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| Gimbels 1924 building had a monumental facade facing the Milwaukee River |
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| In advertsing, Gimberl often depicted the store from its chamfered corner. |
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| Gimbels - "A Great Store." |
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| The other corner of Gimbels, depicted from the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and Plankinton Street. |
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| Read Michael Lisicky's excellent book about Gimbels |
Gimbel Bros. (1887)
101 W. Wisconsin Avenue
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Street Floor
Delicatessen • Bakery • Groceries • Drugs • Wines and Liquor Shop • The Flower Stand • Candy • Tasty Town Restaurant • Costume Jewelry • Fine Jewelry • Diamonds • Silver • Cutlery • Cosmetics • Headquarters for Famous Perfumes • Handbags • Small Leather Goods • Gloves • Fashion Accessories • Hosiery • Hat Bar • Scarves • Street Floor Blouses • Sweaters • Twin Shoe Shops • Headquarters for Notions • Stationery • Books • Cameras • Smoke Shop • Luggage • Men’s Furnishings • Men’s Toiletries • Shaver Shop • On-the-Town Ticket Booth
Second Floor
Misses’ Dresses • Spectator Sportswear • Coats • Suits • Rainwear • Active Sportswear • Boulevard Dresses • Boulevard Sportswear • Boulevard Coats • Better Dresses • Better Sportswear • Better Coats • Better Suits • Career Dresses • Daytime Dresses • Town and Country Casuals • Women’s World • The Plaza • Circa Now Shop • Club House Sportswear • Fashion Shoes • The Shoe Place • Millinery • Custom Wig Salon • Corset Salon • Lingerie • Robes • Leisurewear • American Room Beauty Salon • Antoine Salon
Junior Center Junior Dresses • Junior Sportswear • Junior Coats
Fifth Avenue Shops Fifth Avenue Shoe Salon • Fifth Avenue Dresses • Fifth Avenue Sportswear • Fifth Avenue Fur Salon • Fifth Avenue Bridal Salon • Talk of the Town Shop
Third Floor
Shops for Men Men’s Clothing • Men’s Shoes • Men’s Separates • Men’s Hats
Young Fashion Shops Infants’ Wear • Small Fry Shop • Little Girls’ Shop • Girls’ Wear • Young Boys’ Shop • Boys’ Wear • Boys’ and Girls’ Shoes • Young Accessories • Young Lingerie • Young Juniors’ Shop
Toys • Garden Shop • Winter Wares • Sporting Goods • Auditorium
Fourth Floor
Housewares • Small Electrics • Habitat • Country Store • Appliances • Casual Furniture • Paint Shop • Linens • Domestics • Curtains • Draperies • Rugs and Carpets • Oriental Rugs • Fashions-by-the-Yard • White-Elna Sewing Center • Art Needlework
Fifth Floor
Furniture • Bedding • Interior Design Studio • Televisions • Stereos • Radios • Records • Hearing Aids
Sixth Floor
Lamps • Pictures • Mirrors • China • Glassware • Gift Shop • Import Bazaar • Glitter and Glow Shop • Credit Bureau
Seventh Floor
Offices
Eighth Floor
American Express Travel Service • Forum Restaurant • Patio • Employment Office
Parking Pavilion
Electric City Appliances • Televisions • Radios • Stereos • Hardware • Auto Accessories
Southgate
S. 27th St. at W. Morgan Ave.
October 1, 1954
Tasty Town
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| Mayfair 2500 N. Mayfair Road October 19, 1958 211,000 s.f. Tasty Town |
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| Hilldale University Ave & Midvale Blvd., Madison 1962 173,000 s.f. |
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| Third Street 2153 W. 3rd. at Garfield 1962 (Opened as Schuster's 1884) 414,000 s.f. |
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| 12th and Vliet N. 12th and W. Vliet 1962 (Opened as Schuster's 1911) |
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| Mitchell St. 1030 W. Mitchell at S. 11th 1962 (Opened as Schuster's 1914) 244,000 s.f. |
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| Capitol Court 5505 W. Capitol Drive 1962 (opened as Schuster's 1956) 260,000 s.f. Golden Anchor Room |
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| Packard Plaza 5656 S. Packard Ave., Cudahy 1962 |
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| Southridge 5600 S. 76th St., Greendale 1970 217,000 s.f. Tasty Town |
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| Fox Cities 122 E. College Ave., Appleton March, 1971 217,000 s.f. Forum Restaurant Tasty Town |
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| East Towne East Washington St., Madison October, 1971 |
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| Northridge N. 76th St. at Brown Deer Road August, 1972 176,000 s.f. Tasty Town |
Coming in Due Course.
