Zayre

[d_fife]

the 65,000 sq.ft. ames in medford mass vacant as of april 21, 2006 and was one of the first zayre stores in 1957. zayre first store opened 1956 in hyannis mass and that one closed in 1982

[dave]

Thanks for posting some interesting photos of former Zayre locations. The photo I posted of the gas station might have been somewhere in Connecticut, as I found it in a pile of pictures at an antique store in Putnam Conn.   Maybe a reader will remember it.

[dmx10101]

If anybody's interested on Cafepress they are selling Zayre's logo t-shirts. I bought one- T Shirt

[webcookie]

Originally posted by KyleRF
Were there any Zayre's in New York or New Jersey?

There was a Zayre in Newburgh, NY and an Ames in Middletown, NY.

[Amesdepartmentstores]

here is a zayre pic of a store in rhode island

[Zayre88]

Originally posted by XISMZERO

Originally posted by Zayre88Wow, it's clear that this Kmart was a Zayre before!

You think so? It seems to me they chopped the entire middle area to renovate it. It looks like a typical later model Kmart spruce-up. The brown walls along the side certainly show it's age and tell me it was probably relative to all the other Kmarts in the state.

Here is a building style used by Zayre:  In Maine, it's found in Saco, Madawaska, Rumford and South Portland.  One in the picture is an Ames with an oval shaped logo from Hills.  The Kmart seen here: http://www.amesfanclub.com/forum/viewthread.php?action=attachment&tid=19&pid=27732 probably was a Zayre before.

[XISMZERO]

Originally posted by Zayre88

Originally posted by XISMZERO

Originally posted by Zayre88Wow, it's clear that this Kmart was a Zayre before!

You think so? It seems to me they chopped the entire middle area to renovate it. It looks like a typical later model Kmart spruce-up. The brown walls along the side certainly show it's age and tell me it was probably relative to all the other Kmarts in the state.

Here is a building style used by Zayre:  In Maine, it's found in Saco, Madawaska, Rumford and South Portland.  One in the picture is an Ames with an oval shaped logo from Hills.  The Kmart seen here: http://www.amesfanclub.com/forum/viewthread.php?action=attachment&tid=19&pid=27732 probably was a Zayre before.

Interesting connection with refference. The common Zayre style I know of was evident on most Ames stores, like this one currently vacant in Agawam, Mass. When I revisited this store, someone peeled off the cheap facade revealing the striped brown!

[Zayre88]

This other style is more common.  I think that the "box" where the Ames logos are on these buildings has been added by Ames.  The Zayre sign was on top of the buildings.  Ames probably came up with this solution.  

Most old pictures don't show that box and show that the original Zayre stores with that style had lots of windows.  Most Ames stores covered these windows to create more wall inside.

[XISMZERO]

Originally posted by Zayre88
This other style is more common.  I think that the "box" where the Ames logos are on these buildings has been added by Ames.  The Zayre sign was on top of the buildings.  Ames probably came up with this solution.  

Most old pictures don't show that box and show that the original Zayre stores with that style had lots of windows.  Most Ames stores covered these windows to create more wall inside.

I remember only one Zayre and it adhered to the 1980's "Asterisk" logo with lower case like your avatar. I'm certain the logo was on that box were the Ames logos were placed later on. In the Agawam picture, you can see where the cover up where more windows would be. I'm sure this Zayre didn't have the roof sign - take a look. Also, you can see pinholes where the Zayre sign once was under Ames.

[Zayre88]

Originally posted by XISMZERO

I remember only one Zayre and it adhered to the 1980's "Asterisk" logo with lower case like your avatar. I'm certain the logo was on that box were the Ames logos were placed later on. In the Agawam picture, you can see where the cover up where more windows would be. I'm sure this Zayre didn't have the roof sign - take a look. Also, you can see pinholes where the Zayre sign once was under Ames.

Maybe you're right.  It could also be something Zayre came up with when they launched the "asterisk logo".  Look at these former Zayre stores:  They all have some kind of a long dark metal bar near the edge of the roof.  It's where the older, larger Zayre roof sign was located.

These stores opened in the 70's and i think that "asterisk logo" was introduced in the 80's.  I wonder if it's Zayre or Ames that covered the front windows on these stores...

