G. Fox & Co.


"The Center of Connecticut Living Since 1847"

Art Deo first floor of G. Fox & Co.


G. Fox & Co.
960 Main Street
Hartford, Connecticut 06115

JAckson 2-5151

DOWNTOWN STORE DIRECTORY (1,107,000 sq. ft.)
Lower Level
Notions D4 • Thrift Basement

Main Floor
Drugs D15 • Electric Razors D995 • Watches D8 • Fine Jewelry D91 • Costume Jewelry D8 • Fashion Accessories D12 • Hair Ornaments D 12 • Handbags D7 • Small Leather Goods D48 • Hosiery D5 • Hat Bar D195 • Gloves D6 • Cosmetics D158 • Main Floor Sportswear D 96 • Top Shop D3 • Clubhouse D96 • Main Floor Shoes D2 • The Wearhouse D90 • Candy D 17 • Stationery D14 • Men’s Clothing D28 • Men’s Sportswear D57 • Men’s Sport Shirts D 57 • Men’s Furnishings D10 • Men’s Dress Shirts D10 • Men’s Accessories • New Attitudes • Madison Shop D28
Mezzanine
Books D208 • Stamps & Coins • Men’s Hats D28 • Men’s Shoes D27 • Sporting Goods D54 • Mezzanine Ski Shop D51 • Cameras D16 • Jewelry Repair D 907 • Mezzanine Optical Co. • Luggage D55 • American Express Travel Service

Second Floor
Career Shops Career Dresses D42 • Career Sportswear D323 • Career Coats and Suits D38• Career Shoes D18 • R.S.V.P Shop
Mike’s Place • Connecticut Room Restaurant • Luncheonette • Maureen's • Gourmet Shop • Bakery Shop

Third Floor
Et Cetera Shop D150 • Sportswear D41 • Beach Shop D41 • Active Sportswear D41 • Summer Colony D41 • Suits D36 • Misses’ Coats D36 • Better Dresses D37 • Better Sportswear D43 • Miss Sophisticate D27 • Farmington Shop D47 • The Living End D59 • Tempo Dresses D328 • Tempo Sportswear D326 • Specialty Shop D33 • Bridal Salon D93
Junior World Junior Sportswear D34 • Junior Dresses D35 • Junior Lingerie • Junior Coats D99

Fourth Floor
Foundations D45 • Lingerie D46 • Loungewear D49 • Sleepwear D73 • Daytime Dresses D 44 • Uniforms D44 • Fashion Fabrics D20 • Sewing Machines D998 • Linens D23 • Domestics D24 • Bath Shop D 24

Fifth Floor
Fur Salon 961 • Millinery D95 • Shoe Salon D26 • Etienne Aigner Shop D26 • Women’s Shop D31 • Women’s Sportswear D97 • Plaza 5 D68 • Maternity Shop D30 • Sir Allo Repair Center D995 • PhotoReflex Studio D 993 • Fur Storage and Repair • The Gallery

Sixth Floor-Young Connecticut Sixth Floor
Little Girls’ Shop D39 • Girls’ Shop D56 • Petite Couture Shop D56 • Infants’ D51 • Infants’ Furniture D52 • Toddlers D51 • Children’s Underwear D19 • Children’s Shoes D25 • Pre-Teens D39A • Young Juniors D40 • Young Junior Accessories D40 • Little Boys' Shop D56 • Boys' Shop D53 • 1847 Shop D53

Seventh Floor
Williamsburg Shop • China D62 • Glassware D62 • Silverware D61 • Housewares D63 • Wedding Gift Counselor • Electricals D46 • Garden Shop D63 • Appliances D67 • Storm Windows D996 • The Christmas Spot

Eighth Floor
Draperies D71 • Curtains D71 • Custom Bedspreads D71 • Slipcovers D71 • Summer Accessories D71 • Rugs D72 • Wallpapers D997 • The Bar Shop • Kaplan's Travel Service

Ninth Floor
Furniture D79 • Lamps D75 • Summer Furniture D79 • Sleep Shop D79 • Dual Sleep D79 • Radio and Television D78 • Records D78 • Pictures • The Connecticut House

Tenth Floor
Interior Decorating Studio • Gift Shop D81 • Knitting and Needlework D76 • Connecticut Salon D941 • Trim the Home Shop D101 •

Eleventh Floor
Toys D64 • Pet Shop D64 • Hobby ShopD64 • Centinel Hill Hall

BRANCH STORES
Naugatuck Valley Mall (1969)
Waterbury
178,000 sq. ft.



Enfield Square (1971)
Enfield
166,000 sq. ft.





Meriden Square Mall (1972)
Meriden
134,000 sq. ft.







Westfarms Mall (1974)
Farmington
210,000 sq. ft.

Midland Mall (1977)
Warwick RI
96,000 sq. ft.

