does anyone remember a defunct store chain called Gimbels, what things did Gimbels have?
I believe Gimbels was a Macy's type store. I don't recall ever going to one and remember hearing the name on an episode of I Love Lucy where Ethel had bought a dress that was identical to Lucy's who got hers in Bloomingdales
This link has a pretty good history of Gimbels
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gimbels)
Gimbels went out of business in 1986. Many of their stores became a store called Stern's. Stern's however closed in 1988. There is a former Gimbels/Stern's, now Boscov's, at Granite Run Mall in Middletown (Media), PA, which opened in 1974. Gimbels was revived for the 2003 movie Elf. :insane:
There was a Gimbel's in the Ridgeway Shopping Center in Stamford, CT. It switched to some other store (can't remember the name) after the chain went under and then became a Marshall's, which is still there to this day, but in a slightly different location since the entire center was remodeled in the late 90s.
When Gimbel Brothers closed in 1986, the stores were sold to different companies, depending on where the Gimbel Brothers store was located. Most of the Philadelphia-New York City division went to Stern's, the Milwaukee division went to Marshall Field. Parts of the Pittsburgh division went to Kaufmann's.:bouncing:
Now, Stern's, Marshall Field & Kaufmann's have all been absorbed into Macy's.:huh:
when I was growing up in Pittsburgh, we had three major department store chains: Kaufmann's, Horne's and Gimbels.
All had classic old multi-floor locations downtown. Gimbels closed up shop shortly after Christmas, 1985. Hornes was sold to Federated about a decade later and became Lazarus. Then a few years ago they also acquired Kaufmann's, and re-branded everything as Macy's. This obviously had a major impact on any local malls which had both a Kaufmann's and Lazarus location. They continue to operate the former Downtown Kaufmann's location as Macy's.
At Walmart we sell Gimbels brand Jelly Beans. Any connection to the old Gimbels dept store?