Classic Department Stores

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade has been a beloved American tradition since 1924. Originally called the 'Macy's Christmas Parade,' it features giant balloons, floats, and marching bands along a route through Manhattan.

The Sears catalog, often called 'The Big Book,' was a staple in American homes from 1888 to 1993. Families eagerly awaited the Christmas Wish Book, and children would circle the toys they wanted.

Gimbels was Macy's biggest rival in New York City, and the competition between the two stores was legendary. The phrase 'Does Macy's tell Gimbels?' became a common expression. Gimbels closed in 1987.

F.W. Woolworth's five-and-dime stores were an American institution for over a century. At its peak, there were over 1,000 stores. The chain was also famous for its lunch counters, including the one in Greensboro, NC, where the 1960 sit-ins began.

Wanamaker's in Philadelphia, founded by John Wanamaker in 1876, was legendary for its Grand Court organ — the largest fully functioning pipe organ in the world. The store was also a pioneer in retail innovations.

J.C. Penney was founded by James Cash Penney in Kemmerer, Wyoming in 1902. Originally called The Golden Rule stores, it grew into one of America's largest department store chains with over 1,600 locations at its peak.

Marshall Field's was Chicago's most beloved department store, famous for its magical Christmas windows, the Walnut Room restaurant, and its Tiffany mosaic ceiling. It became Macy's in 2006, sparking public outcry.

Kmart was founded by Sebastian Spering Kresge in 1962 as a discount offshoot of his S.S. Kresge variety stores. The 'Blue Light Special' — announced by a flashing blue light — became an American cultural touchstone.

Montgomery Ward copywriter Robert L. May created Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in 1939 as a free coloring book giveaway. The story was later turned into the famous song by Johnny Marks in 1949.

The White House department store in San Francisco, so named for its white facade, operated from 1854 to 1965. It was one of San Francisco's premier shopping destinations for over a century.

Neiman Marcus, founded in Dallas in 1907 by Herbert Marcus, Carrie Marcus Neiman, and A.L. Neiman, became synonymous with luxury retail. Its annual Christmas catalog featuring extravagant fantasy gifts became legendary.

J.L. Hudson's flagship store in downtown Detroit was the tallest department store in the world at 25 stories. At its peak, it was the second-largest department store in the country after Macy's Herald Square. It was demolished in 1998.

On February 1, 1960, four Black college students sat down at the segregated Woolworth's lunch counter in Greensboro, North Carolina and refused to leave. This act of civil disobedience inspired sit-ins across the South.

Abraham & Straus (A&S) was a beloved Brooklyn institution from 1865 to 1995. Its flagship store on Fulton Street was the center of Brooklyn's shopping district and a holiday tradition for countless families.

Ben Franklin stores, W.T. Grant, and Newberry's were all popular five-and-dime or variety store chains that were staples of American shopping from the early 1900s through the 1980s. They were the predecessors of today's dollar stores.