Trumbull Shopping Park (1978)
Trumbull
168,000 sq. ft.
Posted by

68 comments:

  1. Anonymous04 October, 2010 14:34

    After the city/state line of the main store address I see "1107K" Is that the square footage of the store, 1,107,000 squre feet? I do remember it as being very large.
    freddwyer@charter.net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. palmer high21 July, 2022 16:38

      Are you talking about the Hartford location.??

      Delete
  2. BAK04 October, 2010 15:47

    Yes, an old May Department Stores Annual Report I once had showed that as the floor area of the Downtown Hartford store. It was remodeled and enlarged many times in its history, and its status as the "Center for Connecticut Living" was more than justified by such a size.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Unknown07 October, 2010 19:37

    REALLY miss that store!

    ReplyDelete
  4. james n25 January, 2011 00:12

    The downtown Hartford store was slowly whittled down in size in the early and mid 1980's, as parent May Company began to slowly blend away the individual character of each of their respective chains, and by eliminating some of the very departments that made the downtown store unique.

    The dominance of G. Fox, Hartford's relatively small size, and the fact that it's regard and reputation were so emblazoned upon most people in Connecticut for generations, it lasted far longer than stores in similar sized cities in America.

    It's been 18 years since they've faded away, and we still miss that store, the name and all it meant to those of us who live in Southern New England. I am still mystified as to why Macy's cannot use the original names of the their regional stores....many of us here would welcome this little gesture to our corner of the world.

    Filene's was bad enough, and Macy's is not the store they once were either. When it was still based in NYC, it was a great place...but it's now infested with too many MBA bean counter-types who have no idea how customers see such emotional connections.

    killing off Marshall Field's proved how witless and idiotic they are.

    For those of us who honor the G. Fox stores, the brand and its storied reputation, we mourn its passing to this day. Our future deserves better.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Unknown14 February, 2011 13:09

    I was working at WTIC as a young girl and would spend my lunch hours going up and down the escallators in that store. In the front they had a counter where a nice woman would custom make a braided chignon to match your hair color all for $25! That was so much fun - I am now back in NY and still think of that store fondly.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous24 April, 2011 20:29

    G.Fox was a great store missed them when they merged with FILENES BUT things didnt change. They had stores in Danbury Danbury Fair Mall and Poughkeepsie nt Poughkeepsie Galleria. I hate Macys for taking away may co.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous26 October, 2011 12:24

    I am looking for information and/or a photograph of a gold retirement watch Mrs. Auerbach would have given out in the early 60s. The watch was a house brand called Auer Time or Auertime. Any help would be appreciated.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. james addison13 January, 2012 10:57

      it was a SWISS made watch that had a self winding mechanism...i think it was 18k gold with a stainless back. my father was EUGENE ADDISON who was the operating superintendant of the warehouse from 1941 thru 1968. he was in charge of the delivery drivers, the marking room, and receiving...he worked with Mrs Auerbach, Maurice Berins, George Tamaccio, and William Luettgens...i still have the watch ...i worked at G FOX's in 1963 in the toy department on the eleventh floor. what an incomparably great place it was. as a child i was invited to the Christmas party at the Auerbach home...she gave out gifts to the children ...you could choose a gyroscope or a slinky...those were fabulous times.

      Delete
  8. Anonymous08 November, 2011 20:22

    G. Fox in West Farms was a beautiful store. The Macy's there now is a DUMP

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hushpuppy21209 December, 2011 15:17

    I seem to have read somewhere that G. Fox was closed Sunday AND Monday. Management was expected to work Tuesday through Saturday. Anybody know about this?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unknown17 January, 2017 10:04

      Yes, back in the day all stores in downtown Hartford were closed on Sundays and the major department stores were closed on Mondays.

      Delete
    2. Unknown24 June, 2020 21:34

      I have a dress shirt still in the box from g Fox with the receipt the shirt is a formal wear by arrow it's blue looks like it was from the year 1988

      Delete
    3. Meliney28 May, 2021 10:50

      Yes, my mother-in-law (Theresa Sera Schulz) was a buyer in the children's department in the 1940's-1950's and she had her wedding on a Monday because she had to work on Saturday's. She loved her job and Mrs. Auerbach!

      Delete
  10. core27 December, 2011 00:33

    Here are some things on ebay for sale from G Fox & Co in Hartford.

