so hears how it goes if you could bring back any store what would it be and why i'll start
for discount stores i would pick caldor and ames
Caldor because it had its own image unlike the other discounters it was clean nice modern and had everything you needed it knew out to stand out and it has a cool name
Ames because it was cheep it to had all that you wanted and had it not acquired hills i think they would still be around i could always see it competing with sprawl mart
as for dept stores
Montgomery ward just because i always wanted to see what it was like it seemed like a better version of Sears
If any department store could return I would like to see Bradlees and Zayre back in business. I have great memories shopping at both chains as a kid and when I moved out on my own was able to shop at Bradlees for myself! :)
Of course if I could have a grocery store it would have to be something Clean, fresh and good :D like Grand Union.... However they need to have lower prices and be much more modern... Kind of what their new image was like prior to the buyout.
Zayre because of the memories, and because I didn't actually shop there myself when I was little, mother did all that. Same with Bradlees. Except that I got my Christmas presents there when mother gave me just enough money for it, and also, my husband got my engagement ring at the one in Jersey City on 440, because that's what he could afford, and he still paid over 400 dollars for it...but it's ok, it was pretty while it lasted. I lost the diamond :( my fault, not his, or theirs. I just wish I could go back and actually shop at those stores myself. Also, I always loved Service Merchandise. I loved going in there and the way the store was laid out was amazing to me at the time. Ok, I'm done.
ah yes service merchandise was one i forgot to put on there i remember going there as a kid waiting for the items on the conveyor belt it was one interesting store but at least its now back as an online store =)
I don't know if this counts since this chain is still in business, but I would like to re-open all of the many closed Acme locations.
Play World. It was my favorite toy store as a kid and I held it against TRU for a long while that they put Play World out.
Probably Montgomery Ward. Everyone liked that store, and hated to see it go. That, and it pretty much killed the mall it was in by going out.
My first choice would be not Ames, or Caldor or even Bradlees...no no no IF I HAD one store to reopen it would be Nu-Stars Inc. Completely 60's inside and out, from glitzy signage with multicolored stars on the outside to HHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGEEEEEEEE circular ceiling vents on the inside. It was a privilege to shop at this store and it made a huge impact on my childhood, and I was so sad when they closed it down and it got bulldozed for for bland underwhelming BJ's. This store was the COOLEST store to shop at and I miss the experience dearly,sigh. :-[ :'(
Oh and Maybe Zayre they looked cool.
I'd bring back Prange Way, because they had a great logo (bold red stenciled letters), and great store, but not as good as their competitor, ShopKo.
If you guys don't know what Prange Way is, they are a discount store based out of Sheboygan, Wisconsin. They were a division of the H.C. Prange Co. (Prange's).
(http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4135/4816513567_0588ec7339.jpg)
OK, here's my favorites (but not in any particular order):
Montgomery Wards - best catalog store ever
Acme/A&P - longest running food stores
Phar-More - need I say more??
Ames - most customer-friendly and unnecessarily closed of all retail chains
Ames has a special place in my heart, because I worked there for three years and met some of my best friends while working there.
Probably Montgomery Wards because we shopped there alot. I always loved their Electric Ave. Ames/Zayre would be the other choice, Mom & I went there for things as well. And Scotty's Hardware or as my Dad called it "Snotty's".
I would bring back Media Play because I miss that store it had big selection of movies, video games, and books; just something you'll won't find at a Wal-Mart.
Value City because I always got some ridiculously good buys there.
Particularly on sports clothing.
PharMor for similar reasons.
Hills because they had a fantastic toy department, and the smell of hot dogs
and popcorn is going to haunt me to my grave.
I would bring back Prange Way, because I used to shop there with my family as a kid when we first came to Wisconsin. Prange Way was ShopKo's second largest competitor in Wisconsin (Troy, Michigan-based Kmart is ShopKo's largest competitor). Prange Way was the upscale discount store division of Sheboygan, Wisconsin-based H.C. Prange Co. (Prange's). H.C. Prange was sold to Des Moines, Iowa-based Younkers in 1992, not long after Prange Way was spun off as a separate company based out of De Pere, Wisconsin. Prange Way filed for bankruptcy in 1995, because of competition from other retailers, such as Wal-Mart, ShopKo, Kmart, and Target, which had only a few stores in Wisconsin at the time.
I would also bring back Ben Franklin variety stores. I used shop at Ben Franklin at a few of the small towns I lived in during my childhood. Ben Franklin, along with Butler Bros. and Kmart were Sam Walton's inspiration for Wal-Mart.
I would also bring back K-B Toys and Toy Works, since I grew up shopping at those toy stores, along with Toys "R" Us. K-B Toys and Toy Works were found in most of the shopping malls in our area.
I would also bring back Jubilee Foods, because they were a great grocery store with low prices.
I would also bring back Waldenbooks because they had a great selection of books and they almost always had the book or magazine I was looking for.