[XISMZERO]

Originally posted by Zayre88
Maybe you're right.  It could also be something Zayre came up with when they launched the "asterisk logo".  Look at these former Zayre stores:  They all have some kind of a long dark metal bar near the edge of the roof.  It's where the older, larger Zayre roof sign was located.

These stores opened in the 70's and i think that "asterisk logo" was introduced in the 80's.  I wonder if it's Zayre or Ames that covered the front windows on these stores...

That's a keen observation. I scaled the Agawam picture for those metal holdings. There's an odd zigzag motif there, but I'm sure they didn't hold any giant sign up. The sign on those Zayre buildings must've been from the 1960's when enormous, often flourescent signs for discount stores were displayed. Luckilly, this Agawam store was set up to make the roofline visible via the road.

[Zayre88]

Originally posted by XISMZERO
That's a keen observation. I scaled the Agawam picture for those metal holdings. There's an odd zigzag motif there, but I'm sure they didn't hold any giant sign up. The sign on those Zayre buildings must've been from the 1960's when enormous, often flourescent signs for discount stores were displayed. Luckilly, this Agawam store was set up to make the roofline visible via the road.

Take a look at this RI store.  It has dark dots on the roof.  About the length of an old Zayre sign.  I created the Zayre sign with holder in the bottom picture:

[Crawford]

I know exactly which Zayre this was and it had the single letters on the roof, they weren't attached to a rack but had holders. Whenever we had windstorms many times one would come down.  I remember them taking down the big red letters and replacing it with the box like asterix sign. Ames just took down the Zayre letters and replaced it with there own logo. This particular Ames still has the huge front glass windows, they only covered some of them near the entrance when Ames took over. Sadly this buiding is still vacant, a Radio Shack holds on for dear life nearby. The plaza this sits in is weird looking. All the stores to the left of the Ames around the Shaws markets are doing well, everything near the Ames, except for Radio Shack is dead. When this was Zayre it had the auto garage which eventually was taken over by Hollywood Movies.

[Zayre88]

Here's my attempt to draw 3 building styles used by Zayre:

[XISMZERO]

Here's a spool of sewing thread from Zayre, most likely from the 1980s. I came across it sitting right on the coffee table at my friend's house. I freaked out when I saw it!

[d_fife]

Originally posted by XISMZERO
Here's a spool of sewing thread from Zayre, most likely from the 1980s. I came across it sitting right on the coffee table at my friend's house. I freaked out when I saw it!

my family has this too.

Did zayre really suffer from low image and class? If ames had not bought them out, would they survive?
 a lot of their stores opened in the 1960s. I wonder if wal-mart would have crushed them.

[df559]

That's a good question. I know a lot of people thought they were low-end and dirty, but all my family in Florida were firecely loyal Zayre shoppers. My aunt wouldn't even change her Zayre charge card to an Ames card! (They went out of business in Florida in 1990, before the card expired and they could force her to get a new one)

The Zayre stores I remember weren't any dirtier than some Wal Marts you find today, although the orange and brown color scheme did scream 1976...

[Marc82]

I barely remember when our AMES was ZAYRE's, probably because we lived in a different town than the ZAYRE's. My mom said we went to ZAYRE's once or twice. However we used to go to AMES or KMART or both several times a month. The town we lived in didn't have a KMART either. (It had Bradlees and Caldor. The Caldor became a KMART and lasted not even 3 years).

[XISMZERO]

Originally posted by d_fife
Did zayre really suffer from low image and class? If ames had not bought them out, would they survive?
 a lot of their stores opened in the 1960s. I wonder if wal-mart would have crushed them.

Wal-Mart essentially crushed or would've crushed every one of these chains that didn't last too far past 2000. Why? Because Wal-Mart has better selection, prices, business strategy, notoriety and marketing. Their stores, while too often messy and cluttered, are well kept, and well stocked in offering the consumer the best value. That's the key to survival - not quite as easy as it seems though. Takes years of careful strategy, without being overzealous which is what put Ames under. Remember, Wal-Mart has been around just as long as these competitors who are all dead now.