    G Fox & Co May Sale catalog 1991 Hartford CT -

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-Fox-Co-May-Sale-catalog-1991-Hartford-CT-/390374573039?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ae42343ef

    G Fox & Co Davison china confirmation Hartford 1912 -

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-Fox-Co-Davison-china-confirmation-Hartford-1912-/370569328377?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5647a736f9

    G Fox & Co Gift Card envelope ca 1940 Hartford CT2 3/4 -

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-Fox-Co-Gift-Card-envelope-ca-1940-Hartford-CT2-3-4-/390374541358?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ae422c82e

    G Fox & Co Hartford Magazine Price List 1943-44 -

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-Fox-Co-Hartford-Magazine-Price-List-1943-44-/390371128567?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ae3eeb4f7

    G Fox & Co Pharmacy Hartford CT match cover -

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-Fox-Co-Pharmacy-Hartford-CT-matchcover-/370569360937?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5647a7b629

    G Fox & Co Hartford Wool Beauty of Fall booklet 60s CT -

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-Fox-Co-Hartford-Wool-Beauty-Fall-booklet-60s-CT-/390373039634?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ae40bde12

    G Fox & Company Temporary Fur Receipt 1941 Hartford CT -

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-Fox-Company-Temporary-Fur-Receipt-1941-Hartford-CT-/370569892954?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&
    hash=item5647afd45a

    ReplyDelete
  11. N. DiMaio16 February, 2012 13:45

    The former G. Fox (now Macy's) at Enfield Square still looks like that today: nearly untouched from the original 1971 "rainbow arch" design and pinkish bricks. While I'd like to believe this store was intentionally kept to look this way, it's more likely because the store (and aged-single level mall) has really fallen on hard times for many years now. It's really a marvel that so many passerbys on Elm St. don't appreciate!

    ReplyDelete
  12. BAK16 February, 2012 18:30

    Thanks for your interesting comments . . . I wish I could find a vintage drawing of the Trumbull store to include on this site.

    Bruce

    ReplyDelete
  13. Happy Girl06 March, 2012 15:19

    I worked for G. Fox from 1968-1974. Started out as a Christmas temp and worked my way up to assistant buyer, branch dept manager, group manager and buyer. What a great store, what a great bunch of people. Wish I was still in contact with some of them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Unknown05 January, 2021 11:46

      my aunt, beveriy fallon , worked there back in the day. great store

      Delete
  14. Anonymous15 April, 2012 13:45

    Monday closings were instituted by a number of U.S. department stores during World War II. In Hartford, those closings became a tradition that persisted for decades. I remember the downtown shopping district being virtually deserted on Mondays as late as the 1960s. Fox's neighboring department stores: Sage-Allen, Brown-Thomson, and Steiger's also observed the Monday closings (not sure about Wise-Smith; that was before my time). Only the large 5&10s, -- and, in the 60s, the upstart NY-based Korvette's -- opened their doors on Mondays. I also seem to recall that Savitt's Jewelers ("POMG" -- 35 seconds from Main) was also open on Mondays. BTW... the Mondays between Thanksgiving and Christmas were exceptions to the rule when all the stores, even G. Fox, were open six days a week.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Patricia Fargnoli21 April, 2012 16:51

    The aunt who brought me up after my parents died, (Glenna Welles) worked at G. Fox for many years in the credit dept.(the 1940s-50's) She always told us about how wonderful Mrs. Auerbach was to her staff...and how carefully she oversaw the operation of the store and insisted that the service, the decorations, etc be perfect. Often, on Saturdays, my other aunt (who also took care of me) would take us downtown on the bus. We'd ride on the elevator to almost every floor (the operator calling out what was on each floor) and end on the 11th to wander among the toys and dream. Then we'd go to the book rental shop on the mezzanine so she could rent books (5 cents a day I think) and then to the Connecticut Room for lunch...and to watch the glamorous models circle the dining room modeling the clothes. If we were even luckier, we'd bring home mocha and pink frosted cupcakes from the bakery (which was located near the restaurant).

    ReplyDelete
  16. Joyce (Romaine) Risley-Burke12 May, 2012 21:06

    BAK ... You have no idea how your site has impacted me! G. Fox & Co. was my 'home away from home' from the time I could walk until I married in 1969. I worked in Small Leather Goods, Blouses, Costume Jewelry, etc. from 1962 thru 1969. I met my husband-to-be there (he worked in Sporting Goods on the Mezzanine) and proposed to me on the stairwell inbetween the first and second floors. Reading the floor plan brought back so many wonderful memories of my precious G. Fox that I sat here at my computer and just cried ... cried for the world I once knew ... G. Fox was the heart of Hartford; I was so fortunate to have been born in 1946 and to have grown up with the ideals of Fox's inculcated in me from an early age. I would love to hear from anyone who worked there during the '62 thru '68 timeframe. Also, if there is any way to obtain a video of the store, departments, etc., I would give a year of my life to have it. my email address is cabinfever@blueridge.net. I have relocated to North Carolina 'in my old age' and refuse to return to Hartford to see what has happened to my 'second home.' It will remain forever vibrant in my memory. BTW, does anyone know Mrs. Auerbach's cause of death? She passed away the same year my Mother did (1968) but I cannot find an obituary with this information. Joyce (Romaine) Risley-Burke

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous08 June, 2012 04:32

    I was reading an article concerning the Midland Mall/Rhode Island Mall location of G. Fox and that this store was originally a suburban location of The Shepard Company from downtown Providence. Fox moved into that location when Shepard Company went out of business. I discovered the old downtown Providence store on a trip through New England. If possible, would you please post information about this store. Shepard's store on Weybosset St. is a very impressive building and so little is written about this company.

