The Maison Blanche building on Canal Street. The upper floors housed offices.
1958 addition to the Canal Street Store
Maison Blanche
901 Canal Street
New Orleans, Louisiana 70112
CANAL STREET STORE DIRECTORY (565,000 sq. ft.)
First Floor
Jewelry • Fine Jewelry • Cosmetics • Handbags • Small Leather Goods • Gloves • Hosiery • Hats • Fashion Accessories • Neckwear • First Floor Shoes • Shoes • Blouse Bar • First Floor Sportswear • First Floor Lingerie • Notions • Art Needle • Stationery • Candy • MB Snack Store • MB Bakery • MB Rendezvous Restaurant
Store for Men Men’s Furnishings • Men’s Sportswear • Men’s Clothing • Men’s Shoes • Men’s Hats • London Britches
Second Floor
Ms. MB Dresses • Ms. MB Sportswear • Town and Casual Dresses • Women’s Sportswear • Better Half Shop • Coats and Suits • All-Weather Coats • Shoe Salon • Millinery • Casual Shoes • Dauphine Sportswear • Dauphine Dresses • Forecast Sportswear • Forecast Dresses • Forecast Coats • 901 Shop • Designer’s Shop • Designer’s Shop Shoes • Designer’s Shop Millinery • Audobon Shop • Boutique • Fur Salon • Bridal Salon • Lingerie • Corsets • Loungewear • Sleepwear • At Home Wear • Uniforms
Junior World Junior Dresses • Junior Sportswear • Junior Coats • Junior Shoes • Junior Lingerie • Pace Shop • Teen Shop • Junior V.I.P. Shop
Third Floor
Housewares • China • Silver • Glassware • Gift Shop • Imari Shop • Lamps • Pictures • Toys • Sportsmen’s Center • Major Appliances • Books • Luggage
Fourth Floor
Domestics • Bath Shop • Linens • Curtains • Drapery • Rugs • Floor Covering • Furniture • Sewing Machine Center • Fabrics • Televisions • Home Remodeling
Fifth Floor
Stereos • Records • John Jay Beauty Salon • Merrill Chase Studio • Employment Offices • Offices
Young New Orleans Center Infant’s Wear • Girls’ Wear • Boys’ Wear • Scolar Shop • Toddler’s Wear • Children’s Accessories • Children’s Accessories
MB BRANCH STORES
Carrollton & Tulane Avenues
27,000 sq. ft.
3045 Gentilly Blvd.
37,000 sq. ft.
Crescent Airline Center
1901 Airline Hwy.
68,000 sq. ft.
150,000 sq. ft.
Chief Menteur Hwy. & US Rte. 90
122,000 sq. ft.
Charl-Mont Restaurant
Metairie
155,000 sq. ft.
185,000 sq. ft.
Baton Rouge
160,000 sq. ft.
Thank you for posting pictures of this grand old store. Maison Blanche was an independent store until 1923 when it was purchased by City Stores. City Stores folded in 1982 and only three suburban stores were purchased by Goudchaux's, Inc. of Baton Rouge, Clearview, Lake Forest, and Westside. The Bon Marche store closed in 1980 and the Airline, Carrollton, Gentilly, and Canal Street stores closed in 1982. The Gentilly Woods store closed in 1974 and the store was relocated to Lake Forest. The store on Canal reopened in 1984. The Clearview store never looked like the line art as shown above. It actually looked the the Lake Forest and Bon Marche stores. The two missing stores in the list are the Oakwood and North Shore stores. The Mall of Acadiana store was opened as a Goudchaux's store not as Maison Blanche.
ReplyDeleteMy uncle Bert Kenny was the marketing V.P. for Maison Blanche for many years. He spearheaded some of their most memorable retail coups by organizing special marketing events. I remember most the time he featured products from England. He arranged for daily Posting of the Guard ceremonies in front of the Canal Street store, had "Big Ben" chimes ringing throughout the store at the appropriate times, and customers could ride free on authentic double-decker buses during the promotion. English foods like crumpets were served in the restaurants on site.
ReplyDeleteWhile not all of his ideas panned out, these promotions were memorable.
Uncle Bert was awarded honors from England, France, and Italy for his marketing prowess as each country sold millions of dollars worth of goods from his marketing acumen as revealed in these promotions.
I was priviliged to see the changes at the store as it moved from the segregated early days to the fully-integrated store in its latter days.
Mister Bingle!
ReplyDeleteA giant Mister Bingle hung on the outside of the building during Christmas! My father would drive us down there to see Mister Bingle and the holiday windows! what a memory!
When the Maison Blanche store in Clearview Mall closed, it reopened as a Dillard's, but that didn't last long considering there was another Dillard's at nearby Lakeside Mall. The space was later gutted and is now occupied by a two-story Target.
ReplyDeleteI worked at Clearview store in suit separates while going to college in 1990/91. Stayed in top twenty five a majority of the time. (sales). Still have my badge. At "straight seven" commission we made great money. It was such an elegant store with superior boutique collections inside. The Claborne men's clothing boutique was terrific, and fine furs on floor two with the cream colored grand piano was something special.