Forum restaurant was only at the downtown store. Habitat (housewares) was actually in the south area of the first floor where the deli wasw once located.
ReplyDeleteI have very fond memories of the Gimbels store at Hilldale in Madison. Many Christmas gifts under the tree were always from Gimbels. I would often go with my mother or grandmother. No trip would have been complete without stopping at the candy counter for a treat on the way to the car. Such great memories. Gibles was like a part of the family.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteI have an old oil painting that I was told, came from Gimbels. I was also told Gimbels had a father and daughter who painted oils for Gimbels many years ago ..maybe in the 40's?? The oil painting is very small of some pine trees and other greenery. It's framed in a heavy thick edged wood. Do you know how I could find out more about the history and worth of this painting? I've searched all the basic sites but haven't found anything. Help if you can. Thank you, Renee
I would try the library on 8th and Wisconsin Ave or go to an Antique shop
DeleteForum Restaurant was also at the Appleton Store.
ReplyDeleteI stayed at a Residence Inn in downtown Milwaukee and was told it was the old Gimbels store. It was across the street from the Grand Avenue Shopping Center. On the first floor of the hotel they had pictures of the building "back in the day", which I thought was a nice way to honor the building's past. I'd stay there again next time I'm in Milwaukee - it was very nice.
ReplyDeleteMy mother and Great Uncle worked at Gimbles downtown. Mom worked there during WWII in Hosiery and Uncle Louie worked there his whole adult life in the deli. When we'd visit from California in the 60's and 70's, we'd go to Tasty Town for skyscraper sundaes and ride the glass-door elevators, which still had operators. The basement had great bargains on last-season Saks Fifth Avenue clothes (owned by Gimbels). I believe the Third Street store closed in 1970 (there's still a sign above the side door that says GIMBELS)
ReplyDeleteThank you very much for this. Could you please tell me if you have a citation for this?
ReplyDeleteChristopher:
ReplyDeleteThe information is taken from my own memorabilia and from Milwaukee Newspapers.
Bruce
Dear Renee: The Milwaukee County Historical Society received all of the historical artifacts and papers from Gimbels when the stores closed in Milwaukee. They may be able to help you find the providence of your painting. Good luck.
ReplyDeleteVery interesting site. My mother worked at the Gimbels-Schuster Milwaukee store on 3rd street during the early 60's, as a comptometer operator. She transferred to the Wisconsin Avenue store shortly thereafter. I would take a bus downtown and meet her at the escalator back by the deli section. We would go see a movie across the street at the Riverside Theater. I remember thinking how huge the store was. Because she received an employee discount, all my clothes were purchased at Gimbels. I also purchased all my Beatles albums in the record section. I have a lot of memories of this store...truly one of Milwaukee's classiest department stores.
ReplyDeleteGimbels was a family tradition. Me, my mother and grandmother shoped the days after Thanksgiving called "Holly Days". At Easter we always had a lamb cake from the bakery. I have spent years trying to duplicate their recipe. Could anyone help me to get Gimbels recipe for lamb cake?
ReplyDeleteThanks! Devoted Fan
I have so many fond memories of Gimbels/Capitol Court. I also worked at Gimbels/Northridge in the 70's. What great memories! Does anyone have a recipe for "Liptour(sp?) Dip sold in Deli? It was scrumputous!
ReplyDeleteThere was also a Gimbels store at Southgate. I got my ears pierced there in the late '70's.
ReplyDeleteSo many of my early days was spent in the main Wisconsin Ave. store. I still dream about the layout. It would seem everything from china to toilet paper was delivered to us on the east side. Thank you for this wonderfulpage.