    ReplyDelete
  18. NOUMU20 September, 2012 00:27

    Today I found the most incredible dress and the label brought me here. What a loved store! I would love to know more about the clothing that was sold through G.Fox and Company. This dress is almost a formal boudoir gown. I think from 1930's. Incredible black lace with soft pink satin underneath. I have no idea what to price this at! Anyone help?

    ReplyDelete
  19. sharon hazard16 October, 2012 14:20

    I am working on the history of department stores in America that are no long with us and Fox's will be one of them. Does anyone want to share some memories, especially of Fox's at Christmas.
    Thanks, you can contact me at
    sharonhaz@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
  20. Michelle Cotugno19 October, 2012 22:30

    my Nana worked for years at G.Fox - in the gift ware. I have her pins and service awards. She had a good retirement due to benefits thur May Co.
    and I also have boxes from the pharmacy (I think located on the mezz?) i have some hat boxes marked G.Fox. my crowning treasure is a wild pink silk dress, late 60s, early 70s with pink feathers along the hem! from a thrift shop.
    Christmas: on a saturday afternoon with zillions of other kids screaming when Santa entered the room

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous17 November, 2012 22:11

    My maternal grandmother, Angela Charizione, worked in the downtown store. I'm not sure exactly when, I think in the 50's or 60's. I have a few monogrammed linens of hers from Foxes that still have the price tags on them. She died before I was born but I'm sure there were great stories.

    My favorite memory BY FAR is the Christmas village every year. We would meet our cousins at the store & see Santa together. I had several pins that said, "I met a gnome at G.Fox".

    I miss what Hartford once was. My mom grew up off Franklin Ave in little Italy. It's all so rough now.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Anonymous19 November, 2012 12:53

    My memories of G.Fox & Co. are such a big part of my Christmas memories from the 50's 60's. My Mom would take us to the Connecticut Room for lunch....long lines to wait to get in but it was worth it. Proper manners and Sunday attire were my Mom's requirements of us when we ate there. I believe I went to see Santa only once because the line was always so long. My favorite toys came from G. Fox & Co. My beautiful Madame Alexandra baby doll I received when I was about 6 yrs old. Then, I was working at The Hartford Courant newspaper and spent my Christmas bonus in 1965 on a beautiful Steiff Teddy bear that I still own. I believe he cost $35. and that was outrageous for a 19 yr old to spend on a Teddy Bear. Oh my goodness I have so many great memories. Thank you for this web sight.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Unknown24 November, 2012 07:46

    With Christmas coming up, I decided to take out the silverware that was passed down to me from my granny and see how many pieces were there. It's in a nice (well it used to be nice; it's a little beat up now) wooden box that is lined with velvet and has slots for each type of silverware. It is a service fr 8 (50 pc)Oneida Solid Stainless set with a 5 pc Service Set. In the box I found the Onieda warranty card and a sales receipt from G. Fox & Co. dated Mar.23, 1974 with my (recently deceased) father's signature on it. Of course this brought on a full blown crying spell, but afterwards peeked my interest about G. Fox & Co. My father was a Marine and we lived in Hartford, Conn. We must have just moved there, as I was only 5 months old at the time of the purchase and I was born in Yuma, AZ.

    I had actually thought as using this silverware as my "every day" silverware since it was time to buy a new set. I thought I would look up the brand and buy some matching pieces on ebay or something. However, now that I see the history of G. Fox & Co. and the signed receipt where my dad purchased the set for my Granny, I'm having second thoughts. I also have the full China set that he purchased in Japan and sent home to my granny. It too has the receipt hidden in one of the bowls. It's kind of a shame not to use such beautiful dinnerware, but I just don't think I could handle it if something were to get broken.

    I think I will print out the history on G.Fox & Co. and enclose it in the silverware box and pass it down to my son. Hopefully he will have a daughter one day and she will appreciate the sentiment.

    ReplyDelete
  24. BAK24 November, 2012 11:40

    Thanks for such thoughtful memories. Also be sure to check out the history of G.Fox & Co. at the Connecticut Historical Society, www.chs,org.

