12 Stores From the 1970s That Are Long Gone
This article revisits 12 such stores, giving each its due moment and remembering how they shaped the shopping experience of their time.
- Daisy Montero
- 4 min read
The 1970s had many stores that shaped how people shopped during that time. Some were big nationwide names, while others were local favorites. As shopping habits and competition changed, many of these stores eventually closed. Each one left behind a story of what made it special and why it faded away.
1. Montgomery Ward
The original uploader was Caldorwards4 at English Wikipedia on Wikimedia Commons
Montgomery Ward started as a mail-order business, then opened large stores in the 1970s, offering everything from appliances to clothing. It built a reputation for a broad selection at moderate prices. By the late 1970s and early 1980s, it struggled to adjust to mall-based retail and discount competition. Ultimately, many locations closed, and the brand faded from the national scene.
2. Two Guys
March8613 on Wikimedia Commons
Two Guys was a discount chain heavily present in the 1970s that sold appliances, electronics, and general merchandise. It expanded rapidly, only to encounter financial problems as competition intensified. By 1982, the chain ceased operations and its stores were liquidated.
3. Kinney Shoes
Self -Scanned on Wikimedia Commons
Kinney Shoes peaked in the 1970s with hundreds of stores offering budget footwear for families. As shopping trends changed and malls redeveloped, the chain lost ground. It shuttered all stores by 1998. Reflecting on Kinney shows how even niche retail segments were not immune to market upheaval.
4. RadioShack
Phillip Pessar from Miami, USA on Wikimedia Commons
RadioShack, in its early years, was a go-to store for electronics, hobbyists, and home-tech in the 1970s. It captured the DIY spirit and electronics boom of that decade. As big-box retailers, online shopping and mobile tech evolved the format lost its relevance. This example underscores how technology trends can render once-popular stores obsolete.
5. Woolworths
Markus Koljonen on Wikimedia Commons
Woolworths was an iconic retailer in the 1970s, known for its large variety of low-cost goods and shop-in-shop format. Changing shopping habits, discount chains, and malls squeezed its business model. It eventually closed many stores, and the brand largely vanished from the U.S. market. Woolworths reminds us that even familiar main-street staples may not last forever.
6. The Treasury/Treasure Island
C4K3 on Wikimedia Commons
The Treasury (later Treasure Island) launched in 1970 as a large-format store selling everything under one roof, including clothing, electronics, and housewares. It attempted bulk retail decades before the warehouse club boom. The chain folded by 1981 as the format struggled financially and consumer patterns shifted. This example highlights how ambitious retail formats of the ’70s sometimes lacked the infrastructure or market conditions to succeed long-term.
7. Toys “R” Us
Photo: Andreas Praefcke on Wikimedia Commons
Originally founded earlier, Toys “R” Us expanded rapidly in the 1970s and became a temple for kids’ shopping trips, complete with aisle after aisle of toys. Overthe ensuing decades, the business model confronted debt burdens, internet competition, and changing holiday shopping habits. The original store count in its heyday has greatly reduced, and many locations closed. Looking at this chain shows how cultural relevance alone may not protect retail brands from structural shifts.
8. Tower Records
Joehawkins on Wikimedia Commons
Tower Records became a destination for music lovers, especially in the 1970s, offering a wide selection of vinyl records and live in-store events. The rise of digital music, file sharing, and streaming eroded the need for big physical stores. It closed many locations globally, and the brand’s presence is now minimal. This slide emphasizes how technological change can render entire categories of retail obsolete.
9. Casual Corner
David E. Lucas on Wikimedia Commons
Casual Corner was a women’s apparel chain that gained popularity in the 1970s, offering boutique-style clothes in department-store settings. Changing tastes, increased fast-fashion competition, and shifting mall traffic affected its business. The chain closed many stores, and the brand largely disappeared by the early 2000s. This example underlines how fashion retail formats must constantly adapt or risk disappearance.
10. Service Merchandise
Solution7z on Wikimedia Commons
Service Merchandise launched a format where customers browsed catalogs, then picked up items in-store, gaining traction in the 1970s. The model became outdated as faster retail, online shopping, and big-box stores changed consumer expectations. It eventually filed for bankruptcy and closed many stores. This case illustrates how even innovative formats can fail when consumer habits shift dramatically.
11. Gimbels
Cbaile19 on Wikimedia Commons
Gimbels operated large department stores and was a major competitor in the 1970s. Over time, consolidation in the department-store sector, mall changes, and corporate acquisitions led to its decline. The brand closed its stores, and the name faded from the retail landscape. Gimbels’ story shows how brands with strong heritage still risk disappearing when the industry evolves.
12. Bradlees
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Bradlees grew through the 1970s, offering discount department-store shopping in suburban malls and shopping centers. With increasing retail competition and shifts toward big-box and online models, the chain struggled. Eventually, it filed for bankruptcy and closed most of its stores. Bradlees’ decline reflects how value-oriented stores from the 70s could be squeezed by both low-cost and big-format entrants.