If you grew up in New England in the 70s, 80s, 90s and even early 2000s, you’ll likely remember these once hugely popular stores. Once upon a time, before Target and Walmart, life revolved around Bradlees. They had everything for the home at discount prices. It got me to thinking about some other retailers that were a big part of our lives, and are now gone. So, here we are… Remembering 5 iconic New England stores you grew up with.
When you need computers, tvs and other electronics, you probably head over to Best Buy. But, there was a time when another electronic/media store ruled supreme in these parts. Or, how about clothes shopping? Department stores were everything, back in the day. And New England had 2 of the biggest which now cease to exist.
The first decade of the 2000s saw one of the most iconic New England stores fading fast and falling of the map. Clothes were a bargain, but it involved a valiant hunt for your item. And the hunt took place in a dark and dingy space. Still, we loved the chase and the thrill of scoring.
From Fancy To No- Frills Stores
As Only in Massachusetts recently pointed out in an article about these retailers we grew up with, these “storied shops “now exist only in our memory.” The places you’ll revisit here ranged from discount chains to upscale department stores. One of these famous department stores still lives on in their signature food item. They are gone, but their muffins live on in recipes we have kept alive, and at one popular furniture store that still sells them.
So, here we go. Let’s take a walk down memory lane to visit places that once we part of our fabric. We relied on these 5 iconic New England stores we grew up with to entertain and provide us with necessities (and some not so necessary items). One of these places was known throughout the country for an unusual wedding event. Look, learn, love and relive with me.
1. Filene's Basement
Opened: 1909
Closed: Dec. 29. 2011
Sure Filenes was a fancy department store we all loved to shop. But in 1909 Edward A. Filene decided to take advantage of basement space and offer deep discounts. He founded Filene’s Basement really as a way to make a profit off inventory surplus from his father’s department store upstairs. In essence, this practice “pioneered the concept of bargains when it devised a system of automatic markdowns.” (Boston.com). Brilliant, isn’t it? Starting in 1947, Filene’s Basement would become famous, across the country, for their wedding gown sale, called Running of the Brides. It was quite the media event as TV cameras watched hundreds of women scoured through thousands of dresses on racks, all dratically marked down. There were no dressing rooms, so the brides-to-be tried them on in the aisles.
(Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images)