ReplyDeleteTom Malia in Baltimore
this brings back such fond memories. i wish Gimbles was around for my kids to enjoy. i tell them all the time about the sausage samples on tiny pretzels, that Gimbles used to hand out... the very best i tell you. it was a real treat for me to go with my grandmother and get "good shoes" or christmas shopping done. i can remember how warm all the department store lights were, during the holidays.
ReplyDeleteI love your comment as I reminisce of living in Milwaukee that those was the best years. My Grandma worked at Downtown location in Milwaukee such fond memories. Now I have teenagers they don't even know that Gimbles exist. NowvI wish I had some things to show.Miss those times
DeleteI worked at Gimbels Southridge from 1978 until the store closed in 1987 and then for Marshall Fields for only a short time. It just wasn't the same. I loved Gimbels. I knew my Gimbels charge card number by memory and used to shop during my lunch hours. The employees were such a family. Miss Gimbels......
ReplyDeleteI worked at Gimbels-Hilldale in Madison during the late 60s. Working in linens, I got to spend time on the phone with our sister stores in Milwaukee getting items transferred back and forth for customers. I enjoyed that job so much! Going into a department store and being personally waited on by department staff is an experience that young people today don't know very well. And it was very much like working at "Grace brothers" in "Are You being Served"! We sure had lovely characters working there!
ReplyDeletemy mother would bring me to gimbels' on wis, ave in milwaukee. what a store' i think about crossing every inch of it from age 5 to 29. in 1970 my first trip to new york' winter i had to buy a coat' where else would i shop but gimbels. i still miss it. carmel ca.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone remember the xmas window decoration at the Wisconsin Ave. store of Hansel and Gretel
ReplyDelete--it was mechanical with Hansel pushing the witch into the oven--around 1970. I wish I could see that again.
Yes I sure do. Loved to go downtown to see the windows at Christmas. Was just there this month. I live in California and still love downtown and those old memories.
DeleteThis is all fantastic!!! it has brought back to good good memories I can even smell the good smell in the gimbles department stores my first Barbie for x mass and many many other things I worked at mayfair for the xmass seasons as part time from 1973 to 1977 I was a fyer that ment that you worked where ever you were needed so I worked in almost every department. besides my daddy worked for gimbels from 1955 to 1983 He was a taylor his name was Andy he worked downtown mayfair southgate southridge greenbay capitol drive I can't remember the mame of that one and in summer sometimes in madison so if there is someone out there that remembers Andy the taylor please reply it would make me feel good to know that he comes back into someones memories THamk you
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry I wrote that wrong I meant tailor but it's late at nite where I am so I'm ready for bed he was Andy the tailor and I worked as a flyer sorry bye bye again
ReplyDeleteI was fortunate to have visited and shopped all of the Gimbels Midwest locations except for Packard Plaza and Appleton.
ReplyDeleteLike other posts, I can easily say that nobody ever beat Gimbels in my heart and wallet. The Wisconsin Ave deli was super fantastic, especially the German potato salad. I loved shopping for Christmas gifts at Gimbels. And the Hilldale store was fun to shop as well. Getting out of the Madison cold or the summer heat, Gimbels was a classy refuge and a fantastic place to enjoy the pleasures of department store shopping without going into debt. Closest thing today is Kohls, but it isn't the same.
I have some small plates,Haviland & Co Limoges for Gimbel Bros Milwaukee. Trying to find some sort of value for them..
ReplyDeleteso no body out there remembers Andy the tailor at gimbles mens department he worked downtown ,mayfair, southgate .southridge almost in all the gimbels in milwaukee and in summer sometimes in Madison if anyone remembers him please reply thank you his daughter
ReplyDeleteJust went to an estate sale and found a great sewing box, still has the price tag fro Gimbels. Pretty neat! Born in 1982 I had no idea what Gimbels was until I found this site. Thank you for the info. Pretty cool find :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat history site for Gimbels. In the 1970s, my father worked across the river at what was then the Marine Bank building. I have fond memories of taking the bus downtown with my mother from White Fish Bay to have lunch with him at the restaurant at the top. It was a great place and I couldn't appreciate at the time what a historic building and store it was.
