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1029Dash t1_itd34ni wrote

It was a department store like Kaufmann’s was

26

mutinybligh t1_itd3n5y wrote

I think it was a department store,like Kaufmann’s, Horne’s and Sears…

3

Seejay784 t1_itd4idh wrote

It was a department store like Kaufmans, Hornes, Sesrs, and Macy's

8

cmyk412 t1_itd6fqp wrote

They had a great home video game section back in the 1980s. As a kid I’d go there and play Atari, Colecovision, and Intellivision games for hours.

43

mikeyHustle t1_itda48x wrote

I am absolutely living for these other comments that are basically "It was just like these other dead stores you probably don't know."

But yeah, department store. Clothes, housewares, jewelry. Like if you went back in time to before Target sold food, and if people respected the clothing. And add jewelry.

48

NAS2811 t1_itdbpuk wrote

It was featured as Macy's main rival in "Miracle on 34th St."

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deepblue66 t1_itdgjlr wrote

Believe it or not but I bought my first VCR there 😂

9

OcelotWolf t1_itdh5ou wrote

Remember when Buddy the Elf decorated a store for Christmas? And then sat on imposter-Santa’s lap and got in a fight with the manager that completely demolished half the store? Yeah that was a Gimbels

55

jgrumiaux t1_itdh6aa wrote

They had a location at South Hills Village, before it became a revolving door of worse department stores. Now that location is a Dick’s and a Target. RIP

7

Davmilasav t1_itdicnp wrote

Gimbel's, Horne's, and Sears were the three anchor stores at Beaver Valley Mall throughout the 1970s. I think Horne's became Lazarus and Gimbel's changed to Kaufman's when that store left Monaca but I could have them backwards.

11

SWPenn t1_itdjdqs wrote

The "Big Three," Kaufmanns, Gimbels, and Horne's, were massive downtown department stores. There were others like Frank & Seder, McCreery's, Spear & Co., Boggs & Buhl, Rosenbaum's, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Lord & Taylor was also here for a few years. Kaufmanns and Gimbels were each bigger than 1 million square feet and carried everything from clothing to garden supplies and appliances. Back before more women entered the workforce, they would spend the entire day in these stores shopping, having lunch, and going to fashion shows. Kaufmann's alone had 11 restaurants. Also, Wednesdays was "Ladies Day," downtown, when the movie theaters had special matinees beginning at 10 am.

126

thoughtmecca t1_itdkjtj wrote

Now defunct, regional department stores are my jam. All y’all are forgetting Lazarus too.

36

tj15241 t1_itdm0ra wrote

There is a Christmas movie Miracle on 34th street. You will learn about Gimbals vs Macys

7

NoSwimmers45 t1_itdn96o wrote

A higher quality Walmart without groceries.

−6

mikeyHustle t1_itdrko5 wrote

Replying to Daywalkingvampire (#182,272)

Haha, thank you.

And thanks for bringing up Gimbel's. It closed before I was born, too, but my grandma loved to talk about it. She said she used to pay her Gimbel's bill (before you used the same credit card everywhere, they had their own charge account) with a check, and they'd shove it into a vacuum tube and physically shoot it upstairs. I thought it was wild how this was old tech from the past, but it sounded like The Jetsons future.

13

dshd66 t1_itdt589 wrote

Cymbals. Gimbel's cymbals put Pittsburgh on the map.

4

lefindecheri t1_itdvi0o wrote

Replying to SWPenn (#181,845)

35 years ago, I worked at Mellon Bank and would pop over to Kaufmann's on my lunch hour. In the winter, I wouldn't wear a coat or take my purse, only my credit card in my pocket. So customers thought I worked there and would ask me for directions. Where's the fur storage? Where's the hair salon? Where's gift wrap? I always knew the answers. I should have gotten Kaufmann's to pay me for my services! Or at least given me a nice discount.

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MissMurderpants t1_itdy8dj wrote

The one in Pittsburgh was awesome. It had a haberdasher and one of the best liquor selections inside it. I was too young to purchase but I could browse and it’s where I first saw Poire William. It was fancy and had great items in there. I was in there last in the late 80’s.

16

AmlyGry t1_itdz4cm wrote

They were all also on Mcknight Road. Kaufmann’s sat up the hill and Hornes and Gimbels were in Northway Mall, I believe. One could have been in North Hills Village?

