Hey Everyone! I know some of us, may or maynot know of this store because this is a specialty mall store, but I thought it is a retail business, and it is fading, so I thought because of its history it deserves discussion. If any of us are women, or have women in our family who liked Deb you will remember back in the 90's standing or sitting next to 4-5 other men waiting for their wives, girlfriends, daughters or even mistresses to finish shopping. Then you will remember that Deb was a anchor store in 90's fashion for women, because if you were a popular girl you went to Deb's. As a guy I got so very tired of hearing all the girls buz with those statements,hehe. Well, anyways Deb opened one of its first stores in the Dutchess Mall back when the mall first opened. The store did so well, it stayed the entire live span durration of the mall until most of the anchor and smaller stores left. Deb's became a regional store in 1995, and opened its 45 store in 1996. By 1999 Deb's had over 100 locations. Today, I believe there is maybe two or three locations holding on for dear life. This massive 5-6 year downscale is because first of all Deb's didn't keep up with the times and even though their clothes are now modern even offering some male clothes in their stores, the actual disign of the store looks as hip as moon shoes and parishute pants do today. With fierce competition from H&M, Old-Navy and even the GAP, the days are deffinitely numbered for the ladies old Deb. The remaining two locations that I am aware of are the Cristal Mall, in Waterford, Connecticut and the Auburn Mall, in Auburn Massachusetts. I am sure these two locations will be closed soon, wonce the malls change their demographics, because of the Federated-May merger changing Filenes into Macys and leaving empty available store fronts. I have some pictures to post from the 80's of inside the Dutchess Mall store, and some pictues of the store after it closed. I will post them soon, they will be a laugh. Enjoy & Discuss! ;):roll::goodidea:
Deb still has stores at the Auburn Mall, Augusta Marketplace, Bangor, Presque Isle and Mall Plaza in Maine. Only 1 store left in NH in Salem.
Picture of the sign at the Mall Plaza:
There is still a DEB store at Sangertown Square Mall in New Hartford NY. Located in the Sears Wing.
There's a Deb located in The Eastern Hills Mall in Amherst, Ny. There was also one in the Mckinley Mall in Hamburg, NY last time I was there in 2003.
there was one in the Jefferson Valley mall but it closed last winter
Deb has stores in every single mall I can think of around here...
They have a store in the Huntington Mall as well
www.debshops.com - you can look up by zip code to see where stores are still
I have not seen any of then since we moved south (TN), but I do know the one that was in Century III Mall in Pittsburgh, PA is still alive and well.
there was one in the jefferson valley mall NY but i think that one clsoed to
In Cincinnati, I think we have a Deb in Eastgate Mall.
The DEB is still present in the Swansea Mall in Massachusetts
A brand new Deb just opened up in the Neshaminy Mall in Bensalem, PA...actually it was always in the mall, it just moved to a larger spot.
I visited the store in Century III Mall outside of Pittsburgh, PA many times in 80's until we moved south. After that, I never saw another one in malls and wondered if it was a northern chain.
Interesting fact - while going through my collection of store bags, I found that I still have one that would have been from around the early 80's!
:D ;) :bigsmile:
Current logo
Deb was great for it's purple carpeting and green lights. I always thought that place was cool and funky back in the day.
LaVale, MD in some mall, I'm not from there but I was visiting with a friend and we ended up there...
Deb's should be moved to "Stores" since they're not dead yet.
(http://deb.imageg.net/images/deb_logo.jpg)
There current Logo now
Deb at Eastern Hills Mall just shortly before the chain closed all its stores last year!
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8637/16490840567_7c5101a202.jpg)
Newport, KY
(https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/610/20472348840_97e9e3ea4a_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/xc594J)Former DEB, Newport on the Levee (https://flic.kr/p/xc594J) by Harvestman Man (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124303530@N08/), on Flickr
Florence, KY
(https://c4.staticflickr.com/8/7284/16206879459_8d52aba41b_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/qG9uCc)Deb, Florence Mall (https://flic.kr/p/qG9uCc) by Harvestman Man (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124303530@N08/), on Flickr
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/8/7281/16640186822_5d34d3dd4c_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/rmriNN)Former Deb, Florence Mall (https://flic.kr/p/rmriNN) by Harvestman Man (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124303530@N08/), on Flickr
Union Township, OH
(https://c2.staticflickr.com/1/546/20152887065_aaf31064b3_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/wGQPd6)Former DEB, Eastgate Mall (https://flic.kr/p/wGQPd6) by Harvestman Man (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124303530@N08/), on Flickr
Quote from: ShopKoFan on March 10, 2009, 02:32:17 AM
Deb's should be moved to "Stores" since they're not dead yet.
I hate to break it to you, but we should move Deb's
back to the closed chains since they're dead now!
Quote from: Pikapower on August 20, 2016, 05:22:04 PM
Quote from: ShopKoFan on March 10, 2009, 02:32:17 AM
Deb's should be moved to "Stores" since they're not dead yet.
I hate to break it to you, but we should move Deb's back to the closed chains since they're dead now!
Agreed.
The Deb in Florence Mall (photos above) ended up serving as a temporary home for Bath and Body Works during their renovation. Everything is now complete and the space is empty once again.
(https://c7.staticflickr.com/8/7492/28257660126_2283783c65_b.jpg) (https://flic.kr/p/K42TSE)Former DEB, Florence Mall (https://flic.kr/p/K42TSE) by Harvestman Man (https://www.flickr.com/photos/124303530@N08/), on Flickr
I don't have a picture as I haven't been to the mall lately, but the former Deb at the Meriden Square Mall is now another clothing store called "City Fashion".
The Deb store in the Walmart plaza on PA Route 88 in Bethel Park has been torn down.
This was part of a strip center that included Walmart, Giant Eagle, Deb, Dollar Tree, and
Pep Boys. Deb closed obviously, then the Dollar Tree moved into another plaza half a
mile down the road.
The strip mall was then split in two, with Walmart and Giant Eagle remaining on one
side of the wall, and Pep Boys becoming a stand alone store on the other end. The
former Deb and Dollar Tree locations were razed.
The new open space has become added parking for the Giant Eagle store.
It's not really surprising that they went under almost all of their stores looked like they were stuck in the 90's. I remember going in one with my ex girlfriend and out of all the places she dragged me in I remember being particularly not amused at how dumpy the place felt. Another thing that also boggles my mind is the company still exists as a online retailer at www.debshops.com now that in itself is not surprising many defunct retailers still operate online, however what is surprising is they are selling only plus sized clothing. Women's clothing isn't like men's clothing it's very unforgiving when it comes to being off a size and sizes seem to vary widely from manufacturer to manufacturer. Maybe I'm totally off but I can't picture many plus sized women wanting to buy clothing off the internet let alone from a place that has the same name of a now defunct retail chain.
Was Deb's always a plus sized women's clothing store?