It would be 2 electronics stores Nobody Beats The Wiz and Circuit City because I like electronics stores a lot, and here is a list of stores I woul bring back for the same reaspns
Alexander's
Ames
Best
Bradlees
Caldor
Child World
Consumers
Every Store In Every Mall
Jamesway (among others)
Quote from: DefunctStoreKing on December 19, 2014, 11:24:38 PM
Every Store In Every Mall
...Okay then.
My vote would go to KB Toys. Although they were overpriced at times, there was a reason why they were (apart from the TRU Express stores) the last surviving mall-based toy store chain in America. It's a shame that kids in years to come will have missed out on all that.
Quote from: Ameskid on December 22, 2014, 01:05:43 AM
Quote from: DefunctStoreKing on December 19, 2014, 11:24:38 PM
Every Store In Every Mall
...Okay then.
My vote would go to KB Toys. Although they were overpriced at times, there was a reason why they were (apart from the TRU Express stores) the last surviving mall-based toy store chain in America. It's a shame that kids in years to come will have missed out on all that.
Speaking of mall stores, I would bring back Limited Too, the recently-defunct Brothers boys clothing store, Disney Store, Warner Brothers Studio Store, Child World/Children's Palace, Media Play, Kids "R" Us, and last but not least, Kaufmann's.
I would bring back Montgomery Ward and Jefferson Ward.
I would bring back General Cinema movie theaters!
I would bring back Burger Chef.
I'd also bring back Kmart, although they're not completely dead yet (they're dying, with stores dropping like flies every year under Sears' ownership), but with changes to the store's retail strategy (open bigger stores in larger communities, smaller stores in smaller communities called Kmart Rural, open a Wendy's or Taco Bell restaurant in each snackbar, open bigger Super Kmarts, offer a better selection of merchandise, keep stores clean and running efficiently, move Kmart HQ back to lower Michigan or to northern Ohio), and color scheme. I'd reintroduce the 1962-1990 logo, but have the the colors changed to a lime green "K", followed by a hunter green colored "mart", and the four colors that would be seen throughout the store would include lime green, hunter green, tan, and brown. I'd take Kmart's stores in a similar upscale direction as Target and Shopko, and make Jaclyn Smith and Martha Stewart a spokesperson for the company once again. I'd also increase the selection of Mexican food in the food pantry at Kmart and Kmart Rural, as well as in the ethnic foods department of Super Kmart. I would also open more Kwash Laundromats, Kdentist dental offices, and Kcare in-store clinics at select Kmart stores. I would make sure at least every store in the chain has a pharmacy, optical center, and hair salon. If I chose to open the first Kmart prototype with a new look, it would be in suburban Cleveland, Ohio or suburban Detroit, Michigan, or maybe in Canada (with the loss of both Zellers and Target), Windsor, Ontario. Other Kmart formats I could create would include Kgames (store similar to GameStop), Kbooks (book store similar to Barnes & Noble), Kdrug (pharmacy), Kfuel (gas staion/c-store), Kbargain (closeout/overstock/bargain store similar to Big Lots), Khome (home goods store similar to Bed, Bath & Beyond).
If I could bring back any store(s) it would be:
*Brothers (as its own store and not be paired up with Justice!)
*Discovery Zone
*Limited Too
*Kids "R" Us
*Kmart Cafes (even though it's not a store)
*AM&A's
I would bring back Farmer Jack - and this time not as an A&P-owned nameplate.
I'd bring back:
Twin Valu (a division of Shopko/SuperValu)
H.C. Prange Co.
Prange Way
Copps Discount Store (Copps Food Center still exists)
Burger Chef
Montgomery Ward
Jefferson Ward (I'd bring it back, and add locations in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest)
Meijer Square (because not all markets can support a full-sized Meijer)
Media Play
PACE Membership Warehouse
Jubilee Foods
Kohl's Foods
Circuit City
Radio Shack (in most areas)
Blockbuster Video
I would bring back French Market, but this time make it an actual chain of stores and not a "one-store-wonder" that went belly-up at the dawn of the 1970s in Overland Park, Kansas, and got replaced by Kmart.
Although there are rumors of Limited Too coming back, but if I would if I could buy the Justice store chain and bring back the Limited Too name!
I'd bring back Twin Valu to compete with Walmart and Meijer. Twin Valu was a division of Shopko and SuperValu Foods.
Quote from: ShopKoFan on November 02, 2015, 05:29:04 PM
I would bring back French Market, but this time make it an actual chain of stores and not a "one-store-wonder" that went belly-up at the dawn of the 1970s in Overland Park, Kansas, and got replaced by Kmart.
What was French Market, was it a French grocery store?
Quote from: Pikapower on May 12, 2016, 05:39:50 PM
Quote from: ShopKoFan on November 02, 2015, 05:29:04 PM
I would bring back French Market, but this time make it an actual chain of stores and not a "one-store-wonder" that went belly-up at the dawn of the 1970s in Overland Park, Kansas, and got replaced by Kmart.
