11 once-beloved regional stores that you can no longer visit
Once a Los Angeles fixture, mid-price department store Mervyn's boomed in the West. However, the chain struggled to build an identity among competitors like Ross and Kohl's, and it eventually shuttered its remaining 149 stores in 2008.
Jacobson's, a beloved high-end chain that operated in Michigan and neighboring states for more than a century and a half, struggled as other upscale department stores like Nordstrom expanded to its core markets. The brand closed all its stores by 2011.
Source: Good Housekeeping, Funding Universe
Offering shoppers bargains and quick delivery, Seaman Furniture was the largest furniture retailer in the Northeast for years. The store was merged into Levitz Furniture in 2000 and eventually liquidated in 2008.
Marsh Supermarkets once had the hearts of Ohioans and Hoosiers. Facing declining revenues and lots of competition, the 88-year-old company filed for bankruptcy in 2017 and closed all its stores that same year.
The story of Marshall Field's is indispensable to the story of Chicago. The chain's former flagship store on State Street was once the largest in the world. After passing hands among several owners, the chain was acquired by Macy's and rebranded in 2006.
Source: Chicago Tribune
Kaufmann's was another legendary regional department store that was eventually acquired by Macy's. After the 2006 merger, many Kaufmann's stores, including the original flagship store in Pittsburgh, closed. That store remains a landmark.
Source: Belt magazine, Good Housekeeping
Founded by a Baltimore family, Hecht's had a strong run in the mid-Atlantic and southern regions. After failing to find its place among national competitors, the chain was purchased by Macy's in 2005. All its locations were converted into Macy's stores or closed for good.
Source: The Baltimore Sun
The New York family-run chain Waldbaum's had a rich, 115-year history in the Northeast. A&P purchased the business in 1986. The story of both stores ended when A&P filed for bankruptcy in 2015.
Source: The New York Times, Supermarket News
Grand Union was, at one time, among the top grocery stores in the Northeast. It was acquired by C&S Wholesale Grocers in 2001. Eleven years later, the chain was sold to Tops Friendly Markets, which converted all the remaining locations.
Source: The Hartfort Courant, Times Union
Before Whole Foods, Genuardi's was the go-to place for healthy groceries in the Northeast. The chain was purchased by Safeway and disappeared entirely by 2015 after facing sales declines.
Started in Boston, Filene's Basement was located mostly on the East Coast. Its annual "Running of the Brides" sale was once a frenzied event. The chain filed for bankruptcy in 2011. Four years later, it relaunched as an online-only business.
Source: NBC News, The Washington Post
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