 1887-1998
- Golden Rule
- C.F. Massey Co (Rochester)
- Ochs (Faribault)
- Panton & White (Duluth), est. 1887, name changed to Glass Block 1913, multiple sales and mergers 1994 & 1998, now Younkers
- Powers Dry Goods (Minneapolis), division of Associated Dry Goods
- Salkin & Linoff (Minneapolis)
- Schuneman & Evans (St. Paul)
- Sunders Jordan Minnesota
- Van Arsdell's
- Young Quinlan (Minneapolis)
- Buckner-Ragsdale Company (Cape Girardeau), founded 1907, closed 1982
- Emery, Bird, Thayer, and Company (Kansas City)
- Famous-Barr (St. Louis), absorbed by May Department Stores early 1990s, sold to Macy's chain 2006
- Grand Pa's (formally known as Grandpa Pigeon's), closed in 1999
- Heer's (Springfield), established in 1869, closed in 1995
- The Jones Store (Kansas City), absorbed by May Department Stores 1998, sold to Macy's chain 2006
- The Levy Store (Butler), sold by Martin and Judy Levy
- Newman's (Joplin), acquired by parent company of Heer's of Springfield in early 1980s, closed in 1995
- Scruggs Vandervoort & Barney (St. Louis), closed in 1967
- Stix, Baer, Fuller (St. Louis), acquired by Dillard's in 1983
- Townsend Wyatt & Wall (St. Joseph)
- Venture Stores (St. Louis)
- Alexander's (Paramus)
- Atlantic Department Store (Trenton), known by the South Trenton locals as Atlantic Mills
- Bamberger's (Newark and other NJ locations), division of R.H. Macy, most former locations operating as of 2009 as Macy's
- Chase-Newark (Newark and 2 branches)
- The Dry Goods (Cherry Hill, Deptford)
- S. P. Dunham's (Trenton & environs)
- M. Epstein (Morristown), 3 locations
- J.M. Fields
- FMC (Morris Plains)
- Georke's (Elizabeth), absorbed by Steinbach
- W. T. Grant
- Hahne and Company (Newark and statewide), New Jersey's carriage trade store merged into sister division Lord & Taylor
- Jamesway
- E. J. Korvette (North Brunswick)
- Kresge-Newark (Newark and 2 branches)
- Levy's (Elizabeth and other NJ locations)
- Meyer Brothers (Paterson & Wayne)
- Miller Wohl Co (Secaucus)
- Mr. Big
- Muir's Department Store
- Nevius-Voorhees (HQ in Trenton?, a store -P.J. Young's - in New Brunswick)
- Orbach's
- Quackenbush (Paterson), absorbed by Stern's
- Reynolds Brothers (Lakewood)
- Sealfons (Summit, Ridgewood, Wayne, Caldwell, Red Bank, Princeton, Shrewsbury, Westfield).
- Steinbach (New Jersey locations)
- Tepper's Department Store (Plainfield)
- J.M. Towne & Co.