    Bruce

    ReplyDelete
  25. Anonymous25 November, 2012 14:52

    I recently purchased an all lace ivory wedding gown with a G. Fox and Co. Bridal Salon tag in it. The style looks to be 1950ish. Is their any information or history on their Bridal Salon? You can contact me at dpeaks@regent.edu.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Gipper196513 December, 2012 21:29

    G. Fox's Hartford store was arguably the greatest department store in New England. I believe it was, in fact, the biggest store in New England at 1.1 million square feet. To give folks some perspective, 1.1 million square feet is the size of a large mall. Westfarms Mall in West Hartford, including anchor stores, is 1.2 million square feet. G.Fox in downtown Hartford was incredible.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous04 January, 2013 13:35

    i have a hat box, no known date- looking for date. Blue, 9" radius, 5 1/2" high. Has historical buildings on the side, bushnell, farmington congregational church, supreme court, aetna and trinity tower. Anyone know the year and value. In excellent condition.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Anonymous26 January, 2013 23:10

    My grandmother, Mary Lewis, worked for years in the women's specialties department, and my mom worked in the toy department when she was young. I spent a lot of time in that store as a child. I still remember how the escalators got narrower and narrower as you reached the higher floors. The upper floor escalators were wooden, at least in the 1970s. I remember being taken to the Connecticut Room where Olga was a favorite waitress. And does anyone else remember a live myna bird up near the toy department? It talked...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous27 January, 2017 20:47

      I remember seeing the bird when I was a child. As an employee in the silver dept and cosmetics dept I was told that the overnight crew had taught it "naughty words" I worked at G. Fox during the late 1970's early 80's. Loved it!

      Delete
  29. Unknown29 January, 2013 13:16

    G. Fox had a Home and Gardening store called "Foxmart" on Route 5 in South Windsor between East Hartford and Thompsonville. The store contained major appliances, gardening tools, farm equipment, as well as repair services for farm equipment and appliances. A Garden Shed annex containing seeds, plants, flowers and vegetables was located next door.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous16 March, 2013 18:29

    I also remember the myna bird. My mother and two aunts worked at the store ranging from 1941 to 1978. I worked there for a couple of years, part time in the mid 60's. It was a great place to work even for a part timer.
    Christmas was a very special time at the store. Mrs. Auerbach always oversaw the decorations and they were outstanding. Christmas just doesn't seem the same without that store in HArtford

    ReplyDelete
  31. Anonymous16 March, 2013 19:17

    I recently inherited a G. Fox &
    Co. womans 14K gold wrist watch. It still runs. Does anyone know how I find the vintage/antique (stamped from the 1941-1966) price of this watch. I have scanned the internet for "vintage/antiques" watches online, but found nothing for G.Fox &Co. Someone please help me.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Anonymous01 October, 2013 13:11

    I grew up in Hartford CT.Went to school at South Catholic. Had relatives who worked at G.Fox. One of my aunts was a model. One of the G.Fox Twins. Would love to see any pictures of them.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Anonymous01 February, 2014 17:11

    I believe the myna bird's name was Jo-Jo and was located near the children's shoe department. Does anyone else remember if that is correct?

    ReplyDelete
  34. Anonymous06 February, 2014 18:37

    G Fox & Co also had a store in Massachusetts at the Holyoke Mall that served the Greater Springfield area. That store was opened the 1980s and later converted to Filene's now it's a Macy's

    ReplyDelete
  35. Anonymous31 March, 2014 17:47

    I too was a loyal G Fox customer--also worked there in the late 70's early 80's before they totally ruined the store(May CO)..glad it isn't a dept store any longer--and May Co also isn't in business either(bought out by Macys)-dislike Macy's as well.
    My mother bought everything at GFOX, had her hair done on Saturdays (made us sit in the hair salon waiting for her as the store itself wasn't open) then dragged us to the boy's dept to buy clothes-what we wanted didn't matter--her money her rules...sometimes she treated us to lunch at the glamorous Connecticut Room or sometimes in the art deco luncheonette-both places there always was a line to get in...she buy some treats at the bakery afterwards--can't seem to find any bakery that makes Melt Aways--it was a Danish I think--lots of memories in that place. Every floor was fun and the escalators were a boy's delight! I remember how the store always sparkled and was turned into a wonderland at Christmas time--just amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Unknown01 April, 2014 11:36

    I understand that the traffic interchange nightmare of Interstates 91 and 84 is a result of Beatrice Fox Auerbach. From what I've heard, she wanted the interchange to go by the store to give motorists a view of it.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Anonymous06 June, 2014 18:44

    I wanted to see if there was any information on a table we have from my wife's great great aunt. I've got a merchandise identification card that is in little pieces in a bag. I just put it together to find out its a g. Fox & co set. Leaf table and wooden folding chairs, very unique to us.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Bill S.31 August, 2014 00:21

    As a child, that store was pretty much the grandest thing in the world. If they didn't have it, then we definitely didn't need it. My dad worked there in the early-mid 30's as a book buyer (English major right out of college), and my "second mother" (she lived on the first floor, we on the second) was a Personal Shopper (phone order taker plus a whole lot more) probably starting in the 40's, but certainly all through the 50's and into the mid-60's. If anyone ever phoned in an order and was helped by a woman with a "whiskey voice" (deep and a bit hoarse - my mother's term) that may have been Rhea LaBreck of West Hartford.

