Downtown Christmas Shopping - Gone
Glass Block Dept. Store - May, 1979(middle of the photo)
I remember the days when everyone shopped downtown. We had two big department stores, Glass Block, which was on the site that the US Bank Building is now (the building I work in), and there was Wahl's. They were both wonderful stores. There were also clothing stores, a Woolworth's (where my Mother in Law spent 39 years of employment), another 5 and 10 store in the block up from Woolworth's, and drug stores and many cute small shops.
Downtown is pretty much vacant these days for stores to Christmas shop in on our lunch hours.
Even the Holiday Center Mall really does not have much to offer shoppers. When I worked at the bank downtown, when our daughter was young, one of my co/workers was a avid shopper. I often tagged along with her at lunch time and watched her buy all kinds of things on "sale" for that week, and because of her I spent money there too... (always good deals!). Glass Block had the nicest coffee shop that shoppers and downtown workers would have lunch and coffee at. They had a great bakery.
The day after Christmas, we would rush to Wahl's for all their 1/2 price Christmas decorations and holiday items. The first few years of my married life, I got all of our Christmas decorations at half price to use the next year. After a few years of buying, I soon had all I needed for our tree and our house for the holidays...all at 1/2 price or less at Wahls. And, they were "quality" things too...not junk.
When our ACS office re-located to the US Bank Building downtown, I was excited, remembering my downtown shopping times during lunch when I worked downtown in the early 70's. One of my friends who worked in the bank, when I expressed that excitement of being downtown she told me "Linda, there's nothing downtown shopping wise". I found out what she meant... especially a month or so later when I thought I could "Christmas Shop" downtown. I knew then, exactly what she meant.
Yes, we sure do miss the downtown department stores and other basic stores. I know ours is not the only downtown that has been ruined for shoppers by the urban sprawl. It's a shame.
I mentioned Fitger's Mall...that is in the downtown area, but really cannot be considered for "Downtown" shopping as it is many blocks from the main downtown area, and if I am going to run there on my lunch hour, it will have to be running there with a car! It has some cute shops in, as some I've mentioned in my other post, but nothing basic like a Walgreens, or department store type.
Downtown is pretty much vacant these days for stores to Christmas shop in on our lunch hours.
Even the Holiday Center Mall really does not have much to offer shoppers. When I worked at the bank downtown, when our daughter was young, one of my co/workers was a avid shopper. I often tagged along with her at lunch time and watched her buy all kinds of things on "sale" for that week, and because of her I spent money there too... (always good deals!). Glass Block had the nicest coffee shop that shoppers and downtown workers would have lunch and coffee at. They had a great bakery.
The day after Christmas, we would rush to Wahl's for all their 1/2 price Christmas decorations and holiday items. The first few years of my married life, I got all of our Christmas decorations at half price to use the next year. After a few years of buying, I soon had all I needed for our tree and our house for the holidays...all at 1/2 price or less at Wahls. And, they were "quality" things too...not junk.
When our ACS office re-located to the US Bank Building downtown, I was excited, remembering my downtown shopping times during lunch when I worked downtown in the early 70's. One of my friends who worked in the bank, when I expressed that excitement of being downtown she told me "Linda, there's nothing downtown shopping wise". I found out what she meant... especially a month or so later when I thought I could "Christmas Shop" downtown. I knew then, exactly what she meant.
Yes, we sure do miss the downtown department stores and other basic stores. I know ours is not the only downtown that has been ruined for shoppers by the urban sprawl. It's a shame.
I mentioned Fitger's Mall...that is in the downtown area, but really cannot be considered for "Downtown" shopping as it is many blocks from the main downtown area, and if I am going to run there on my lunch hour, it will have to be running there with a car! It has some cute shops in, as some I've mentioned in my other post, but nothing basic like a Walgreens, or department store type.
posted by Linda at 8:40 PM
1 Comments:
Hi
I lived in Hibbing in the 50's & 60's and myhusband and I were trying to recall what the other big department store was downtown, besides Glass Block. Read your blog, it was Wahl's. Thanks, now we can move on to try to remember other things!!!!
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