- Two Guys (also known as Two Guys from Harrison)
- Unishops Inc (Jersey City)
- Valley Fair Corp (Little Ferry and two other locations)
- P.J. Young's - Nevius Voorhees (New Brunswick)
- Abraham & Straus (Brooklyn)
- Abrahamson-Bigelow Co (Jamestown)
- Abrahams Bros. (New York City)
- J. N. Adam & Co. (Buffalo)
- The Addis Company, merged with Dey Brothers (Syracuse)
- Alexander's (New York metropolitan area), declared bankruptcy in 1992
- Almart Stores (New York City)
- B. Altman and Company (New York City)
- AM&A's (Adam, Meldrum, & Anderson Company, Buffalo), purchased by The Bon-Ton of York, Pennsylvania in 1994
- Arnold Constable (Fifth Avenue, New York City)
- Atlantic Department Stores (New York City)
- Barker's (multiple locations)
- Beirs (Niagara Falls)
- L. L. Berger (Buffalo), last store, in downtown Buffalo, closed in 1991
- Best & Co. (New York), closed in the 1960s
- Bigelow's (Jamestown)
- Bonwit Teller (New York City, Boston, and upstate New York)
- Bresee's (Oneonta), founded 1899
- Britt's (Vestal)
- Burt's (Endicott)
- C. L. Carr Company (Batavia)
- Chappell's (Syracuse), merged into The Bon-Ton of York, Pennsylvania in the 1990s
- De Pinna on Fifth Avenue, Manhattan
- Dey Brothers (Dey's, Syracuse)
- Edson's, in the Hotel Syracuse
- Empsall's (Watertown)
- Family Bargain Center (regional), founded 1956 in Utica
- J.M. Fields
- B. Forman Co. (Rochester)
- Fowler, Dick & Walker - The Boston Store (Binghamton), now Boscov's
- Garber's (Staten Island)
- Gertz's Department Stores (Queens, Nassau and Suffolk counties), owned by Allied Stores; closed in 1982 and changed to Stern's then Macy's
- Gimbels (Manhattan), rivalry of Macy's and Gimbels is immortalized in Miracle on 34th Street; Benard Gimbel, the owner of Gimbels, along with Horace Saks founded Saks Fifth Avenue
- Gold Circle (multiple locations)
- Grand Way (Grand Union (supermarket))
- Hearn's Manhattan & The Bronx
- Hens and Kelly (Buffalo)
- Hills Department Stores
- Izard's (Elmira)
- Jenss (Buffalo), closed their last location on 15 September 2000
- Joy department stores (Glens Falls and Rensselaer)
- KBC/Kamino Bargain Center (Fulton), started by retired founder of Family Bargain Center
- E. J. Korvette (New York City), closed 1980
- Lamstons (Manhattan)
- Luckey, Platt & Company Department Store (Poughkeepsie)
- MacDonald's, located in the Hotel Syracuse, with a second location in Palm Beach, Florida
- Martin's (Brooklyn)
- J.W. Mays (Downstate New York), closed 1989, now leases old store locations
- McCurdy & Company (Rochester, Midtown Plaza)
- McLean's (Binghamton)
- Moskin's Credit Clothing
- John G. Myers (Albany)
- Nichols Discount City (S.E. Nichols)
- Ohrbach's, liquidated in 1987 and acquired by Howland-Steinbach
- Pharmhouse
- Robbins (New York City), closed 1999
- Rockwell's (Corning)
- Rothschild Bros. Department Store (Ithaca) 1882-1980
- Sattler's (Buffalo)
- Sibley's (Sibley, Lindsey, & Curr) (Rochester), unit of Associated Dry Goods later merged into L.S. Ayers (Indianapolis) and then select locations converted to Lord & Taylor
- Sisson Brothers & Weldon (Binghamton)
- Stars (Vestal)
- A.T. Stewart's (Manhattan), purchased by Wanamaker's of Pennsylvania
- Sullivan's (Liberty and Middletown)
- Swezey & Newins Inc (Patchogue)
- Times Square Stores, discount department chain mostly focused on Long Island
- Twin Fair (multiple locations)
- Wallace's (Schenectady, Poughkeepsie and Kingston), owned by Forbes & Wallace, Springfield, Massachusetts
- Weston's (Vestal)
Waccamaw, closed 1998
- Best
- Bargain City, see Rink's
- Bailey Brothers (Cleveland, Ohio) Later Bailey's Department Store, closed 1968.
- Bragdon's (Portsmouth)
- Buckeye Mart (Columbus, Ohio) closed early 1970s.
- Clark's (Portsmouth)
- Concord City (Dayton)
- Cook's flagship of Cook United Corporation.
- Donenfeld's (Dayton)
- Edward Wren Co. (Springfield), merged with & rebranded as William H. Block Co. (Indianapolis) closed 1987
- Federal, (Cleveland, Ohio), not part of Federated Stores, this company closed in the early 1970s
- Frank Brothers (Marion, Ohio), Closed 1979.