    At Christmas, Fox's was another world. I forget which street led to it, but as we came down that street the lights and decorations revealed themselves until we reached the intersection at Main St. and were directly across from the store. The marquee was a work of art, as were the window displays. Of course, the highlight was Toyland, all the way up on the 11th floor! I did see Santa there a couple of times, and have a faded photo to prove it (if I can find it).

    Shopping then was a joy, not a chore; it was done expedition-style, with a meal - or at least a snack - tossed in. Now, if one bothers to go to the store at all ("...order online - avoid lines...") it's a matter of "how fast can we find the widget, pay for it, and get out of this hell-hole?" Not quite the same!

    I was spurred to look up G. Fox today when I came across an electric train accessory - a billboard featuring Foxmart, which I don't recall ever hearing about. The billboard was packed away in 1958 - a real time capsule!

    Thanks for all the memories of G. Fox, Mrs. Auerbach (and Auerfarm, which had great peaches), and all the other temples of commerce that used to make downtown Hartford such a wonderful place to visit and shop - at Christmas and year-round.

    ReplyDelete
  39. BAK31 August, 2014 13:50

    Dear Bill!
    Those are such great memories. You are absolutely right about the difference in shopping when these stores were at their height - they were a pleasure and an attraction; virtually no store knows how to draw people like that today.
    Thanks for sharing your memories.
    -Bruce

    ReplyDelete
  40. Anonymous16 June, 2015 11:55

    Thank you for a wonderful site. I worked in the Credit Department in 1986. I was so proud of this job that I borrowed money from my father and bought two suits to wear to work. Imagine my surprise when I split the back of my pants on my first day. Another male employee took me down to alterations and they were fixed while I waited. On Friday's for a treat I would have my lunch at the lunch counter and for a treat I splurged with friends to eat in The Connecticut Room. I really had thought I had arrived in the "BIG" city. I was there only a short time before going to work for the old Connecticut Bank & Trust Co. but thank you for the wonderful memories.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Cheryl Sullivan12 November, 2015 21:17

    What wonderful memories reading all the comments. It was a magical store. I spent many days there as a child. We would take the train to Hartford from New Haven and spend the day. It was another world. Three shoe departments at least. The elegant Connecticut Room and the lunch "counter" for a late breakfast. The nice attendants in the ladies rest room. Going up and down the escalators. Beautiful anytime, but especially at the holidays. Seeing Santa up on the 11th floor. So many people one time that I got lost on that floor till my aunt and grandmother found me! I now live in Maine and just have my memories of those times. Shopping is not the wonderful experience as it was in those days. G Foxes in Hartford was the epitome in my opinion. Just loved it. Sad to know it is gone now.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Anonymous26 December, 2015 10:48

    I’m always amazed to see how many people comment on the wonderful nostalgia of Hartford’s G. Fox Department Store. I too feel powerful emotion associated with this long gone monument of the Old Hartford. Born in 1939 my family lived on Elmer St in the North End. When I was about 10 years old I took a bus into the city alone, going to one of 8 movie theaters in the center of town. A trip to “Fox’s” was always part of these excursions, especially to visit Toyland during Christmastime.
    What really amazes me is the dearth of photographs depicting the store in the 1950s heydays. There must be a trove of these somewhere, possibly in the old Hartford Times archives. The store itself must have kept photographic records. Please don’t anyone say this was carted off to the dump when the store closed, because no one thought it was valuable.

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  43. Anonymous17 January, 2016 20:10

    I grew up in Farmington and my dad worked for "Fox's" from the fifties until the late 70s. He worked on the 8th floor, the rug department. He knew everyone! I would go with mom and sis and meet dad every Thursday (open til 9) and on Saturdays. We would attend 4 p.m. quickie (30 mins.) Mass at St. ? around the corner from Main Street. I basically grew up in the store. We hung around the mezzanine reading waiting for mom to finish shopping or would head up to the 8th floor to hang out with dad.

    I bought my wedding dress there in "83 for $99.00! My dad received a 20% discount on everything in the store! I remember Jo-Jo and the incredible toy department. Christmas was amazing; the decorations and the toyland Christmas displays were wonderful.

    My dad was Carl Proven (Provenzano.

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  44. BAK18 January, 2016 09:20

    Thank you for your comments. It struck a chord in me! At our parish, when I was growing up, 6:45 am mass on Sunday was the "Quickie." Fr. Tremonti, an older priest, always said that one. We nicknamed him "Speedy Tremonti" and a lightning-strike wave of his hand was how he executed the Sign of the Cross! Thank you for sharing the momories of your dear dad and G.Fox.
    -Bruce

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  45. Anonymous10 April, 2016 11:46

