Wanamaker's

[storehistoryguy]

Discuss.

[storehistoryguy]

Originally posted by 76BraldorZayKamesfanBBTB
What kind of store was this?

You never heard of John's!?!? :o Where were you? John Wannamakas was an old department store, like a JC Pennys. It came up during the late 1800s. They were all shut down during the mid-80's. I knew a few. Macy's took over most of there mall locations.

[Zayre88]

I've heard the name but i don't know about the company.  The name is John Wanamaker

[store215]

I still have a Wannamaker bag around somewhere.

[dooneyt63]

John Wanamaker was the historic Philadelphia department store with the world famous Wanamaker organ in the center court.  Wanamaker's was one of the most venerable full-line department stores in the country prior to the consolidations of the 1980's and 1990's.  Once it passed from family hands, it had a succession of owners.  The last owner to operate the stores as Wanamaker's was Woodward & Lothrop.  Both belonged to an investor; I forget his name.  The stores were sold to May Co., and both names were retired.  For the most part, the stores became the Hecht Co.  The Center City Philadelphia flagship is today a Lord & Taylor store...another May nameplate these days.  Who knows what will happen with the impending integration of May's operation with Federated?  It is such a tragedy that we are speeding toward a one-department store country.  Have people lost all desire for choice?

[storehistoryguy]

Johnny's in Moorestown Mall in Moorestown Nj.


http://mallsofamerica.blogspot.com/2005_08_01_mallsofamerica_archive.html

[storehistoryguy]

My fake John Wanamaker ad.

[storehistoryguy]

Heres the Yonkers, Ny. location in the early 60s.


http://www.mahig.com/images/MyHomeTownImages/MyHomeTownPage.html

[dayville81]

I believe John Wanamaker was one of the original anchors of the King of Prussia Mall outside Philadelphia. They were in the larger of the two "malls" called The Plaza, and the store had two mall entrances, one from the front side and one from a side corridor. Their store was sort of like Filene's but using more traditional colors and they used brown a lot in their fixtures. Strawbridge's is in the former Wanamaker Department store. Strawbridge's used to be "Strawbridge and Clothiers" and was in "The Court" mall. That space is now "The Pavilion" featuring restaurants on one level, clothing stores and Borders on the other, and a new third level with two home stores.

[Caldor1999]

i think that store in yonkers is or was in teh cross county shopping center

[storehistoryguy]

Originally posted by Caldor1999
i think that store in yonkers is or was in teh cross county shopping center

It was.

[KyleRF]

Reminds me kind of like the Lord and Taylor logo that is illegible.

Does anyone else think so?

[nims57]

There were ones in Springfield and Wynnewood PA.

[nims57]

Originally posted by DefunctStoreKing
let's see some pics of it please

Springfield: http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/notorious_murders/mass/sylvia_seegrist/index.html

[EddieJ1984]

Being from philly of course I remember Wanamaker's.
Closest one to me was the roosevelt mall location (Which apparently started out as a "S. Klein") in 95 it became Hecht's, then strawbridge's and then of course macy*s. Up until 2 years ago when it became macy's, it used all 3 floors, during the strawbridge's era the basement floor was used as a bargain basement, and also I believe furinture or rugs. Now mac*s just used the top 2 floors, with the basement floored blocked.

I also seem to recall when I was a kid, there being a restaurant on the top floor where the bathrooms are located.

Also I noticed where the customer service/gift wrapping section (also where you could get ticketmaster tix i believe) is now walled out and has 2 computers to apply for the store, and office's (well those were there anyways)

Here is a picture of what it looks like now (From this past winter obviously)

[MikeRa]

John Wanamaker main store was located at 13th and Market Street.  The building today is called "The Wanamaker Building", and Macy's has a store on the first 3 floors.

[MikeRa]

Here is a pic of the John wanamaker location in Langhorne, PA, when it was a Hecht's:

[MikeRa]

Here is the Langhorne John Wanamaker as a strawbridge's