ReplyDeleteI need help with something...I have a pair of shoes, ladies heels NICE and GREAT condition, they are from Masion Blanche store. they have hand written number inside. I am trying to find info on them. They were given to me considered "junk" by someone else, BUT not me....Who can help me find some value to these and more info on them?? Thank You..
ReplyDeleteMy great grandfather S James Shwartz founded Maison Blanche. I had a great construction photo that I gave my brother when I moved out west.
ReplyDeleteMy father displayed his 1-100 hand carved replica of St. Peter's in Rome at the store in February, 1953. I have a photo of him with the president of the store, Arch Bishop Rummel and Mayor Morrison.
ReplyDeleteI have in my possession a wooden basket purse hand painted by KAD. Signed (Specially for Godcheux,s) Basket is large weave with stores named and painted all around the bottom.
ReplyDeleteAntoine's, Court of Two Sisters, Roosevelt, Patio, Maedi Gras, A Church with clock on it and Godchaux's. The lid has the name of streets all around it with an elephant on top. Anyone with info, please comment back, Thank You.
This is so fascinating. My ex-mother-in-law worked in the fur salon downtown on Canal Street for nearly 35 years (maybe more) then went to the Clearview store where she retired. She is still around, nearly 91 and as elegant as she ever was. She was a petite woman who wore her hair pulled up in a twist or bun, wore false eyelashes, and dressed like a model. She sold the most fur coats I am sure. I gave her the book about the owners of MB last year for Xmas, and I think she read it every day for six months. She is going to love this site when I show it to her. Her sight is not what it used to be, but lucky her - I just got a 27" monitor for my laptop. She absolutely loved working at MB, it felt like family to her. And to the poster about the pair of shoes - I just made an assemblage piece of art, using an MB shoe - a Spring-a-lator that will be for sale Friday 11/2 at The Healing Center. It is a fantastic shoe - obtained at an estate sale. I will ask my mother-in-law about those numbers.
ReplyDeleteIs your ex mother-in-law still living? My grandmother Nettie Schiro Fallo was a buyer for the cosmetic dept until 1967. Melanie Fallo Smith Melanie5_2000@yahoo.com
DeleteI'm fairly certain that I worked with you mother in law in the late 80s very early 90s at Canal... She and Bruce were the staples in our fur salon. I was the Asst Store Manager at that time.
DeleteHi Juliette!
ReplyDeleteWhat a fascinating story. God bless your ex-mom-in-law! I hope she enjoys what I have posted here. You may want to subscribe to Genealogy Bank - the whole Times-Picayune and every MB ad is visible there. I assume you are referring to the Arcadia book about MB - if you don't have it, I'd recommend it for her.
Bruce
What was the name of that store in the Carrollton Shopping Center ? It was where Piccadilly was @ before Katrina hit .
ReplyDeleteThe name of that store in Carrollton Shopping Center was Gus Mayer.
ReplyDeletemy grandmother , Martha Radelat was buyer and v.p. of better designer dress of the canal street store , have found memories of that store. my grandmother dressed most of the well known ladies in the city , she was the first buyer to have Oscar de la Renta , Bill Blass she had all the great designers Maison Blanche was the place to get nice clothe , hats, shoes then after shoping they would have lunch at one of the restaurant, we will never have a department store like Maison Blanche , miss you .
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother was a buyer for the cosmetic dept in the 1940's until she passed away in 1968. Nettie Schiro Fallo. I have photos of dept head meetings and some employees that I would be willing to share and am wondering if there is a particular place I could just post them all instead of trying to get them to people individually. Thank you, Melanie Fallo-Smith
ReplyDeleteI worked at Maison Blanche from 1953 to 1957. I worked the first two years part-time during school whlle taking the retail course in school. I went to high school a half-day and worked at MB the rest of the day. We worked all over the store, wherever we were needed. I loved every minute while I was employed there. When I graduated from high school personnel gave me a job in the Houseware office doing clerical work. After awhile I was promoted to secretary to the head boss who was over all the buyers, including Toys, Sporting Goods, Silverware, China & Glassware, and Lamps and Pictures. I resigned in 1957 after being married.. The other day I was reminiscing about my time at MB and was remembering the good times I had while there. I decided to look MB up on line and have enjoyed reading about its history. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.
ReplyDeleteDid you know my grandmother Nettie Schiro Fallo? She was a buyer for the cosmetic dept until 1967. Thank you, Melanie Fallo-Smith
DeleteI remember being about 13 years old and going to the MB downtown on Canal Street with my mother. Believe it or not we went to buy collectable stamps. They at one time had a nice stamp collecting dept I believe was on the 4th floor. That would have been about 1969. I so looked forward to those trips with my little list in hand of the stamps I hoped she would buy for me
ReplyDeleteWhile attending a national meeting of lawyers, (gathering in New Orleans), about 15 Arkansas attorneys (with me tagging along) went to dinner at at an elegant, old world restaurant in The French Quarter. I was seated where I observed incoming dinner guests. Suddenly, a row of magnificent women came into the room - they seemed to glide more than walk (like the rest of the mortals). There at the end of this group was the highly respected designer, Oleg Cassini. I asked our waiter if he could acquire Cassini's autograph before they were served. Cassini personally delivered to our table an ornate, oversized Masion Blanche card and inscribed his signature to me. He stayed to meet and visit each of the gentlemen. The internationally famous talent was hosting a huge fashion show in the exclusive, special fashions area at the Masion Blanche Department Store on Canal Street. Cassini invited us to attend and also spoke of his new book as well as his latest new fragrance. Several of the lawyers attended and one bought me a bottle of the perfume! Sadly, I learned shortly thereafter, the once grand store where the internationally talented designer had been featured, was shuttered and it's history was concluded.