    It's very difficult to relate to then and now. Growing up poor in the 40's and 50's G Fox & Co. was the epitome of quality. I believe the store fast become the anchor for all the businesses downtown. In those early days there were two business districts. Front and State Street and Main Street. While G Fox was the shining gem all the other stores followed with attention towards the consumer. When you walked in through the doors of G Fox. It didn't matter what ethnicity, wealth or age you were. Everyone was greeted with respect. You were made to feel important and the service catered to you personally. A young lady wishing to go out for an evening but watching her budget. Could go to the main floor and starting at one end get a complete make over and conclude with a little douse of an expensive brand of perfume. Every counter brandished samples and personal attention. Nothing like trying to get help in a present day Wal-Mart. Almost everything was made in the U.S.A. Imports back then were specialty items and more expensive. Today we live in a digital era where nothing is personalized. Back in the earlier days going to G Fox was a social event. I remember a lot od people would greet each other and the get together's. If it wasn;t at Fox then there would be downstairs at Sage Allen lunchenett or on State Street at Sagens. I was a Shoe Shine Boy 1953 -1957 and downtown was my home for time. Hartford was home to a lot of notables and I chanced upon some of them from time to time. Captain Kangaroo, Sophia Tucker or Peter Faulk. Not to mention Paul Newman or Mary Travis among visitors to G Fox. It just seemed during that era that life was about living where now we live in our own little capsule.
    Johnny Daniels

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  46. Unknown22 October, 2016 13:16

    I have a beautiful dresser from G Fox & co...I would love to find out if it's worth anything...just curious. Anyone know how to go about this...I'm not banning any luck finding info for this. Thank you.

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  47. Anonymous23 November, 2016 16:44

    I grew up in Hartford and I remember G.Fox fondly. My best memory was at Christmas when Fox/Sage Allen and Brown Thompson were all decorated inside and out. I remember one of these stores even had pony rides for the kids while they waited to see Santa. Gosh I miss that.

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  48. Nancy Rohan28 December, 2016 18:47

    I will always remember "Toy Land", the top floor (11th). Riding the elevator as a child, the doors would open into Toy Land, a child's wonderland. It was always the best part of our trips to G. Fox for me. I also liked the mezzanine because it was unusual and had books. I am 64 and still have fond memories of that amazing store.

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  49. Anonymous10 January, 2017 21:44

    Hi, my name is Noel Roman I worked for G Fox in 1973, as a male model, where could I find some old pix of me, it waw a great place to have worked. Thank You....

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  50. Anonymous24 October, 2017 21:31

    Hi, I loved G Fox and Co. My mother bought our clothes on The 6th Floor.
    We loved the toy shop on the 11th Florida. And the decorations and Santa Claus. I worked part time for a while then moved on. I still have a full
    Length mink coat with the G Fox and Company label. Great condition.
    Many boxes and jewelry. Great memories. Love Hartford in those days.

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  51. Anonymous28 January, 2018 09:50

    I can't tell you how happy I am that other people remember the myna bird! Every time I ask people if they recall seeing it they look at me as if I'd lost my mind...

    Thank you for putting this site together and for letting people share their stories.

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  52. Janice Kramer Repass20 April, 2018 18:00

    Like many who grew up shopping at G. Fox, my favorite spots were the 11th floor, filled with toys, and the Mezzanine, where books were sold. I remember looking at dolls up on the 11th, where many were housed in glass display cases, and others, behind the counter, in doll stands. All were fancy and beautiful, whether baby dolls or china dolls, with gorgeous clothes and hair, and realistic blinking eyes with long, curling lashes. I also remember seeing a demonstration of the new Mr. Sketch markers, and my mother buying them for me that very day. I was so excited. I can remember their smell, and how they fit into a styrofoam box with a cardboard sleeve that slid over them. And the Mezzanine was my favorite place to browse. I loved to buy workbooks or school reading books (along the lines of the Dick and Jane books) to play school with at home. I also remember the Ladies' Lounge, which I believe was on the 5th floor. There were lovely curved couches and comfortable chairs behind the shoe department (which had lovely Etienne Aigner shoes on display) and I would often sit there and read a new book from the Mezzanine, while waiting for my mother to be done working at Phoenix Insurance. There was always a female attendant in the rest room, making sure everything remained clean and wiped down. When you closed the door to the stall, there was a little shelf that folded down, on which you could rest your purse. I remember trying on a fringed, suede pair of pants and a jacket when I was around ten or eleven, in the children's dept. on the 6th floor. I fell in love with that, but my mother deemed it impractical and too expensive. The fact that I still remember it nearly 50 years later tells you how enamoured I was. I remember eating often at the counter in the luncheonette, and that is where I learned to love mashed potatoes, and some seafood that was probably cod, scrod, haddock, something along those lines, served with the aforementioned mashed potatoes and a slice of lemon. And, for dessert, it was always the apple crumb square, with a little dollop of whipped cream on top. Delicious! I loved touring the Connectict Room looking at their furniture and home decor. It was like a many-roomed house, in the middle of the store, all beautifully, tastefully decorated. But my earliest memory might be of getting the toe of my sneaker caught in the escalator as it reached the peak of its ascent between floors. I did not pick up my foot promptly, being young (maybe 5 years old,) and only my mother's firm yank on me freed me from an unknowable fate. But, the tip of my sneaker was torn, and a manager appeared from out of nowhere, promptly sending us upstairs to get a new pair of shoes, courtesy of G. Fox. I think we always got Stride Rite. And, of course, the Christmas decor, from the beautiful window decorations to the shining beauty on each and every floor, culminating in a visit to Santa on the 11th, remains a shining holiday memory from my childhood. I love hearing how many people truly enjoyed their employment at G. Fox, and what a lovely woman Mrs. Auerbach was. How much fun would it be if we could all go back in time for a day and meet at the G. Fox of our memories?