- Giant Store (Ashland)
- Gold Circle (Columbus, Ohio) part of the Federated Stores Company
- Goldman's (Dayton)
- Gregg's (Lima)
- Halle Brothers Co. (Cleveland), division of Marshall Field & Company, sold 1981, closed 1982-83
- Harts Stores a division of Big Bear Stores, Columbus, Ohio
- Hawks Department Store (Bryan)
- Heck's Department Store
- Halle Brothers also known as "Halles"
- Higbee's (Cleveland), converted to Dillard's
- Hills Department Stores
- J.J. Newberry Company. This chain had many stores in Ohio including: Coshocton, Wooster, East Palastine, Cincinnati. The company came under control of McCrory Stores in 1974. John Josiah Newberry the founder of the company died in 1954.
- John J. Carroll {Newark, Ohio}.
- Jupiter Stores , Division of the S.S. Kresge Company} Operated several stores in Ohio. Including one in Downtown Mount Vernon, Ohio which had been a S. S. Kresge store for many years. Also a location in Downtown Ashland, Ohio. Jupiter was a no frills store. When leases were soon to be up on several S. S. Kresge stores the Jupiter format was put in place. All remaining Kresge and Jupiter stores were sold to McCrory in 1987 with the Canadian Kresge and Jupiter stores closing in 1994.
- Kobackers (Canton, Portsmouth)
- Lamson Brothers (Toledo). Lamson's entered bankruptcy and closed in 1976.
- Lasalle & Koch Co. (Toledo), bought by R.H. Macy in 1923; operated under the Lasalle's name until 1981, when Macy consolidated Lasalle's with another division, Macy's Missouri-Kansas, to form Macy's Midwest. Macy sold the former Lasalle's stores to Elder-Beerman of Dayton in 1985.
- Lazarus (Columbus), a founding division of Federated Stores, name change briefly to Lazarus-Macy's and then Macy's in 2005. Operating under that name as of 2009.
- Leader Store (Lima), converted to Elder-Beerman, still operating as of 2009
- The Lion Dry Goods Co. (Toledo), known locally as the Lion Store. Some locations survive as of 2009 with the Dillard's name, following their 1998 purchase of Lion's previous owner, Mercantile Stores Co.
- Mabley & Carew (Cincinnati), unit of Allied Department Stores
- Marting Brothers (Portsmouth), founded 1872, closed 2003 as Ohio's last locally owned major department store (100,000+ sq ft)
- May Company (Cleveland), merger into May's Kaufmann's (Pittsburgh) division and converted to Macy's 2006
- McAlpin's (Cincinnati), unit of Mercantile Stores Co., select locations operating as Dillard's as of 2009
- Millers (Urbana, Ohio) also, Marion, Ohio (closed 1968).
- Morhouse Martin (Columbus, Ohio),
- Mr. Wiggs
- Murphy's Mart
- NBC Stores (Norwalk & Bellevue)
- Neville's (Lakewood, Ohio)
- O'Neil's Department Store (Akron), merged into May Company Cleveland, then May's Kaufmann's (Pittsburgh) division, converted to Macy's in 2006
- Ontario's (Columbus) part of Cook United.
- H & S Pogue Co. (Cincinnati), division of Associated Dry Goods. Merged into sister division L. S. Ayres (Indianapolis) in early 1980s, which was converted to Macy's in 2006.
- Polsky's (Akron)
- Rattenberg's ,{Utica}.
- Rike Kumler Co. (Dayton), division of Federated Department Stores. Briefly merged into sister division John W. Shillito Company (Cincinnati) in early 1980s as Shillito-Rike's.
- Rink's Also operated Bargain City, and Rink's Bargain City stores.
- Ringwalts {Mount Vernon}
- Rudin's {Mount Vernon}
- John Shillito Company (Cincinnati), division of Federated Department Stores. Briefly merged into sister division Rike-Kumler Company (Dayton) in early 1980s as Shillito-Rike's, and then with sister division F&R Lazarus (Columbus). Select locations converted to Macy's 2006.
- Sterling & Welch (Cleveland), later Sterling & Lindner.