ReplyDeleteMy Mother worked in the cosmetic department in Maison Blanche and I worked at National American Bank. This was 1972 to 74. What wonderful times we both had meeting for lunch and after work drinks. We both took the bus home together etc...
ReplyDeleteThank you New Orleans and the great people that made such sweet memories for my Mom and I.
Still miss ya
Funny how something as simple as a place to shop can make such a strong impression on an individual. Most likely because a department store is a place of dreams... Someday, I will own that dress, or that TV, or that diamond ring. So many wonderful things to be seen in one place, and so much joy in going to the store to shop, or just window shop.
ReplyDeleteThe MB on Canal still lingers with me, I see and feel every inch of that store. The 1912 building, now a Ritz Carlton Hotel, dominated the downtown shopping district for decades. Above the fifth floor were offices and every floor had the best restrooms downtown and always a favorite stop when needed.
The penthouse of the building was occupied by WSMB, a radio station that began broadcasting in 1925. It was also a station that I had the great pleasure to work for in 1975. The studios were wonderfully designed by Emile Weil, the same architect who designed the 4,000 seat Saenger Theater two blocks away on Canal. The S in WSMB represented the partnership between the Saenger Theater and Maison Blanche. The station dominated the airwaves of New Orleans for decades. In the 1960s and 70s it commanded nearly one-third of the radio listening audience. Sadly, like MB, WSMB no longer exist.
I now live Los Angeles, just blocks from the new BILLION dollar Century City Mall. Nice? Yes. But it reeks of being generic and sterile. On the other hand, the department stores and shops of Beverly Hills, just down the street on Wilshire Blvd., are icons of what this site is all about. These buildings are relics of the golden age of the department store and we are so lucky to have them.
I was transferred to the Canal St store early 90's from the acquiring company Mercantile stores. What a treat. I would explore the upstairs area, for the store only occupied 3 foors at this juncture. It was like going back in time. The elevator switch gear in this buidling was one of the oldest in existence and considered a landmark. Being an outsider I quickly developed a great respect for what Maison Blanche meant to people in New Orleans. Christmas and Mardi Gras were special times on Canal St. This store had a parade viewing room that faced Canal which in her grandest day surely hosted some of the finest parties in the Big Easy. I also did stints at the Clearview PKwy and the Gretna stores but Canal St was by far my most memorable assignment.
ReplyDeleteThis short article posted only at the web site is truly good.
ReplyDeletei have been doing Federico family research. Our family came to America by the way of new Orleans in 1888. The Federico Macoroni Company and Federico Grocery Company are part of our line. I found a business directory for 1956 New Orleans and it listed Frank J Federico as an artist Masion Blanche. do you any information on what this job was? thanks, great history
ReplyDeleteI'm looking for pictures of the operators from the store from the 1930-50s. I have a relative that was the head operator.
ReplyDeleteAin't Dere no more is a group on FB where info would be welcome. I read that Richard Simmons mother worked at MB on Canal. His biography,"Still Hungry After All These Years" has that in it.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in apartments behind Bon Marche Mall and vividly remember going to Maison Blanche frequently. My favorite stop was the toy department, of course. I remember they would set up a Christmas village during the holidays and you could walk through this area looking at all the different holiday scenes. A funny memory was of a friend and I walking through the perfume department into the mall and the saleslady had just sprayed a big cloud of Chanel No. 5 and I walked right into it... Tasted that for days!
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother and I went to New Orleans every year to shop on Canal Street and at the Broadmoor Kiddie Shop for uniforms and saddle oxfords. Maison Blanche was where we bought underwear, socks, dresses, shoes. Then it was on to the Quarter for lunch. Finished the day with cafe au lait and beignets. Also, one year got a beautiful light blue coat with white faux collar from Gus Mayer. How I miss those days!
ReplyDeletename is Venessa Mayer. I am the grand daughter of Jeanette Rist a former model for your catalogue. Her career was cut short when she was murdered when my Mom was only 3, a sister 4 yrs old, 2 brothers one 6 and one 7 years.
ReplyDeleteI know very little about the incident and very little about my grandmother.
Any information and any pictures that you may have I would be glad to purchase if need be.
I welcome anything that you may be able to dig up.
I also have heard rumors that her Father was a musician and that he appeared on the Grand Ole Opry .
Thank you for any time that you may invest. Respectfully Submitted,
Venessa
Venessa, I just came across your request. I don't have any information, but have research skills and find this interesting. If you will send more information to me at ioni78751 at yahoo dot com I'll see what I can come up with. T.Taylor
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