12 Department Stores Your Parents Dragged You To Every Weekend
These department stores weren’t just weekend destinations — they were where family routines, boredom, and unexpected joy all collided under buzzing lights and beige walls.
- Alyana Aguja
- 4 min read
Before online shopping rewired our lives, department stores were central to American weekends — where errands, parenting, and patience tests came together. Each store carried its own scent, style, and strategy, and for many kids, these places became a strange kind of playground. This list remembers the department stores your parents dragged you to, the forgotten rituals they created, and the small comforts that made it all bearable.
1. Sears
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You remember the smell of rubber tires and popcorn mixing in the air as your parents wandered off to “just check the tools real quick.” You sat on a Kenmore washing machine display, swinging your legs and begging for a quarter to ride the mechanical pony. It felt like half your childhood was spent under those flickering fluorescent lights.
2. JCPenney
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This was the place for back-to-school shopping marathons that always ended with itchy jeans and awkward photo studio portraits. Your mom could spend hours flipping through racks while you snuck off to the appliance section just to press every button on the microwaves. If you were lucky, you got a soft pretzel after surviving the chaos.
3. Macy’s
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At the time, you didn’t understand why your dad needed another navy blazer or why the perfume counter had to smell like every flower in the universe died at once. However, the escalators were a ride in themselves, and the holiday window displays made it all worthwhile. Macy’s was where weekend errands somehow turned into an all-day mission.
4. Montgomery Ward
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It was the store that had everything but somehow felt like it belonged in a different era — even in the ’90s. You’d follow your mom through endless aisles of housewares and bedding, wondering how she found dish towels so fascinating. Montgomery Ward was the last stop before fast food salvation.
5. Kohl’s
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A trip to Kohl’s meant your mom had a fistful of coupons and a mission to “only look” — which always turned into a cart full of clearance items. You trailed behind, arms aching with hangers as she debated if Dad really needed another pack of socks. You never left empty-handed, but you also never left quickly.
6. Dillard’s
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Your parents called it “classy,” but to you, it just meant standing awkwardly near mannequins while they browsed shoes for eternity. The plush carpet and piano music gave it fancy hotel vibes, even if you were just killing time waiting for the adults to pick a belt. You always felt underdressed and overly bored.
7. Kmart
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You can still hear the fuzzy intercom voice announcing a Blue Light Special like it was a call to arms. It was the wild west of department stores — where you could buy socks, a fishing rod, and a pack of gum in one go. The Icee machine at the front was the only reward for sitting through the chaos.
8. Belk
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If you grew up in the South, Belk was your weekend battleground. It smelled like cologne and new shoes, and the carpet always had this mysterious squish. You’d hide in clothing racks while your mom haggled over church clothes and coupon stacking.
9. Boscov’s
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You probably didn’t know how to pronounce it as a kid, but you sure knew the furniture section made a great playground. Boscov’s had an old-school vibe, like shopping in your grandmother’s closet but somehow more chaotic. The toy section was small but sacred — your last hope for fun before you reached the checkout.
10. Meier & Frank
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In the Pacific Northwest, Meier & Frank was where you went if your family was “making a day of it.” There was always a trip up to the top-floor restaurant or bakery, followed by long stretches of standing next to your dad as he tried on ties he wouldn’t buy. Even the elevator had that heavy, quiet feeling of adult business.
11. Mervyn’s
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There was a ritual to Mervyn’s — find the sale, dig through bins, hope your size was there. The fitting rooms were confusing mazes, and the fluorescent lighting made everything look worse. However, your parents swore by it, especially for “basics.”
12. Bon-Ton
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This one was always weirdly quiet, like everyone had agreed to whisper and walk slowly. The store layout made no sense, and you often found yourself lost in the bedding section. Still, it had that dependable, “we’ve been coming here for years” energy your parents trusted.