- Stern and Mann (Canton)
- Strouss (Youngstown), division of May Department Stores, merged into May Company Cleveland, then May's Kaufmann's (Pittsburgh) division, converted to Macy's 2006
- Sutton & Lightner (Marion, Ohio) and Florida.
- The Fashion (Columbus, Ohio), later merged with Morhouse Martins to form "Morhouse Fashion"
- Taylor's (Cleveland) closed in the 1970s.
- Tiedtke's (Toledo)
- Uhler's (Marion, Ohio) Founded as the Uhler Phillips Company. James Phillips left the company following the scandal that linked his wife Carrie Phillips with President Warren G. Harding.
- Uhlman's (Bowling Green), also known as F.W. Uhlman in Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and Michigan
- Uncle Bill's a northeast Ohio chain that was part of Cook United stores.
- Union Company (Columbus), purchased by Cleveland-based * Value City Sold by Schottenstein holdings of Columbus
Kenricks Portsmouth Ohio
- Ames
- Armstrong - Collier Inc. (Oil City)
- Basco (Pittsburgh and Suburbs)
- Big N (1960s)
- Bloom Brothers Department Stores (Chambersburg, Waynesboro, Dry Run, and Burnt Cabins; also Baltimore, Maryland), 1897–1944
- Boggs and Buhl (Pittsburgh), closed in 1958 from the mid-19th century
- Boston Store (Erie)
- Bright's Department Store, Carbon Plaza Mall, Lehighton
- Britt's Department Store (Allentown)
- Brody's (Indiana)
- Carlisle's
- Claber's (Pittsburgh and Suburbs)
- Colonial Fair (Waynesboro)
- Conn Brothers (Chambersburg, Mercersburg, and Dry Run), 1897–1932
- Cox's (McKeesport), 1955–1983
- Danks & Co. (Lewistown, State College, Bellefonte, Clarion, Indiana), 1924–1995
- Dahlkemper's (Pittsburgh and Suburbs)
- David Weis (Pittsburgh and Suburbs)
- Deisroth's (Hazelton)
- E.J. Korvette's (Philadelphia area)
- Fisher's Big Wheel, closed in 1994
- Fowler, Dick & Walker, The Boston Store (downtown Wilkes-Barre), converted to Boscovs
- Frank & Seder's (Pittsburgh)
- Gable's (Altoona)
- Gaylord's
- GC Murphy Co. (Pittsburgh & Suburbs)
- Gee Bee Department Stores
- Gimbels (Downtown Pittsburgh and Suburbs)
- The Globe Store (Scranton), closed in 1986[3]
- Glosser Brothers
- Grant's Department Store (Chambersburg and Lehighton)
- (W.T.) Grant's Department Store (Sayre)
- Hess's (Allentown), closed in 1996
- Hills Department Stores
- Horne's (Pittsburgh), closed in 1994
- Isaac Longs (Wilkes-Barre)
- Jamesway
- J.E. Tobacco
- J.M. Fields
- Jetco
- Kaufmann's (Pittsburgh), converted to Macy's 2006
- Kresge's (Pittsburgh and Suburbs) (S. S. Kresge was also the founder of K-Mart Stores) * * S. H. Kress & Co.-Kress (Nanticoke)
- Laneco (Easton)
- Laubach's (Easton), sold to Allied Stores in 1947, replaced by Pomeroy's then closed
- Lazarus Bros. (Wilkes-Barre) destroyed by 1972 flood
- Lazarus (Downtown Pittsburgh and Suburbs)
- Leh's (Allentown area), closed in 1994
- Lit Brothers (Philadelphia), closed in 1977
- Metzler's (Uniontown)
- Montgomery Ward
- Murphy's Mart (Pittsburgh and Suburbs)
- Nichol's (Chambersburg)
- Paige's Department Store (Athens)
- Penn Traffic
- Orr's (Bethlehem, Easton), closed in 1993
- Pomeroy's (Harrisburg, Wilkes-Barre, Reading, and Philadelphia area)
- Rosenbaum's (Pittsburgh)
- Ruggle's (Towanda)
- Service Merchandise
- Sugermans (Scranton area)
- Snellenburg's (Philadelphia area), 1869-1962
- L. L. Stearns & Sons Department Store (Williamsport), closed late 1970s or early 1980s, assets sold 1986
