Click in the picture to
read about Stewart's
in Michael Lisicky's latest
book about Baltimore
Department Stores.
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| Stewart & Co., related to the Lousiville Store with a similar name, opened in Baltimore in the failed Posner store, built in 1902. |
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| Looking for all the world like a neo-renaissance palazzo transported from the Via del Corso in Rome, Stewarts anchored the corner of Howard & Lexington in Baltimore. |
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| Though it shared the corner with The Hecht Co. and Hochschild, Kohn, Stewart's competed directly with the carriage-trade Hutzler Brothers Co. across Howard Street. |
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| The elaborate classical detail present on the Stewart's building contrasted with the 1932 art-deco of Hutzler's, and fit Stewart's staid, conservative image. |
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| The deluxe store projected an imposing image from any angle. |
201 North Howard Street
Howard and Lexington Streets
Baltimore, Maryland
SAratoga 7-6262
Basement
Stewart's Budget Store
Street Floor
Jewelry • Fine Jewelry • Fashion Accessories • Handbags • Small Leather Goods • Gloves • Belts • Hosiery • Neckwear • Hat Bar • Handkerchiefs • Cosmetics • Notions • Georgetown Sportswear • Blouses • Sweaters • Street Floor Lingerie • Georgetown Shoes • Stationery • Candy • Watch Repair • Cameras • Men’s Shop
Balcony
Music Shop • Books
Second Floor
Lingerie • Foundations • Loungewear • Junior Lingerie • Shoe Salon • Aigner Shop • Miss Baltimore Shoes • Home and Career Casuals • Stewartown Dresses
Young America Shops Infants’ Shop • Little Folks’ Shop • Girls’ Shop • Boys’ Shop • Children’s Shoes • Teens’ Shop • Infants’ Furniture
Third Floor
Georgetown Dresses • Georgetown Coats • Coat Shop • Come Rain or Come Shine Shop • Suit Shop • Miss Baltimore Dresses • Miss Baltimore Sportswear • Cruise Shop • Trendsetter • Chesapeake Dresses • Chesapeake Sportswear • Chesapeake Innovations • Chesapeake Sweater Source • Today’s Woman • Cosmopolitan Shop • Plaza Ltd. Designer Sportswear • Camellia Room • Fur Salon • Bridal Salon • Millinery Salon • Maternity Shop • Gift Bazaar
Young Maryland Shop Junior Sportswear • Junior Dresses • Junior Coats • Tempo Sportswear
Fourth Floor
Linens • Domestics • Fabrics • Sewing Notions • Art Needlework • Rugs • Floor Coverings • Oriental Rug Gallery • Window Wonderland • Curtains • Toys
Fifth Floor
Furniture • Bedding • Interior Design Studio • Maryland Room Salon of Beauty
Sixth Floor
Housewares • China • Fine Silver • Fine Pewter • Glassware • Fine Crystal • Gifts • Lamps • Pictures and Mirrors • Home Entertainment • Luggage • Georgian Tea Room • Cook Works Restaurant • Photo Studio • Garden Shop
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York Road
February, 1955
110,000 sq. ft.
The Terrace Room
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Reisterstown Road Plaza
March, 1962
160,000 sq. ft.
The Chesapeake Room
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Westview
1969
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| Timonium Mall Lutherville February, 1971 |
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| Golden Ring Rosedale October, 1974 145,000 s.f. |
Coming in due course.
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| Fashionable Wim Patton (left), and two friends enjoy shopping in 1920s Baltimore - just outside of Stewart's glorious store on Howard Street Courtesy of Richard Nicklas |
We've just published a history of Stewart's in Style magazine:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.baltimorestyle.com/index.php/style/baltimore/baltimore_stewarts_department_store/
Very nice coverage of the four Howard street stores but please add O'Neill's and The Hub Department Store to your listings
ReplyDeleteI worked in the men's department at the Howard Street store, 1st floor, in the summer of 1976. Some days there was more merchandise "boosted" than actually sold. We had undercover, armed, store detectives that had no trepidation about brandishing their firearms.
ReplyDeleteStewarts, and downtown Baltimore, was a far cry then from what it had been just ten short years earlier. I hate to think of what that area must be like today.
It's a complete Hellhole
DeleteI just bought a very old mirror and inside it is written Stewart & Co. Howard & Lexington Dept.48 patten #5519. I think it must be pretty old maybe 100 years?
ReplyDeleteHello!
ReplyDeleteI have an old trunk that I am thinking of selling through a higher-end consignment shop.
The trunk is from "Stewart & Co., Howard & Lexington Sts., Baltimore, Maryland", and has a label on an inside brown-paper liner which reads:
Name: "Mrs. G P Gorrell (could be a "B"),
Address: 3306 Maybrook, near Maybrook,
Date: '18.
