15 Forgotten Department Store Brands from the ’80s

The 1980s were a time of big fashion, new technologies, and lots of stores that were doing very well. Department stores were very important. Some brands are now well-known, while others have been forgotten for a long time. This article looks back at 15 forgotten 1980s department store brands and figures out what made them popular and why they went away. These brands were big in the 1980s, but most people have forgotten about them now.

1. W.T. Grant

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In the 1980s, W.T. Grant was a well-known chain of department stores famous for its wide range of goods and low prices. Many families went there because it sold everything from clothes to household goods. Unfortunately, it closed in 1976, but people remembered it as a nostalgic place to shop for years in the 1980s.

2. Caldor

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People in the Northeast loved Caldor because it was a well-known store chain that sold affordable goods. The store sold everything from toys to home appliances, and the prices were usually lower. However, by the early 1990s, Caldor had money problems, causing the company to shut down and the brand to disappear.

3. Ames

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Ames was a discount department store that catered to shoppers on a budget, especially in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic. Ames was known for having low prices on many things, like clothes, groceries, and electronics. Ames shut down in the early 2000s because of acquisitions and money problems.

4. Zayre

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Zayre was a chain of department stores that sold cheap clothes, toys, and electronics. In the 1980s, families looking for deals would go there. However, over time, the brand lost out to other stores. It was bought and later became Kmart. Even though Zayre’s stores were very popular, they closed in the early 1990s.

5. Woolworth’s

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In the 1980s, Woolworth’s was one of the most famous five-and-dime stores because it sold many things at low prices. In the early 1900s, Woolworth’s opened as a variety store. In the 1980s, it grew into a chain of department stores. However, the brand couldn’t adapt to new ways of shopping, so it shut down in the early 1990s.

6. Robinson’s

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Robinson’s was a well-known West Coast department store chain that sold a lot of different things, from clothes to home goods. It became very popular in California, especially with families who wanted stylish items that were inexpensive. Early in the 1990s, May Department Stores bought Robinson’s. Eventually, the brand name was taken off the shelves.

7. J.C. Penney’s “Big Book”

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In the 1980s, J.C. Penney’s “Big Book” catalog was a must-have for shoppers. It had everything from clothes to home appliances. Customers loved it because looking at products and ordering them from home was easy. As online shopping became more popular, the catalog was eventually taken off the market.

8. The Hecht Company

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Hecht’s was a chain of department stores that sold a lot of clothes, home goods, and electronics. They were the biggest in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern U.S. People knew it because of its great sales and customer service. Hecht’s was eventually taken over by Macy’s, which ended the brand in the 1990s.

9. Rich’s

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Rich’s was a big chain of department stores in the Southeast, and good service and quality came to mean the name. People knew its stores for having a lot of clothes, shoes, and home goods. Rich’s was bought by Federated Department Stores in 2005. It was later merged with Macy’s, which got rid of the Rich’s name.

10. E.J. Korvette

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In the 1980s, E.J. Korvette was a popular discount department store that sold everything from clothes to electronics at lower prices. During its peak, the chain grew quickly, but it became harder to compete as bigger stores like Walmart and Kmart opened up. The brand was mostly gone from the market by the mid-1980s.

11. The May Company

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The May Company was a big chain of department stores in the United States. It was known for selling clothes and home goods in the middle price range. After some time, it merged with a few other stores and became a part of Macy’s. Even though the brand name is gone, May Company’s history lives on in Macy’s stores all over the country.

12. Marshall Field’s

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Many people in Chicago loved Marshall Field’s because it had high-end goods and a high-end department store atmosphere. It became a symbol of quality because of its beautiful windows and great customer service. However, Marshall Field’s was taken over by Macy’s in 2006, and the name was no longer used.

13. Service Merchandise

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Service Merchandise was a well-known chain of department stores that sold mostly through catalogs. Customers would order things from the catalog and pick them up in the store. In the 1980s, its one-of-a-kind service model made it a popular choice. However, by the early 2000s, it had closed because of more competition and the rise of online shopping.

14. Shillito’s

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Shillito’s was a big chain of department stores in Ohio. It was known for selling cheap clothes and home goods. In the 1980s, it became a staple in the area. However, in the early 1990s, after being bought by the Federated Department Stores group, Shillito’s name was phased out and replaced with the Lazarus brand.

15. L.S. Ayres

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People in the Midwest loved L.S. Ayres as a department store chain, especially for its high-class shopping experience and extensive selection of high-quality goods. A lot of people liked the candy counter in the store. The Federated Department Stores group eventually bought L.S. Ayres and became part of Macy’s.

• Tags:
• 80s
• Department
• stores
• Shopping
• brands