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  53. Unknown13 August, 2018 16:54

    I worked downtown in the early 80's....nothing will ever replace G Fox!
    Personalized service and quality 100%
    The best working experience ever!
    I still talk about G Fox today....

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  54. NakedAndLaughing09 May, 2019 05:17

    I found out about this nice page through finding a hat from them at my GoodWill the other day. Not sure what it'd be worth today but it's super cute. Maybe from the 60's, says the body was made in Italy and has a stamp of Corona inside and the g.Fox tag and another tag that says Belmar. It's white and has a dome top with cut out circles filled in with a different material. Not sure if it's felt or a fur or what but I'd love to know more about it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Claire in Springfield30 October, 2019 16:53

      The hat was made by Betmar (not Belmar), always my favorites brand for hats. The G. Fox label appeared on their upscale items along with the brand name. Most department stores carried Betmar and the prices were reasonable for the quality and current fashion, and never outlandish. I have my favorite hat with its G. Fox label. I long ago had to toss the round hatbox to save closet space. The material, felt, is usually made of non-woven wool fibers and can be molded to any shape with heat & moisture (called "blocking"). Most dry cleaners years ago (I am 83) offered cleaning & blocking for men's felt hats which sadly disappeared after JFK's inauguration to show off his hair. Most collectors are interested only in monetary value. My memories of this remarkable store remain vivid. I believe its entire concept died with Mrs. Auerbach. She cared.

      Delete
    2. BAK31 October, 2019 09:14

      Hello, Claire!
      Thank you for your authoritative and knowledgeable comment. Great stores like these did take a downturn when their founding families ceased to lead them - You stated it eloquently in 2 words: "She cared."
      Again, thank you and best wishes!
      -Bruce

      Delete
  55. altrockRN26 July, 2019 21:25

    I have very fond memories of going to G Fox as a little girl with my mom in the early to mid 60's. We would have lunch in the Connecticut Room and I remember always getting a hamburger and the ketchup was served in a little silver bowl with a spoon. Funny the things that stick with us all these years! What a shame that these stores all faded away in the late 80's - Filenes, Jordan Marsh, included.

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  56. Unknown11 August, 2019 13:51

    My aunt Irene Danta worked in the bridal shop for years. She used to send us the greatest Christmas and birthday presents.

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  57. Arthur03 April, 2020 22:29

    Growing up in East Hartford in the late 60s - early 70s, I remembered going to G. Fox, Brown Thomson, Sage-Allen and Korvettes. All of them were special, but mostly mom and dad shopped in downtown East Hartford, at the Silver Lake Plaza (Stop&Shop, Rexall Drugs, Woolworth and J.M.Field's along with Lincoln Dairy, Yankee Clipper (my barbers growing up), East Hartford Federal (my bank since I was 6) and an office building. We also went east to Manchester Parkade to shop at W.T.Grants, Grand Union, Grand-Way D&L and Sears. Christmas is when we hit Hartford to see Constitution Plaza lights and Fox's Christmas display.

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  58. Woggles22 August, 2021 17:20

    There was an unknown part of the 11th floor that I liked as much as the toy department. That was the data processing department , and I was fascinated by the computers there. My father worked in what was then called the "Data Processing" department. So he had the employee discount so we shopped there often. Everyone there was nice to me as I asked a lot of questions each visit. From my father I learned that Fox's was loyal to their employees and the staff to G. Fox. I'm talking mid-60s to early 70s. I have a vague memory of being introduced to Mrs. Auerbach in an elevator. This was so long ago that there was an elevator operator. I recall he maneuvered a handle on a large brass disc to make the elevator go up and down, and he opened the inner metal folding door by hand. To me at that age she was an older woman in a wheel chair, but my father talked to her as if she was the Queen of England. I also recall the preparations of being inducted in to the Moses Fox Club at different anniversary years

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  59. sel189128 November, 2021 08:08

    I recently went to visit our daughter, granddaughter and ewest greatgranddaughter in Wethersfield and found found a wonderful prize - a doll in excellent condition in a G.Fox & Co. The Center of Connecticut Living since 1847 box. It is wonderful to have an item from a place with such a history.

    ReplyDelete

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