ReplyDeleteHey !!! I guess there is no one out there that remembers Andy the tailor not even someone that worked with him maybe much younger it would make me feel good all the italian tailors I'm sure could have passed away cause they were all older than daddy so daddy would now be 90 years old the only one that could be living is mollica I remember hope someone remembers my sicilian pop
ReplyDeleteI remembered the store at southridge. When my parents, my three siblings and I first moved to Franklin, near greendale in 1978 from Montana. My mom loved shopping there. I was 11 when the store was closed. I remembered the store. My mom bought me a toy, My Little Pony there.
ReplyDeleteI started at Gimbels in 1975 fresh out of Marquette University as a trainee. I let in 1986 as a DMM. Every time I'm in Milwaukee I get a warm feeling at the corner of Plankinton and Wisconsin Avenue. My office was on the fifth floor. What a great store and great people to grow up in the business with. I still miss it every day. Mike Nicotera
ReplyDeleteI too began my career working at Gimbels as a Marquette grad and found myself working for Mike Nicotera in 1983. Great boss, good times.
DeleteChris Bonin
I worked at Gimbels downtown from 1981 to 1985. Started as a seasonal Sales Auditor, then Correspondence Clerk in Accounts Payable and last in Credit and Collections. Many happy memories... the piano signed by Liberace, the Marketplace with the wonderful food, the close fellowship among the employees. I am so proud to have been a Gimbels associate.
DeleteGrowing up in Philadelphia all my life, Gimbel's was a mainstay on Market Street, I remember when I was twelve, they closed the old store, and the new Gimbel's opened inside the new Gallery Mall across the street. It wasn't the same, I remember the old wooden escalators and how a kid could get lost running around inside! I remember my parents taking me on the Subway, we would go right off the train, and see the Subway level store windows under 8th and Market. The Windows were ablaze with Christmas lights, you ventured up towards the street and You were in a massive jam of spectators, to an 8 year old kid, it looked very confusing. My father Never dealt with other areas along the parade route, he went right to 9th & Market! And we Always arrived in time to see Santa pull up in his red fire truck, the massive ladder would ascend up to a window on the 8th floor, Santa would climb the ladder, look out over the thousands below, wave and climb in the store. That neant Christmas to me.
ReplyDeleteWorked at Gimbels Hilldale in the late '70's. Minimum wage and garbage hours that I had no control over. Next time you're doing an evening or weekend shop anywhere, spare a thought for the "Slave Caste" that is there to serve you!
ReplyDeleteOne thing that is missing in the listing for the first floor of the downtown Gimbals is the Stamp Department. I went there with my dad every time we went to Gimblas
ReplyDeleteMy great grandmother, grandmother and her son my uncle all worked for Gimbels starting in 1884. I have a beautiful news article about my great-grandmother's working life there as published by Gimbels in the 1940s. Later, I worked on 12th and Vliet at the old Gimbels, but by that time it was the Welfare Department. My mother also worked there and she had many memories of shopping there when it was Gimbels. MLBchicky@aol.com
ReplyDeleteSue
Does anybody know if there was a Gimbels in Lena, WI, or is my memory of 40 years ago faulty?
ReplyDeleteThanks!
I met my wife Heidi at Gimbels downtown. She was the manager of the drapery department, and I was the travelling salesman for Decorator Industries. I proposed to her at a little bar next door to Gimbels called Sol's Place where many of the Gimbels employees went to socialize after work. Sol and his wife were great people, and broke out the champagne for all the Gimbels employees who were there. The year was 1979, and Heidi and I have been happily married for 34 years! Thanks for the memories. Tom
ReplyDeleteHeidi painted an ABC watercolor for my first child!!!!!! I have often tried to locate Heidi. My daughter is now expecting her first baby and I just gave the painting to her:). Shelley
DeleteDoes anyone remember if the Gimbels Store in Milwaukee had a monorail - train ride suspended from the ceiling that kids could ride at Christmas time? This would have been back in the 1940's.