Let's look at Kmart by comparison; stores and decor are aging, Sears is keeping them alive and trying to keep them fairly vital. Sears has improved their business strategies (marketing, closing unnecessary locations, rebranding) but their advertising is doing the job far beyond the likes of their actual stores. Kmart also has that household name recognition and seems to pull in older folks who like the antiquated, no-frills of most Kmart stores without all the crowd and loud of Wal-Mart. That's my guess. Then again, there's also that disdain for Wal-Mart factor many on this board subscribe to...

There seems to be a trend that once prominent chains (in the 1960s) like Zayre, Woolworth, and Kmart have fallen behind over the decades and even failed. They've degraded in class and failed to adapt to ever-changing trends of shoppers; they couldn't grapple onto what made current successors Caldor, Bradlees, and Wal-Mart so pinnacle over the years. As we know now, Caldor and Bradlees both fell into that pit from a combination of financial problems coupled with uninspired business strategies in the 1990's against emerging successors like Wal-Mart and Target.

Tell ya what I should do: interview random people at Kmart and ask them why they like shopping there over Wal-Mart or even a more avant-class Target. Target is obvious; tends to more detract older people in that their "Target" marketing strategy is aimed at trends of young and younger-middle aged people.

Comes to show, it's all about survival of the fittest. And I'll keep hammering it; if not for Sears saving them, Kmart would be in the grave by now. I believe they saved them because they knew Kmart has such historic name recognition all across the country. Still, they need real help getting back on the frontlines with Wal-Mart and Target.

[Caldor1999]

Originally posted by XISMZERO

Originally posted by d_fife
Did zayre really suffer from low image and class? If ames had not bought them out, would they survive?
 a lot of their stores opened in the 1960s. I wonder if wal-mart would have crushed them.

Wal-Mart essentially crushed or would've crushed every one of these chains that didn't last too far past 2000. Why? Because Wal-Mart has better selection, prices, business strategy, notoriety and marketing. Their stores, while too often messy and cluttered, are well kept, and well stocked in offering the consumer the best value. That's the key to survival - not quite as easy as it seems though. Takes years of careful strategy, without being overzealous which is what put Ames under. Remember, Wal-Mart has been around just as long as these competitors who are all dead now.

Let's look at Kmart by comparison; stores and decor are aging, Sears is keeping them alive and trying to keep them fairly vital. Sears has improved their business strategies (marketing, closing unnecessary locations, rebranding) but their advertising is doing the job far beyond the likes of their actual stores. Kmart also has that household name recognition and seems to pull in older folks who like the antiquated, no-frills of most Kmart stores without all the crowd and loud of Wal-Mart. That's my guess. Then again, there's also that disdain for Wal-Mart factor many on this board subscribe to...

There seems to be a trend that once prominent chains (in the 1960s) like Zayre, Woolworth, and Kmart have fallen behind over the decades and even failed. They've degraded in class and failed to adapt to ever-changing trends of shoppers; they couldn't grapple onto what made current successors Caldor, Bradlees, and Wal-Mart so pinnacle over the years. As we know now, Caldor and Bradlees both fell into that pit from a combination of financial problems coupled with uninspired business strategies in the 1990's against emerging successors like Wal-Mart and Target.

Tell ya what I should do: interview random people at Kmart and ask them why they like shopping there over Wal-Mart or even a more avant-class Target. Target is obvious; tends to more detract older people in that their "Target" marketing strategy is aimed at trends of young and younger-middle aged people.

Comes to show, it's all about survival of the fittest. And I'll keep hammering it; if not for Sears saving them, Kmart would be in the grave by now. I believe they saved them because they knew Kmart has such historic name recognition all across the country. Still, they need real help getting back on the frontlines with Wal-Mart and Target.

they probley would ahve closed they were in bankrupice in 1988 when ames bouth them im sure if ames did not take them over they probley would have went out in 1990 1991 i mean some ames keeped some zayers open till early 1990

[dmx10101]

Originally posted by XISMZERO

Originally posted by d_fife
Did zayre really suffer from low image and class? If ames had not bought them out, would they survive?
 a lot of their stores opened in the 1960s. I wonder if wal-mart would have crushed them.