4

LovedAJackass t1_itdz4rf wrote

You could also get quality furniture at all three stories.

6

lefindecheri t1_itdzdja wrote

Replying to mikeyHustle (#182,296)

Up until a few years ago, my BofA drive thru used those pneumatic tubes to deposit cash/checks and receive deposits. "Pneumatic tubes are systems that propel cylindrical containers through networks of tubes by compressed air or by partial vacuum."

7

vibes86 t1_itdznfk wrote

What didn’t they sell? They were an enormous department store. You could buy almost anything.

7

dunredding t1_ite03ee wrote

Everything, but not as much as Kaufmann's

3

SWPenn t1_ite054w wrote

Replying to StyreneAddict1965 (#182,572)

It was packed and had something for everybody. Before the suburban malls and shopping centers, downtown was THE place to shop, dine, go to movies, and meet friends. Before suburban multiplexes, movies premiered downtown only and played for weeks and weeks, then move to the neighborhood theaters.

18

PurplePigeon96 t1_ite0nxv wrote

Replying to AmlyGry (#182,759)

Gimbel's was in North Hills Village where Burlington is currently. Then it was Hill's after that in the early 90's till that turned into Ames and then the mall closed.

6

333scorpio t1_ite0roj wrote

Replying to cmyk412 (#181,032)

Hell yeah!!! Spent many hours on that floor. Right around the same time, 83-84, Kaufmann's had one arcade game in the young men's section, I think they had Herbie Hancock's Rockit looping on multiple tv's.

13

PurplePigeon96 t1_ite0wla wrote

I would compare Gimbel's to modern day Kohl's honestly. They had lots of bargain deal racks and maybe a bargain section. Growing up in the 80's we shopped at the North Hills one a lot but we didn't have a ton of money.

2

SWPenn t1_ite175b wrote

Replying to lefindecheri (#182,536)

I remember they had a huge pantyhose department on the street floor near the Smithfield Street doors so women who worked downtown and "had a run" could get new ones quickly during their lunch hour.

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AnonPlzzzzzz t1_ite1owf wrote

Tell me you never seen ELF without telling me you've never seen ELF...

9

BeMancini t1_ite35wz wrote

I have a black, Gimbel’s necktie. Got it second hand. One of my favorite ties too.

5

T-Hi t1_ite4bp4 wrote

Gims

1

jaycee9799 t1_ite6t1f wrote

Each of the contemporary department stores had their own delivery fleets before the prevalence of UPS and Fedex. I think Gimbels trucks were green. You could take the trolley to town, buy a refrigerator, couch , toys for the kids, wait a week, and everything would be delivered.

12

Ok_Elephant2777 t1_ite7685 wrote

Check out the original “Miracle on 34th (?) Street”. Gimbals was Macy’s main competition back in the day.

4

cmac4ster t1_ite7itb wrote

Gimb masks, I'm assuming

1

LayneInVain t1_ite8am4 wrote

Basically, a throwback Macy’s.

3

krizlaska t1_ite8igm wrote

Macy’s but better and less awful

4

Buttercupia t1_ite92di wrote

Everything! Great store. The big 3 downtown, Kaufmann’s, Gimbels, and Hornes.

3

jaycee9799 t1_itea0p5 wrote

Replying to Daywalkingvampire (#183,287)

Yes, but shopping at a store like Kaufmann was like a curated experience. The clerks in individual departments were tenured experts My grandmother was in charge of the area that sold men's handkerchiefs . She would interview a customer and make recommendations

16

SWPenn t1_iteaoas wrote

Replying to ShoppinInDa412 (#182,026)

You got to know the sales people because it was their career and they stayed for years. Each department was staffed with multiple sales people who helped you pick out what you wanted. They were knowledgeable about everything they sold and would call when something came in that they thought you might like.

22

aesthetichovvell t1_iteapmz wrote

My grandfather was a truck driver for Gimbel's. I come from a looong line of truck drivers

3

Dartonion t1_iteb5z2 wrote

Replying to Augiehack (#181,355)

Recently got rid of a Horne's cardboard box my family had been using to package presents and gift things back and forth for years. Recently as in, 4 months ago. I have a pic of it somewhere I'll put up if I figure out how.