ReplyDeleteYou'd be thinking of the monorail that hung from the ceiling of the 7th floor Toy Dept. at the Boston Store. If interested in more details on that, contact Historic Milwaukee, Inc. and ask for Gary.
ReplyDeleteMy Mom passed away last year at age 96, but I have fond memories of eating at Tasty Town Restaurant, my favorite were the kid size hot dogs on a toasted bun!
ReplyDeleteGimbels and Schuster's merged in 1962 and became Gimbels-Schusters until the latter name was dropped in 1969.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know what happened to all the old photograph negatives from the Studio of Schusters, Inc. on 12th & Vliet Street in Milwaukee, WI from about 1950 - 1960? I am hoping to find some of my self & siblings taken there. I actually have some numbers at the bottom of an old photograph. Thanks much for any helpful information.
ReplyDeleteI remember as a young child going to Gimbels Mayfair and learning how to knit from Mrs. McCloud. You bought the yarn and the lessons were free. This was on the second floor. Loved it. I'm still knitting to this day because of the instruction from this fine lady.
ReplyDeleteIn the basement of Gimbels downtown Milwaukee were the bargains. I often shopped there.
ReplyDeleteGimbels downtown Milwaukee was my favorite store. I use to buy capezios, chesterfiled coats, Jonathon Logan dresses, and the resturant was so fabulous, the whole store was amazing, such class it had, and the best of the best. I miss it so. Those were the good old days. Esther Netz
ReplyDeleteI remember Schusters as an infant and very young child. I was born in 51, so that was the early 50's. My parents lived around the 3rd st. store as well as the Vliet St.one. One of my earliest memories is going to Schusters. I was real fascinated with the store and all the sights and sounds. There was a chime/bell sound that sounded quite often, and to this day, I still dont know what it was for. I liked going on the escalator, and found the charge card machine interesting, which punched holes in cards. Most of the time I went there with my mother, and she went clothing shopping. For a young male child, that was boring, and I would drive my mother crazy with crying and wanting to go to the toy dept. But almost until the day she died, my mother told me about the terrible thing I did there. She was looking at sewing items, and I saw a display with many bobbins in every color. The display rotated, so I spun it as fast as it would turn, and bobbins flew all over the store. I never lived that down.
ReplyDeleteAt some point in time, when I was maybe around 4 or 5, my uncle Joe got a job at the Schusters auto repair garage. I think it was the 3rd St store, but could have been Vliet (I was very young and mixed up the two stores). But I recall going there to see my uncle and vividly remember him showing me how to fix a tire and he let me play with some tools. I was in my glory! I also recall meeting him there for the Christmas parade, and I saw Billie the Brownie, and my dad bought me a pin on Santa that had a flashing red light that I had to pull a string to turn it on. I vividly remember that, and uncle Joe left the service garage and watched the parade with myself and my parents. That was really fun!
The other things I remember are mom and dad pasting stamps into their Schusters savings stamp books, at home as well as S&H green stamps, and that always seemed like a big deal to someone my age.
As far as Gimbels, what I remember the most are the elaborate Christmas displays in the downtown store, and recall going to the Gimbels at Mayfair even more than downtown, because my parents moved to that part of town when I was a little older.
It's funny, because in my senior years, it's those times at Schusters I remember the most as an infant and very young child, followed by memories of the State Fair in West Allis.
I worked at the downtown store in the 70'S. I was told that the frequent bell sound was a message for Security.