Wal-Mart essentially crushed or would've crushed every one of these chains that didn't last too far past 2000. Why? Because Wal-Mart has better selection, prices, business strategy, notoriety and marketing. Their stores, while too often messy and cluttered, are well kept, and well stocked in offering the consumer the best value. That's the key to survival - not quite as easy as it seems though. Takes years of careful strategy, without being overzealous which is what put Ames under. Remember, Wal-Mart has been around just as long as these competitors who are all dead now.

Let's look at Kmart by comparison; stores and decor are aging, Sears is keeping them alive and trying to keep them fairly vital. Sears has improved their business strategies (marketing, closing unnecessary locations, rebranding) but their advertising is doing the job far beyond the likes of their actual stores. Kmart also has that household name recognition and seems to pull in older folks who like the antiquated, no-frills of most Kmart stores without all the crowd and loud of Wal-Mart. That's my guess. Then again, there's also that disdain for Wal-Mart factor many on this board subscribe to...

There seems to be a trend that once prominent chains (in the 1960s) like Zayre, Woolworth, and Kmart have fallen behind over the decades and even failed. They've degraded in class and failed to adapt to ever-changing trends of shoppers; they couldn't grapple onto what made current successors Caldor, Bradlees, and Wal-Mart so pinnacle over the years. As we know now, Caldor and Bradlees both fell into that pit from a combination of financial problems coupled with uninspired business strategies in the 1990's against emerging successors like Wal-Mart and Target.

Tell ya what I should do: interview random people at Kmart and ask them why they like shopping there over Wal-Mart or even a more avant-class Target. Target is obvious; tends to more detract older people in that their "Target" marketing strategy is aimed at trends of young and younger-middle aged people.

Comes to show, it's all about survival of the fittest. And I'll keep hammering it; if not for Sears saving them, Kmart would be in the grave by now. I believe they saved them because they knew Kmart has such historic name recognition all across the country. Still, they need real help getting back on the frontlines with Wal-Mart and Target.

Kmart bought Sears though..so Sears didn't really save them. Kmart saved themselves by buying and incorporating Sears within the company.

[XISMZERO]

Originally posted by dmx10101

Originally posted by XISMZERO

Originally posted by d_fife
Did zayre really suffer from low image and class? If ames had not bought them out, would they survive?
 a lot of their stores opened in the 1960s. I wonder if wal-mart would have crushed them.

Wal-Mart essentially crushed or would've crushed every one of these chains that didn't last too far past 2000. Why? Because Wal-Mart has better selection, prices, business strategy, notoriety and marketing. Their stores, while too often messy and cluttered, are well kept, and well stocked in offering the consumer the best value. That's the key to survival - not quite as easy as it seems though. Takes years of careful strategy, without being overzealous which is what put Ames under. Remember, Wal-Mart has been around just as long as these competitors who are all dead now.

Let's look at Kmart by comparison; stores and decor are aging, Sears is keeping them alive and trying to keep them fairly vital. Sears has improved their business strategies (marketing, closing unnecessary locations, rebranding) but their advertising is doing the job far beyond the likes of their actual stores. Kmart also has that household name recognition and seems to pull in older folks who like the antiquated, no-frills of most Kmart stores without all the crowd and loud of Wal-Mart. That's my guess. Then again, there's also that disdain for Wal-Mart factor many on this board subscribe to...

There seems to be a trend that once prominent chains (in the 1960s) like Zayre, Woolworth, and Kmart have fallen behind over the decades and even failed. They've degraded in class and failed to adapt to ever-changing trends of shoppers; they couldn't grapple onto what made current successors Caldor, Bradlees, and Wal-Mart so pinnacle over the years. As we know now, Caldor and Bradlees both fell into that pit from a combination of financial problems coupled with uninspired business strategies in the 1990's against emerging successors like Wal-Mart and Target.

Tell ya what I should do: interview random people at Kmart and ask them why they like shopping there over Wal-Mart or even a more avant-class Target. Target is obvious; tends to more detract older people in that their "Target" marketing strategy is aimed at trends of young and younger-middle aged people.

Comes to show, it's all about survival of the fittest. And I'll keep hammering it; if not for Sears saving them, Kmart would be in the grave by now. I believe they saved them because they knew Kmart has such historic name recognition all across the country. Still, they need real help getting back on the frontlines with Wal-Mart and Target.