- Stephen Richards (Pittsburgh and Suburbs)
- Strawbridge & Clothier (Philadelphia), converted to Macy's 2006
- Swanson's (Titusville)
- Towers (Pittsburgh and Suburbs)
- Troutman's, a division of Allied Stores (flagship location in downtown Greensburg); also locations in Butler, Connellsville, Latrobe, Washington, New Castle
- Two Guys Department Store
- John Wanamaker's (Philadelphia), sold to Carter Hawley Hale 1970s, then Washington DC-based Woodward & Lothrop; sold to May Company in 1995 which briefly operated stores as Hecht's before converting downtown flagship to Lord & Taylor and most suburban locations to Strawbridge's; converted to Macy's 2006
- Watt & Shand (Lancaster), sold to The Bon-Ton
- Woolworth's (Pittsburgh and Suburbs)
- Zayre (Pittsburgh & Suburbs)
- Zollinger-Harned Co. (Allentown)
- Bry's (Memphis), sold to the parent company of Lowenstein's in 1956 before going out of business[4]
- Cain-Sloan (Nashville), absorbed by Dillard's
- Castner-Knott (Nashville), division of Mercantile Stores Company
- Gerber's (Memphis), closed in 1975[4]
- Goldsmith's (Memphis), Merged into Rich's, later converted to Macy's
- Harvey's (Nashville)
- Julius Lewis (Memphis)
- Levy's (Memphis), converted to Gus Mayer
- Loveman's (Chattanooga), acquired by Proffitt's in 1986
- Lowenstein's (Memphis), absorbed by Dillard's
- Miller's of Tennessee (Knoxville), sold to Hess's in 1987
- Miller Brothers Co. (Chattanooga), combined with Miller's of Tennessee in the early 1970s
- Proffitt's (Alcoa), converted to Belk stores in 2006
- Shainberg's (Memphis)
- Wolfe Brothers (Memphis)
- Barker's (San Antonio)
- Ben F. Smith's (Texarkana), partially destroyed by top floor night club fire; now a mixed-use development
- Blackburn's (Amarillo))
- Cobb's (Lubbock)
- Colbert's (Amarillo)
- Cox's (Waco), closed in 1995
- Cox's (Fort Worth) merged with W. C. Stripling & Sons
- Dryden's (Port Arthur)
- Dunlap's (Lubbock and many other West Texas/ New Mexico locations), closed in 2007
- Eibands (Galveston)
- Everybody's (Fort Worth), owned by Leonard Bros.
- The Fair (Galveston)
- The Fair Stores (Fort Worth and Arlington)
- Foley Brothers (Houston), division of May Company, converted to Macy's in 2006
- Frost Bros. (San Antonio)
- Gemco (Houston)
- Goldstein - Migel (Waco)
- Hemphill-Wells (Lubbock)
- Joske's (San Antonio) (purchased by Dillard's)
- Leonard Brothers (Fort Worth, Arlington, Hurst, Irving), acquired by Tandy Corp. 1970s, later Dillard's
- Levenson & Rosenberg (El Paso)
- Levy's (Galveston)
- Lichtenstein's (Corpus Christi)
- Meacham's (Fort Worth), competed with Neiman Marcus, acquired by Tandy Corp in 1970s
- Minter's (Abilene)
- Mitchell's (Fort Worth)
- Monnig's (Fort Worth)
- Nathan's (Galveston)
- The Popular (El Paso)
- Sage Department Store and Grocery (Houston)
- Sakowitz (Houston)
- Sanger-Harris (Dallas), division of Federated Dept Stores, merged into sister division Foley Brothers (Houston) in early 1980s, converted to Macy's in 2006
- Schwartz's (Galveston)
- Stripling & Cox (Fort Worth)
- W.C. Stripling & Sons (Fort Worth), merged with Cox's
- Thornton's (Abilene), dissolved by Thornton family in 1988 & building/land given to the city of Abilene for law enforcement center
- Titche-Goettinger (Dallas area), purchased by Joske's
- Watson's (Arlington, Grand Prairie, and Hurst)