DeleteI have many fond memories from Gimbels back in the 60s. My mom and I would take the bus to Mayfair. You could catch the 21 bus on North Ave or the 31 on Ludington in Tosa. We always went to TastyTown for a chocolate malt or sundae. Great toy department. They even had a Girl Scout Department where you could get your Brownie and Girl Scout stuff. I loved the Notions Department. I worked there for the Christmas season when I was about 17. I also worked at the restaurant on the top floor of Gimbels downtown as a waitress. I only lasted one day. I was 18 and all the other waitresses were about 60 so I didn't really fit in. Now I'm almost 60!! Great memories
ReplyDeleteI began my visual merchandising career at Gimbels. What an amazing, classy store it was. My grandmother Kathy Strong was the head baker in the Forum restaurant and created the Wisconsin Cheese Torte recipe. My visual merchandising friends and I would occasionally take our break in the Forum and have either grandma's torte or the Schaum Torte. Morning break it was "Tasy Town" and my favorite treat there was one of their "Hearts of Gold." I particularly remember an event we set up when I worked there called Those Fabulous Flicks! One of the major Movie Studios lent us all of this wonderful memorabilia including a coach from Cinderella. The visual merchandising shop was on the 7th floor right next to the paint studio and carpenter shop. Yes, Gimbels had it all. I remember in 1976 or 77 going out on a section of the roof to watch a big fire across the river. I can't remember what building was on fire but nevertheless it was fun going out on the roof. The most fun was when we worked after hours to set up Christmas on the main floor and one of my VM supervisors cruised around on roller skates and we were allowed to help ourselves to the candy at the giant candy counter, everything you could imagine. I have such amazing and fond memories of Gimbels and downtown Milwaukee.
ReplyDeleteMy mom got the recipe for the WI cheese torte when they closed. It is always a hit whenever one of us makes it!
DeleteMy name is Kathleen and I was names after Kathleen Emma Christmas,Booton, Strong! Yes, She is also my Grandmother, Judy's Mom!
DeleteI grew up on Grandma's Cheese torte and her famous German Chocolate Cake and Carrot Cake and so much more!I can't even believe I came across what you wrote and I am curious of which one of my cousin's that you are? Aunt Bea's, Aunt Claire's or Aunt Pat's child? Please contact me as I do not have the recipe because I didn't get it from my mother before she passed away and I would love to have a bite of Grandma's Cheese Torte and sit back and remember all of the family memories while eating it! Love Cousin Kathie
Hello, are there any Photos of the Subway level Entrances and or Picture Windows for Strawbridge & Clothier, Gimbel's, Lit Brother's or John Wanamaker's in Philadelphia? I remember using the Wanamaker's Subway Entrance at 13th Street. I recall the Subway level Entrance being closed off in the late 80's, when Woodward Lathrop took over the Store.
ReplyDeleteI worked as the Training Department secretary on the 8th floor of the downtown store in the mid-70's and fondly remember eating a quick lunch during my morning break then spending my lunch hour shopping! :) I came home with packages almost every day! I also remember the day I was dressed in a elaborate kangaroo costume with enormous tail and head and escorted by one of the training supervisors through the store to promote the annual credit card sign-up contest to the other store employees. As a child, I remember my parents driving me and my brothers downtown to see the beautifully decorated store windows at Christmas time. They had huge, elaborate displays with animated figures in each of the street-level display windows. And the toy department floor was amazing, with an actual monorail that kids could ride running OVER and around the toy department! And of course, who could forget "Billie the Brownie"! Very fond memories of Gimbels!
ReplyDeleteI was on their College Board for two years in 1954-55 and remember fondly putting on fashion shows for gals going off to college. From 56-57 I worked on the flying squad and had great experiences in every department. That's how I spent my summers and why I majored in retailing in college.
ReplyDeleteI remember Gimbels at Hilldale in Madison when I was young. Can anyone else confirm, I seem to have memories of a lunch room on the second floor towards the front of the building where we would get grilled cheese sandwiches and ice cream sundaes. My sisters don't remember a lunch room but I swear I have memories of it. Please correct me if I'm wrong. My mother used to be an elevator operator at the Gimbels in downtown Milwaukee at Wisconsin & Plankington back in 1955 when she was 18 years old. She recalls having to wear a uniform and white gloves and used to operate a round crank handle that raised the elevator up and down between the floors. My dad recalls picking her up at the Plankington Ave. exit for dates when she would get off of work at 9:30pm. The Gimbels at Hilldale then became a Marshall Fields where we used to buy Frango Mints. My Grandmother used to give us boxes of Frango Mints at Christmas time, along with an envelope, card and check. What great memories.