The leather straps are gone, but the trunk is in really good condition, having been refinished several years ago. The trunk has an insert shelf inside.
The label on the inside of the top reads: John McGee, manufacturer of fine trunks...
Questions:
What is it worth?
Should I read the '18 as meaning it is from 1918 (making 100+ years old)?
Should I have the side straps replaced with leather straps? Where would I have this done--live in Annapolis,Maryland.
If yes, to above, how much would it be worth?
Many thanks!
Clare
Clare:
ReplyDeleteI am publishing your comment, but, like many similar ones, I cannot answer questions such as these. It would be better to consult a local antiques dealer, or try eBay for items. I have no way of knowing the value or origin of these items.
Bruce
I recently acquired a painting and the back says Stewarts, Baltimore, MD painting department and the date says May 31, 1931. Was the department store open during that time? I am trying to figure out if that came with the picture or if that date was from the store. I will say I enjoyed getting to see the pictures and learn about the store. I love this kinda stuff!
ReplyDeleteStewart & Co. opened in 1902, and was actually related to Stewart Dry Goods of Louisville. So the picture was probably bought at the store.
ReplyDeleteBruce
I have a stewart and co. fur coat in perfect condition. Does anyone know whats it worth. Thanks for any info you can provide.
ReplyDeleteIs there any information about the art works sold in the picture department? I have a print with a Stewart & Co. label on the back and the number 1550. Seems to be an etching by John McGrath, who died in 1942, 1945, or 1946.
ReplyDeleteDid you gind any info on this, i recently acquired something similar.
DeleteHello. Great site you have here. I am trying to discover if this is the same Stewart's that had a store in NYC on 5 & 37th Street, then on 5th and 56th, which became the Bonwit Teller store. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI believe it was not, though this Stewart & Co. is related to Stewart Dry Goods of Louisville. The New York Stewart & Co. was mostly a ladies' apparel shop, and it bit the dust after opening the lavish store on Fifth Avenue on October 16, 1929. I will check some other sources and see if there was a relation . . .
ReplyDeletea good place to read about Stewart's in in Michael Lisicky's book (above)
-Bruce
I've got two postcards from 1909 referencing Stewart & Co. They were having an Autumn Dividend Sale where they would share profits with their customers. The other is an anniversary special on Men's Negligee Shirts for 79c If you can provide an email I can email a copy. There very nice for your history page.
ReplyDeletebakgraphics@Comcast.net
ReplyDeleteDid they have greeting cards? I have an old 1907 "Constance" picture with Stewart & Co. on the back. The picture is 3D profile picture of a young lady. Woodward and Tierman Printing.
ReplyDeleteI was chief engineer in the 70's. All infrastructure was antiquated then and would have required millions to update. It closed at the perfect time. It was although, a first class operation with first class staffing. Ed V.
ReplyDeleteI lived next to the Stewart's warehouse and offices adjacent to the Reisterstown Road Plaza in the mid to late 60's and 70's. I watched the trucks in their lot from my bedroom window. There were three types. The tractor trailers that delivered merchandise to the stores, big box trucks that delivered merchandise to people's homes and smaller panel vans/trucks that were sent out for installations and repairs at people's homes or maybe they were maintenance vehicles for the stores (never was sure).I always thought the panel vans/trucks would have made great hot rods and wanted to buy one when they were sold off/traded in for newer models. They seemed like older models even then. I never did get up the nerve to go in and ask about them. So anyway my question is, does anyone know the year, make and model of these trucks?
ReplyDeleteI recall that Stewart's downtown also had a Stieff Silver concession in the NE corner, facing out onto Howard. I'm not sure what the relationship was, but you might want to add this to the Floor description above.
ReplyDeleteI would like to get permission to use one of the photos of Stewart Dept store on your site. Are you the ones that can give me permission to use the photo, it would be a one time for a history book about Baltimore Md.1940s thru 1960s
ReplyDeleteI do not own the copyright to those pictures. If you can reply back with your email address (I won't publish it) I could get you a higher resolution version that I have stored, but you would have to go to the source of the picture for copyright permission.
Delete-Bruce
Very neat sight as i remember many happy times as a kid in these stores. What brought me here is ions ago in the late 70s i bought a music box at Christmas time at Stewarts, Goldenring. The little snowman still skates around the winteresk pond and the Stewarts price tag is still on the bottom. That above deck parking lot was a blast to spin around on in the winter as a teenager. Lots of great memories there as a youngster.The music box comes out every year and I can still recall picking it up off the display shelf and the holiday cheer and great smells that emmulated in those great stores,the chocolate counter, perfumes and so on. Great sight
ReplyDeleteI can't be the only one who participated in the Stewarts department store Charm School.
ReplyDeleteplease help me with my fading memory