Boston Department Store Blog

Right - the huge Woolworth's was subdivided into H&M, TJ Maxx, and Marshall's. When it was still Woolworth's in the 1980s, it was the most disorganized department store I'd ever been to, and nobody on staff seemed to speak English.
 
Woolworth's

True, Ron.
Sadly.. by the time Woolworth's closed in the 80's the staff were under trained and not all fluent in spoken English and it had become disorganized in the various deparments.
The original plan for the Boston Woolworth's was to take the smaller locations staff, once closed in 1969-70, and move them to the new BIG one.
And when it was new in 1970, it had a very good staff of slightly older clerks who knew the departments they served.
It also was well marked with aisle signs and you could find what you came in for quickly.
 
Woolworth's

Sorry....Mistake....I think it finally closed on Washington Street around 1993 ish not the late 80's.
 
Re: Five and Dimes of Boston

cam said:
A smaller pre-1970 Woolworth's was on the corner of Tremont St. and Hamilton Place....became a CVS for many years...may still be.
Click to expand...

I think this site was demolished along with another building on the block and replaced by the new Suffolk Law School in the mid to late 1990's.
 
Corner of Tremont St. and Hamilton Place

Thanks! I had no idea the building had gone. I do recall around 1990 that it may have lost CVS(CVS took over the spot from Woolworth's in 1970 ish) and was vacant. I did not know the rest of the story.


Here is a link showing the building that was on the corner for many, many years. Woolworth's had it's best pre-1970 location here and it is the only one I can remember in a dim sort of way....it must have been the last to close of the 3 smaller locations in the 1969-70 transition to the new BIG one on the corner of Franklin and Washington.

http://rfi.bostonhistory.org/boston/full/003062.jpg

Visit my blog for a closer look at the Boston Woolworth's Store.

http://shoppingdaysinretroboston.blogspot.com/

Charles:)
 
Cam,

The pics and narrative on your blog are fantastic. I moved to Boston in 1993 from the midwest, and its fascinating for me to now discover the history of the area in or around "Downtown Crossing." With no family ties or connections to Boston as a child, I suffer from a lack of personal knowledge as to what Boston was like in the 70s and 80s. Your post does a good job at recreating the vibe of the district from that era.
 
Thanks Commuter Guy!!!

Thanks Commuter Guy!!!
That means a great deal to me:)

I write the blog for both types of people....the natives and the newbies:)
I shall continue to post and comment on my memories of the downtown I knew and loved as a child. I have a few more photos and goodies left to post before I run dry....fingers crossed for any helpers still.

Keep visiting and writing............

Charles:)
 
Can you talk a bit about the downtown stores' hours? I recall them being open only certain evenings in the 1970s - I think Mondays and Wednesdays. Harvard Square had its own late evening hours on Thursdays.
 
Update

Hello Folks...Posted a new update on the blog.
I have a few newspaper ads scanned and have added them to the blog.
One from The Coop....shows all the various item lines sold in 1971...I do recall the days it had LOTS to sell:)
Any offers for a bit of time spent in the BPL newspaper archives would not be turned down...fingers crossed:)

Drop in at:
http://shoppingdaysinretroboston.blogspot.com/

Ron, I am working to answer the question above about store hours....Think I may have a few ideas.


All the best.....Charles
 
Re: Woolworth's

cam said:
Sorry....Mistake....I think it finally closed on Washington Street around 1993 ish not the late 80's.
Click to expand...


Woolworth's was open later than 1993. I bought my Halloween costume there in October, 1994. With a pair of meltable polyester slacks and a "virgin acrylic" (I kid you not, that's how the label read), I was Jeff Gillooly of Tonya Harding fame. I can remember the year, because good old Jeff G had Nancy Kerrigan kneecapped in the lead-up to the Lillehammer winter games ('94).
 
The Gilchrist ad lists branch stores in Cambridge, Medford, and Dorchester, among others. Where were these?

I remember very well the Harvard Coop as a real department store. Books used to be in the back, clothing and other goods in the front.
 
Thanks

Thank You Aquaman,
Left Boston myself in 1989 but had my mother in Brookline until 1995 and so I was aware of things a bit but that helps set the closing of the BIG Woolworth's around 1994 or 5 I would think.
I know the Coolidge Corner Woolworth's closed around 1993 or 4 if I recall correctly. It was the last local Woolworth's to remain in the area. There used to be one in Brookline Village(closed in the mid-80's) and another up by Cleveland Circle(not sure when this closed).
A small 5 and 10 was down by St. Mary's Street near the Beacon Supermarket for many years and it was called, Granite Five and Dime.
It became more hardware and unfinished wood furniture goods in the 80's.

Thanks Ron for your memories of the Coop..It was a neat place to shop!!!!.....Also I will have to do some research on Gilchrist locations. I only shopped in the main store in downtown Boston so I will have to hunt a bit:)

Thanks to all and do keep sharing!

Charles:)
 
I remember Woolworth's in Central Square, on the east side of Mass. Ave., south of Prospect Street. It was one of the last to close. It became a Foot Locker (which was also owned by Woolworth Corp.), but that store is now at a different location.

For a few years in the 1980s, there was a "Woolworth Express" on the north side of Elm Street in Davis Square. This was a smaller-format Woolworth, something like a Family Dollar today. Davis Square also had a small department store called Almy's.
 
The New Me

Hello All!
Thanks Ron for your further memories!
I have now re-registered and become charles65ofboston which makes more sense then CAM since my blog is linked directly to my charles65ofboston email details.

Plus I changed computers yesterday and my cam identity went poof....and could not log back in.....so here I am:)


Charles:)
 
charles, i merged your old account with your new one. If you have any further problems logging in, email me at admin@archboston.org
 
Re: Thanks

Thank you Briv!!!!!!
I feel complete:) Now I am one person again....All the best!!!!

Charles;-)
 
A small update to my blog this week. First update in ages. Happy summer!!
Some store ads from the 1960's from Grants and Woolworth's.
Much more to come later this month. New contributor to my site, my old mate Mike from Brookline. Very keen and loves "old" Boston places very much.
Have a look:
http://shoppingdaysinretroboston.blogspot.com/
Any thoughts, ideas....still working on that store hours question for you guys!!!

Charles:)

charles65ofboston@yahoo.com:rolleyes:
 
Ron Newman said:
I remember Woolworth's in Central Square, on the east side of Mass. Ave., south of Prospect Street. It was one of the last to close. It became a Foot Locker (which was also owned by Woolworth Corp.), but that store is now at a different location.

For a few years in the 1980s, there was a "Woolworth Express" on the north side of Elm Street in Davis Square. This was a smaller-format Woolworth, something like a Family Dollar today. Davis Square also had a small department store called Almy's.
Click to expand...

Woolworth's was it.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Back
Top