ReplyDeleteHI! I worked at the Gimbels store in Appleton, Wi. years ago; I am still looking for their famous Ham loaf recipe that they used to sell in their Deli. I loved it so much, bought it every week. When they closed, I didn't know, I had moved. If any one has it and would like to share it, my e-mail is shakerlady@aol.com. Thank you so much
ReplyDeleteI worked in the stockroom at the Cudahy Gimbels from '78 to '83 during my college years at Marquette U. (proud WARRIOR forever, and NOT a 'Golden Eagle', thank you!).
ReplyDeleteI always found it amusing that we were looked at as such a 'small fish', compared to the much larger Southgate, Southridge, or, the 'Grandaddy', DT (Downtown, of course) stores!
And you know what, we were.......but the people I was lucky enough to work with, and the INCREDIBLY great memories I have of that time and place, stand us (the little Cudahy Gimbels that could) shoulder to shoulder with ALL the Gimbels employees in even the largest of stores across the country back then (in my mind, anyway) !!! ;-)
anyone remember the stand alone women clothing stores in mayfair mall when it opened the grand was one i think..
ReplyDeleteThe Milwaukee Gimbels did have the ceiling hung Monorail (on the sixth floor I think). My grandma took me every year to ride it during the holiday season when they would run it.
ReplyDeleteOn the Monorail, may be mistaken, I see a post on Pinterest indicating it was on the 7th floor of the Milwaukee Boston Store.
ReplyDeleteI was going through some old jewelry just yesterday and came across a Gimbels Schuster box.
ReplyDeleteI worked at the Southgate Gimbels from about 1973 to 1977. I started in Tasty Town and ended up on the loading dock and the delicatessen, where I mostly did clean up. I also had the fun job of reading the registers at the end of the day. I would clear the counters and take the 'x-tape' out of the registers. At Christmas time, that meant as many as 90 registers all done in a little over an hour. I worked with a light strapped to my head as the most of the lights were off 15 minutes after the store closed. I was paid a flat rate of $9, which was pretty good money on a per hour basis.
ReplyDeleteMy mother was in the personnel department at the downtown store in the late 1940s and early 1950. She was the "trainer," who taught orientation and sales classes to new employees. During that time women had to quit work when they became pregnant, so she became a full-time mom. She had an economics degree and had great respect for Gimbels management at the time. She also continued some of her friendships with other professional women who worked there. It was always fun to go downtown with her when she would stop by the personnel office to visit.
ReplyDeleteThe bar across the street on Michigan Avenue that all the Men's buyers and vendors hung out at was Sal's Place. Owned by Sal and Nancy Orlando. Wonderful people. They would but platters of raw beef out on the bar for us, every Friday, when we all got off work. I met my husband there. He became my tie vendor. MariJo Rislov Weissgerber
ReplyDeleteI just found some antique doorknobs with door plate and mortise. I believe these are from the NYC store. The knobs are bronze and GB is engraved in them. The door plate is deco style and also bronze. I do not have the key. It is a skeleton key. Can anyone provide more information on the door knobs. I suspect these are a great piece of New York history
ReplyDeleteMy grandfather, Albert A. Diamond, started and managed the bargain basement in downtown Milwaukee. Still remember visiting his office on the river.
ReplyDeleteI remember taking the number 66 bus with my mom taking is to gimbels downtown. Was so awesome.
ReplyDeleteTasty town was fabulous and the forum. Meat dept had cube steaks that were to die for.
Holidays were so magical at gimbels.
Thank you mom n gimbels for all the memories
I remember taking the number 66 bus with my mom taking is to gimbels downtown. Was so awesome.
ReplyDeleteTasty town was fabulous and the forum. Meat dept had cube steaks that were to die for.
Holidays were so magical at gimbels.
Thank you mom n gimbels for all the memories
"Gimbels - the store of a million gifts" was the annual holiday tagline for advertising
ReplyDeleteworked there in the green acres valley stream new york store...met a great looking gal named Judy who did Christmas seasonal and steady work. it was a nice store that treated both employees and customers great!there was a nasty fugly woman named toni bianco who acted like she owned the store she worked for security..yeah..she flunked that also! ms. mann was the dept. manager...she was a really nice lady! a woman named pat murray worked in cosmetics and thought she was something special..very conceited with a dumb high and mighty attitude...all the sales help used to say she needed to get over herself! the green acres store became A&S then became Macys! sadly the mall itself has changed...:(
ReplyDeleteI recall Gimbels at the old Southgate Shopping Center, later Southgate Mall. THis was in the later 1960's, early seventies. Later as an employee at the Milwaukee Art Museum I learned that Gimbels had exhibitions of paintings. One of them, I believe the Leger, a synthetic Cubist painting was exhibited there and made its way into the MAM collection. I would like to go through the Gimbels archives in the Milwaukee Historic Center to verify this.