25

lefthandb1ack t1_iteb72o wrote

I was a child clothing model for Gimbels. MFrs put my 10 year old ass in my damn underwear and stood me next to a pretty teenage girl in a nightgown. THEY HUNG THE PICTURES UP IN THE HALLWAY OF MY GRADE SCHOOL

21

Augiehack t1_itebeuy wrote

Replying to Dartonion (#183,582)

Ahh I was debating posting this.. I'm little "young" to really remember Hornes BUT remember my Mom talking about it AND my friends Mom would give him his Christmas presents on Hornes boxes until like 2010ish.

awesome that others have this same memory

11

greentea1985 t1_itebhlj wrote

Imagine a store like Walmart or Target but multi-storied and considered fancy, sometimes with extremely nice restaurants in them. That’s what the old department stores were, like Gimbel’s. It’s what Macy’s was like until relatively recently.

2

mjw217 t1_itecdbh wrote

Horne’s had a wonderful art supply department. I also loved their book department and record department. The first time I was allowed to go back to school shopping with a friend I bought some really nice skirts and tops (couldn’t wear pants to school back then). Then we went to the book department. I went a bit nuts with mom’s credit card. (Each department store had their own.) Because they were books she wasn’t too upset, but I had to return about 2/3 of them. Horne’s was our favorite because our bus stop was nearby.

Kaufmann’s was where you (well, my family) went for “special” shopping. I got my wedding dress there and had most of my registry there. When I had my kids I loved their kids department. They had a great makeup department, too.

We didn’t go to Gimbels much. I don’t know why.

5

NoSwimmers45 t1_itecrmg wrote

Replying to LayneInVain (#183,386)

Ha! Tell me a better reference people are guaranteed to understand. Lots of people citing Kaufmann’s and Hornes. There are generations of people who have no idea what those are. And believe it or not there are plenty who have no idea what Macys or Sears were either. But I bet you everyone on this thread knows what a Walmart or Target are. Maybe I should have said that…a higher end Target…

−1

randomatic t1_itee7i8 wrote

Watch Miracle on 34th street this holiday season to see. classic.

2

[deleted] t1_itef73g wrote

Same as Kaufmanns Horne’s Jc Penny

1

Big_P4U t1_itej9e6 wrote

They were like Macy's

1

lefthandb1ack t1_itenr50 wrote

Replying to ventorun (#184,445)

$35/hr in 80-83 was hella money but as far as I know I never saw an actual dime. Could be I was wearing it and was unaware, or it was for gas and tickets to kennywood 🤷🏻‍♂️

12

NYCinPGH t1_iteob92 wrote

Replying to DragonflyValuable128 (#184,244)

Oooh, I used to go to a Korvette’s with my mom, near-ish our house when I was growing up. We’d always park on the ‘ground’ floor, because it gave cover from the upper parking deck - kinda like the parking ‘garage’ at Century III - and there were offices / services on the top floor that always intrigued me, because we never went there.

2

These_Plastic5571 t1_iteui01 wrote

I was just lamenting with my 91 year old mom about how much I miss all of the department stores. East Liberty had Mansmans!

3

SultanOfSwat0123 t1_itew72n wrote

Replying to whenwillthisend19 (#183,241)

So funny Eiben story. He owned C. Mel Eiben’s Jewelry shop downtown too. I was like 14 years old golfing at Frosty Valley and I get paired with C. Mel Eiben and his grandson. Now old man Eiben was VERY old at the time and the grandson was probably old enough to be my father. Had no business being anywhere within 1000 miles of a golf course as he could barely move. But I was a polite kid and listened to his stories the entire round with great fervor. Nearing the end of the round he tells me he wrote an autobiography and basically demands that I give him my address to send it to me. I complied thinking I was appeasing him and that it would be free and about a month or two later it comes packaged (autographed and all) in a large manilla envelope in the mail with a mailing address to send like $25 back for the book. I was a kid but I will never forget thinking, “Holy shit I got hustled by a 90 year old man.” It was hysterical. My next thought was, “How the Hell am I going to explain to Mom that I need $25 to send to this old guy for a book I didn’t want?”

The next time I go to my mom’s I’m going to have to do some digging around as I’m sure it’s still there hidden away somewhere.

https://obituaries.post-gazette.com/obituary/casper-melvin-eiben-1081516808

His obituary even mentions the book, Forks in the Road. Based on my math he would have been about 84 so not quite as old as I thought but holy cow what a character.