- The White House (El Paso and Las Cruces, New Mexico), closed in 1983
- Wolff & Marx (San Antonio), purchased by rival Joske's in 1965
- Auerbachs
- Buehler-Bingham (Ogden)
- Kresses
- Mervyns
- Fred Meyer
- The Paris
- ZCMI (Zions Cooperative Mercantile Institution), founded and operated by LDS Church until purchase by May Co (1999). Became Meier and Frank in 2003. Some stores sold to Dillard's but others became Macy's in 2005
- Bell's of Burien, renamed Lamonts in 1969
- Bremer's (Bremerton), founded by Bremer, also the founder of Bremerton; closed circa 1985
- The Crescent (Spokane), a division of B.A.T.U.S
- Elvins' (Puyallup), 1908–1979
- Farrel & Eddy (Camas), in several different forms between 1902 and going out of business in 1998
- Frederick & Nelson (Seattle), division of Marshall Field & Company(Chicago)
- Gardner's (Walla Walla), estd. 1861, closed 1980
- Gov-Mart/Baza'r (Seattle), operated in Washington and Oregon, sold to K-Mart in 1973 and renamed as Payless
- House of Values (Seattle), sold to K-mart in 1973 along with Gov-Mart/Baza'r, renamed as Payless/House of Values
- Jayhawks (Enumclaw)
- Lamonts
- Lynden Department Store (Lynden), 1897–1979; building destroyed by fire in 2008
- MacDougall-Southwick (Seattle) 1874-1964, opened several stores in Puget Sound region
- Peoples (Tacoma), 7-store chain in the Puget Sound region, owned by Mercantile Stores Co.; closed in 1983
- Proffitt's (Centralia, Chehalis, Longview, Olympia), opened in 1907 by Lee Proffitt; the chain folded in 1977
- Rhodes Brothers (Tacoma), renamed Liberty House in 1974
- Rhodes of Seattle, not related to the Tacoma store; renamed Lamonts 1i 1969
- Schacht's Department Store (Burlington), from 1905 to 1940
- Valu-Mart (Seattle), renamed Leslie's in 1974, acquired by Fred Meyer in 1976
- Wahl's (Bellingham), operated in downtown from 1913 to 1972
- Wigwam Stores Inc. (based in Seattle)
- White Front (Burien, Tacoma, Shoreline, Bellevue, Everett), 1969 to 1972
- Yard Birds (Chehalis, Olympia, Shelton)
- Young's (Pasco)
National and regional
- Acorn Stores (Minneapolis, Minnesota)
- Ames Department Stores Inc. (based in Rocky Hill, Connecticut)
- Arlan's Department Store (Mid-Atlantic and Midwest)
- Bradlees (based in Boston, Massachusetts) (New England, Mid-Atlantic)
- Britt's Department Store (national)
- Caldor (based in Norwalk, Connecticut) (New England, Mid-Atlantic)
- Circuit City Stores
- E. J. Korvette
- G. E. M. Membership Department Stores (national/Ontario, Canada; also known as G.E.X. and G.E.S.)
- Jack's (operated by Penn-Daniels and based in Quincy, Illinois with locations in Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri)
- Jamesway (Mid-Atlantic)
- S. H. Kress & Co., Puerto Rico subsidiary Tiendas Kress lives on, having survived parent company
- Leggett (Mid-Atlantic), now part of the Belk chain
- Linens 'n Things
- McCrory Stores (national)
- Montgomery Ward (national - Chicago)
- Odd Job Stores, Inc. (located in the northeast and midwestern U.S.)
- P.N. Hirsch
- Schulte-United
- Stern's (New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania)
- Steve & Barry's
- Topp's
- Two Guys (Mid-Atlantic)
- Woolco, founded by the F. W. Woolworth Company as a full-line discount department store
- Zayre (New England, Mid-Atlantic, Chicago, Florida)
References
See also