What was French Market, was it a French grocery store?
Maybe this blog can shed some light on the subject for you:
http://pleasantfamilyshopping.blogspot.com/2014/05/my-trip-to-french-market.html
I would bring back the Brothers boys clothing store with its original logo and "The endless adventure" tagline!
(http://vignette3.wikia.nocookie.net/logopedia/images/7/74/Brothers_The_Endless_Adventure_logo.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20150519000032)
I'd bring back PACE Membership Warehouse.
Even thought this may not be a store, but if I was the CEO of Six Flags I'd bring back Six Flags Astroworld in Houston, TX and buy Darien Lake back!
I'd bring back Old Chicago indoor amusement park.
I'd bring back Discovery Zone!
Ames!
Montgomery Ward.
I would bring back Fisher's Big Wheel and build them in small towns (3 stores would be in Stafford, CT, Barkhamsted and Canaan, CT).
Wait, I'd reopen 'The Great American Train Store', that mall based model train store...
Why Fisher Big Wheel? When I was with Ames we were going head-to-head with them in every small
town where we could, because they had proven to be not-very-adept competition.
I wold bring back Bells supermarkets!
I would bring back Shoppers' City and Jefferson Ward.
I would bring back Kahunaville!
^^^^
i'd bring back White Tower and open it in areas without White Castles
I'd bring back Blockbuster Video, Blockbuster Music stores, and Blockbuster Block Party as a family entertainment center chain (The Blockbuster Block Party was originally a chain of adult entertainment centers).
^ Yeah. I'd totally do that.
I'd bring back Kids "R" Us with this logo and open co-branded Kids "R" Us stores with Babies "R" Us!
(http://vignette2.wikia.nocookie.net/logopedia/images/2/2a/KRU_logo.png/revision/latest?cb=20151207214130)
Child World and Children's Palace.
I'd bring back Mr. Donut. Dunkin' Donuts and Krispy Kreme could use more competition.
Quote from: ShopKoFan on June 28, 2016, 02:18:39 AM
I'd bring back Mr. Donut. Dunkin' Donuts and Krispy Kreme could use more competition.
After having exited the market 20 years ago, Dunkin Donuts is back with a vengeance.
They've opened stores all over Pittsburgh.
One defunct mall chain that I've found myself missing is Waldenbooks. Would be nice if they got another chance, although I understand why they went under.
Quote from: TheFugitive on May 13, 2016, 08:04:53 AM
Why Fisher Big Wheel? When I was with Ames we were going head-to-head with them in every small
town where we could, because they had proven to be not-very-adept competition.
Fishers Big Wheel was in my opinion was underrated. I'd also bring back a few others - Sage-Allen, Brown Thompson's, G. Fox for Department Stores, Bradlees, Zayre, Jamesway and Mammoth Mart (love the logo) for discount stores, H.B.Davis (for a catalogue showroom), Savitt for jewelry, Grand Union, Top Notch and Popular for supermarkets and Lionel Toys for toys (and trains).
zayre or child world
I would bring back Prange Way, because they mean as much to Wisconsin as Hills or Ames did to the east coast.
(https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR5lyJECY35GXpBgEJ19-2WPk32tGrxL6mjl09y1OZuIwqxsW3k)
(http://www.labelscar.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/scan0020.jpg)
Quote from: ShopKoFan on June 28, 2016, 02:18:39 AM
I'd bring back Mr. Donut. Dunkin' Donuts and Krispy Kreme could use more competition.
I could see Mister Donut making a comeback on the west coast where there are substantial Asian populations.
I'd like to see Lechmere and Heartland Food Warehouse come back. Neither will, of course, for obvious reasons.
Kay-Bee Toys/Toy Works - I have memories of going to K-B and Toy Works, along with Toys "R" Us in my youth. I bought many toys in those stores in my youth.
Hot 'n Now - A chain of drive thru only fast-food hamburger restaurants renowned for their low-priced hamburgers and cheeseburgers.
77 Kids - A kids clothing store chain that was owned by American Eagle Outfitters
B. Dalton Bookseller
Jefferson Ward
Montgomery Ward
Kmart Cafe (AKA KCafe)
I'd bring back Twin Valu
FAO Schwarz
Video Factory - Was a regional video store chain in the Buffalo, NY area that was bought out by Blockbuster in 1995
I would bring back Burger Chef, complete with its original menu, as well as their signature burger, the Big Shef.
I seriously think that bringing Hills back as a bright, clean, Target-like store could work, especially in places where the brand has name value.
I would like to bring back Twin Valu as Shopko TwinValu. I would have to reunite Shopko with SuperValu to make this happen. I would relaunch TwinValu as a competitor to Meijer and Walmart.
I would bring back American Eagle Outfitters' 77 Kids. I thought that store and the clothes they sold were fun.