5

These_Plastic5571 t1_itf2xog wrote

Replying to tiredassmom66 (#184,934)

The last I knew, Parker Button was on East Carson Street! My mom loved it in there too! I had an eye doctor in Jenkins Arcade. I was so fascinated by the openness of the whole building. Always busy! And a great short cut to Horne’s!!

5

Key_Dust7595 t1_itf2xzo wrote

I grew up with Century III Mall in the 80s when it was amazing, and it had Gimble’s, Horne’s, Montgomery Ward’s, JC Penney, and Sears, and gained a Kaufmann’s after Horne’s left. And I have wonderful memories of the Kaufmann’s downtown, especially at Christmas; visiting their window display and their Christmas department were the highlights of my family’s Light Up Night celebration.

4

ravia t1_itfb9wt wrote

Gim bells. Horne's sold horns. Kaufman's sold cuffs, originally: Cuffman's, cuffs for cuffless shirts as was common bacck then.

−3

DennisG47 t1_itfba28 wrote

My grandmother worked there and she got 10% discount on everything in the store. However, once a month they had 15% day and on that day her children got to alternate who would get to use Nana"s charge-a-plate to get the 15% off everything their entire family needed.

Edit: And shipping, home delivery of whatever you bought was always free.

3

Daywalkingvampire OP t1_itfbnuu wrote

Replying to Key_Dust7595 (#185,535)

Growing up I grew to resent sears's photo department. Everytime they put out coupons for a sale for a photo special, (they would air it on tv mentioning to watch the Sunday paper for coupons) my mom would clip them and rush me down to sears to have my picture taken. As a 6year old I did not fancy this as fun/did not want my picture taken. I would try everything from running out of the waiting room of the portrait studio to moving at the last second when the photographer was ready to snap the picture.

2

tagibear t1_itfhx7w wrote

I worked at Gimbels beauty salon in the Monroeville Mall (late 1970’s)

3

Worried_Astronaut_41 t1_itfu4nc wrote

My grandmother would take us to gambles on Saturdays in the morning.

2

jfh887 t1_itg2o2d wrote

Gyroscopes!

(This is a joke)

4

Pitlkj t1_itg403i wrote

It was great shopping at this department store. Fond memories.

1

gordiarama t1_itg66t3 wrote

Replying to mrsrtz (#182,025)

Thank you! Just went down a rabbit hole on the site which ended in buying a book about Kaufmanns on Amazon. Didn’t know until now that I needed that book!

5

Temporary-Voice8174 t1_itgfms1 wrote

It was a department store. Any type of clothing shoes perfume etc.

1

Guilty_Cup3377 t1_itggga1 wrote

Go watch “Are You Being Served” and imagine a Yinzer accent instead of a British one. You’ll get the picture. Great show and man do I miss real service.

2

tiredassmom66 t1_itggn9g wrote

Replying to Teddy-bare1713 (#188,551)

It was super fun- it was the 80’s. Lol. So I had worked in retail since I was 16, with increasingly better jobs. I graduated from college and went into a buyer training program at hornes. So you will definitely need retail experience and you need to be good with numbers and computers and you need to find a major chain that is looking for people.

2

hydrospanner t1_itgp3g2 wrote

Replying to SWPenn (#183,553)

>and would call when something came in that they thought you might like.

Really?

​

While I'm sure they'd stop if you asked them to, that just seems like "ending up on some company's mailing list" of the pre-internet age.

1

44problems t1_itgy6sz wrote

Replying to greentea1985 (#183,608)

Those department stores didn't sell groceries though right? Like you couldn't buy a head of lettuce and a raw T-bone.

I went to the downtown Kaufmann's a few times in college right at the end of that brand. While it was far from its heyday, it was impressive. And I remember going floor to floor and sometimes seeing ones just empty with one person working the rug and carpet department hoping this 19 year old was interested. Liked the bookstore on top.

1

Nikkylicky45 t1_ithferg wrote

Is this a Burlington now? The downtown Burlington

1

NathanLocke t1_ithghf7 wrote

Horne's gave me my first credit card.

0

thatburghfan t1_ithjq8s wrote

Replying to 44problems (#190,514)

My parents are the same way - you better hand those boxes back to them after you open the presents and the stick-on bow, too! I've seen Hornes, Kaufmann's, Gimbels, even a Service Merchandise box.

2