Kmart bought Sears though..so Sears didn't really save them. Kmart saved themselves by buying and incorporating Sears within the company.

Hmm... guess I might've fumbled the order of it. I've always seen Kmart as the one who's been hurting more than Sears. Guess I always thought of it as Kmart who lumped in with Sears to save themselves from a dying breed of discount department store.

[Crawford]

I never thought of Zayre as low end. There were several scattered around the area where I lived and each one had its differences. They did have a nasty habit though with their advertisments for Atari games. The flyer would have the pictures so naturally we would go to our nearest Zayre to buy the game which wasn't there. The manager in Zayre in East Providence said effectively that as long as one Zayre had the pictured game in stock then it wasn't false advertising and the clerk could easily say "oh we are sold out" Of course it wasn't long before angry shoppers threatened legal action you got the "not all titles available in all stores" as a sort of copout. I know there were two Atari Games (Pengo & Moon Patrol) that I got in the Providence Zayre (now a Wal Mart) that I never saw in any other Zayre or store for that matter.

[dmx10101]

Originally posted by XISMZERO

Originally posted by dmx10101

Originally posted by XISMZERO

Originally posted by d_fife
Did zayre really suffer from low image and class? If ames had not bought them out, would they survive?
 a lot of their stores opened in the 1960s. I wonder if wal-mart would have crushed them.

Wal-Mart essentially crushed or would've crushed every one of these chains that didn't last too far past 2000. Why? Because Wal-Mart has better selection, prices, business strategy, notoriety and marketing. Their stores, while too often messy and cluttered, are well kept, and well stocked in offering the consumer the best value. That's the key to survival - not quite as easy as it seems though. Takes years of careful strategy, without being overzealous which is what put Ames under. Remember, Wal-Mart has been around just as long as these competitors who are all dead now.

Let's look at Kmart by comparison; stores and decor are aging, Sears is keeping them alive and trying to keep them fairly vital. Sears has improved their business strategies (marketing, closing unnecessary locations, rebranding) but their advertising is doing the job far beyond the likes of their actual stores. Kmart also has that household name recognition and seems to pull in older folks who like the antiquated, no-frills of most Kmart stores without all the crowd and loud of Wal-Mart. That's my guess. Then again, there's also that disdain for Wal-Mart factor many on this board subscribe to...

There seems to be a trend that once prominent chains (in the 1960s) like Zayre, Woolworth, and Kmart have fallen behind over the decades and even failed. They've degraded in class and failed to adapt to ever-changing trends of shoppers; they couldn't grapple onto what made current successors Caldor, Bradlees, and Wal-Mart so pinnacle over the years. As we know now, Caldor and Bradlees both fell into that pit from a combination of financial problems coupled with uninspired business strategies in the 1990's against emerging successors like Wal-Mart and Target.

Tell ya what I should do: interview random people at Kmart and ask them why they like shopping there over Wal-Mart or even a more avant-class Target. Target is obvious; tends to more detract older people in that their "Target" marketing strategy is aimed at trends of young and younger-middle aged people.

Comes to show, it's all about survival of the fittest. And I'll keep hammering it; if not for Sears saving them, Kmart would be in the grave by now. I believe they saved them because they knew Kmart has such historic name recognition all across the country. Still, they need real help getting back on the frontlines with Wal-Mart and Target.

Kmart bought Sears though..so Sears didn't really save them. Kmart saved themselves by buying and incorporating Sears within the company.

Hmm... guess I might've fumbled the order of it. I've always seen Kmart as the one who's been hurting more than Sears. Guess I always thought of it as Kmart who lumped in with Sears to save themselves from a dying breed of discount department store.

Well Kmart entered bankruptcy in bad shape, they're stock through bankruptcy was worth pennies. So they closed stores restructured and cut costs. When Kmart emerged from bankruptcy they had done complete turnaround and were a very strong company financially, they're stock was worth over a hundred dollars I believe. So they ended up purchasing Sears.   Kmart purchasing Sears was very good for both companies because at the time of purchase Sears was really starting to struggle and KMart's purchase injected cash flow into Sears and it benefited Kmart by them being able to add new products into their stores, like the brand recognition of Craftsman, etc.