ReplyDeleteI worked retail for most of my career at a variety of department stores but my best memories come from Gimbels at Mayfair. I was employed there at the end when the the whole chain closed. After all the stores were closed only a single box of merchandise was left. Sad day for Milwaukee and retail.
ReplyDeleteI have a Gimbels Prize carpet sweeper. Could you tell me something about it? It's wooden and I love the old lettering.
ReplyDeleteIn the mid 50’s my grandma took me to Gimbels downtown Milwaukee every Saturday morning to give my mom a break taking care of my twin brother and sister and, believe it or not, allowed me to be on my own and have the run of the place starting at about age 5. We arrived around 9 am and she always told me to meet her at 12 noon in the shoe dept. by the doors on Wisconsin Ave. so I had a place to sit and wait. I had a blast going up and down the escalators and elevators and knew all the little nooks and crannies on every floor. Fortunately I was a good little girl who could be trusted and didn’t get into any trouble or wander out of the building. In today’s world a responsible adult would never dream of abandoning a young child like that, and it wasn’t until I myself was an adult and my grandma had passed that I told my parents what happened all those years, to their horror! Gimbel’s was a magical department store displaying everything in glass lit cabinets. We anxiously waited for Christmas to arrive to see the new displays in their outside windows. The early morning smell of sizzling kielbasa and bologna in their delicatessen on the 1st floor greeted everyone coming through SW door, you just had to take a sample offered on a toothpick to try and wanted more. For a real treat, my grandma would take me for a very special lunch at the restaurant on the top floor where I always got the Turkey White House Special. Does anyone know where I could find that recipe? Such fond memories. Now just about all the department stores have gone out of business. Where do you go to find clothes for special occasions, feel the quality of bed sheets or try a new perfume before you decide to buy it? Gone are the days when a person would spend all day shopping in one store, looking forward to sitting down at noon to have a special bite to eat. It was a real treat to take the North Shore Electroliner train from West Racine to the Milwaukee 6th St station and walk down to Gimbels. I sure miss those days.
ReplyDeleteMy mom took me to the Gimbels on 76th Street in Milwaukee to meet and get autographed pictures from Tommy Harper and Mike Hegan of the Milwaukee Brewers in 1970.
ReplyDeleteSo many memories. I remember going to the downtown store and my grandma would sit in the ladies lounge and chat with the other ladies there while mom and I shopped. My great grandma took me to the 3rd st Gimbels when I was 6. We rode the electric bus and bought me tinker toys. I remember the big silver Christmas tree in front of the Gimbels at Capitol Court. I bought my first bedroom set from there in 1971 and put it on layaway, still have it. I remember the distinct smell of the lower level of the capital court store because that was where the deli was, it smelled so good. So many good memories.
ReplyDeleteAh, Gimbels. The Milwaukee store had a Secret Santa Shop that only children could enter. My mom would drop me off at my dad's office (all dressed up, with white gloves!) and he would take me to Gimbel's so I could buy Christmas presents. Then we would have lunch on the top floor. Florence was always our waitress, year after year, and dessert was always Strawberry Schaum Torte.
ReplyDeleteI have a mid century modern painting which I have read was possibly commissioned as a series for Gimbles signed Shelley. Could anyone let me know more about the history and possibly the artist.
ReplyDeleteI worked at the downtown Gimbels in the advertising department on the 7th floor for a few years in the late 1960s. It was my 1st job after graduating from Milwaukee Institute of Technology. I helped design the advertising for the newspapers and magazines. Loved everything about my job and the wonderful people I worked with especially the head artist Alice Olsen. I have such happy memories of this exciting place to work.
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