[Caldor1999]

Originally posted by dmx10101

Originally posted by XISMZERO

Originally posted by dmx10101

Originally posted by XISMZERO

Originally posted by d_fife
Did zayre really suffer from low image and class? If ames had not bought them out, would they survive?
 a lot of their stores opened in the 1960s. I wonder if wal-mart would have crushed them.

Wal-Mart essentially crushed or would've crushed every one of these chains that didn't last too far past 2000. Why? Because Wal-Mart has better selection, prices, business strategy, notoriety and marketing. Their stores, while too often messy and cluttered, are well kept, and well stocked in offering the consumer the best value. That's the key to survival - not quite as easy as it seems though. Takes years of careful strategy, without being overzealous which is what put Ames under. Remember, Wal-Mart has been around just as long as these competitors who are all dead now.

Let's look at Kmart by comparison; stores and decor are aging, Sears is keeping them alive and trying to keep them fairly vital. Sears has improved their business strategies (marketing, closing unnecessary locations, rebranding) but their advertising is doing the job far beyond the likes of their actual stores. Kmart also has that household name recognition and seems to pull in older folks who like the antiquated, no-frills of most Kmart stores without all the crowd and loud of Wal-Mart. That's my guess. Then again, there's also that disdain for Wal-Mart factor many on this board subscribe to...

There seems to be a trend that once prominent chains (in the 1960s) like Zayre, Woolworth, and Kmart have fallen behind over the decades and even failed. They've degraded in class and failed to adapt to ever-changing trends of shoppers; they couldn't grapple onto what made current successors Caldor, Bradlees, and Wal-Mart so pinnacle over the years. As we know now, Caldor and Bradlees both fell into that pit from a combination of financial problems coupled with uninspired business strategies in the 1990's against emerging successors like Wal-Mart and Target.

Tell ya what I should do: interview random people at Kmart and ask them why they like shopping there over Wal-Mart or even a more avant-class Target. Target is obvious; tends to more detract older people in that their "Target" marketing strategy is aimed at trends of young and younger-middle aged people.

Comes to show, it's all about survival of the fittest. And I'll keep hammering it; if not for Sears saving them, Kmart would be in the grave by now. I believe they saved them because they knew Kmart has such historic name recognition all across the country. Still, they need real help getting back on the frontlines with Wal-Mart and Target.

Kmart bought Sears though..so Sears didn't really save them. Kmart saved themselves by buying and incorporating Sears within the company.

Hmm... guess I might've fumbled the order of it. I've always seen Kmart as the one who's been hurting more than Sears. Guess I always thought of it as Kmart who lumped in with Sears to save themselves from a dying breed of discount department store.

Well Kmart entered bankruptcy in bad shape, they're stock through bankruptcy was worth pennies. So they closed stores restructured and cut costs. When Kmart emerged from bankruptcy they had done complete turnaround and were a very strong company financially, they're stock was worth over a hundred dollars I believe. So they ended up purchasing Sears.   Kmart purchasing Sears was very good for both companies because at the time of purchase Sears was really starting to struggle and KMart's purchase injected cash flow into Sears and it benefited Kmart by them being able to add new products into their stores, like the brand recognition of Craftsman, etc.

it may ahve been  a good chouse but i think in the next 10 to 20 years sears and kamrt could be gone i mean sears ahd to chage the sears essentale stores that were once kamrts to sears grand that compact wont work in most if nto all the old kmart stors alot fo them dont have teh size to become a sears grand

[Lastdaysofrain]

A guy I know is making me some Zayre shirts, www.kurtsshirts.com

I attached an image, they are great ringer shirts. Shoot him an email if you want one.

He also makes custom shirts of just about anything you want. If you can find a store logo he'll do it.

[dmx10101]

I got my cool Zayre's shirt from Cafepress here.  It's different.

[Lastdaysofrain]

Cafepress has Zayre shirts?

[dmx10101]

Originally posted by Lastdaysofrain
Cafepress has Zayre shirts?

Yes, Click Here.

[Zayre88]

Former Zayre/Ames in Rumford will soon become a Marden's.

Image from mardenssurplus.com