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Hengerer's received a streamlined classical facade in the 1950s
The William Hengerer Co. (1874)
465 Main Street
Buffalo, New York
DOWNTOWN STORE DIRECTORY
First Floor
Fine Jewelry • Fashion Jewelry • Handbags • Small Leather Goods • Gloves • Fashion Accessories • Scarves • Hosiery • Blouses and Tops • Sweaters • Cosmetics • Fine Fragrances • Notions • Luggage • Cameras • Stationery • Electronic Games • Candy Shop • The Gourmet Shop • Eat Street Deli • Gourmet Coffee Shop • Men's Furnishings • Men's Shoes • Men's Hats • Men's Sportswear • Men's Clothing • Men's Outerwear • Inventions • Levis • Coordinates Unlimited
Mezzanine
Travel Service • Hengerer's Cafeteria
Mezzanine
Travel Service • Hengerer's Cafeteria
Second Floor
Shoe Salon • Etienne Aigner Shop • Casual Shoes • Little Price Shoes • Little Price Sportswear • Little Price Dresses • Little Price Coats • Spectator Sportswear • Active Sportswear • Lingerie • Loungewear • Daywear • Shapewear • Sleepwear • Junior Lingerie
Third Floor
Miss Hengerer Dresses • Miss Hengerer Sportswear • Better Dresses • Better Sportswear • Miss Hengerer Dresses • Miss Hengerer Coats • Better Coats • All-Weather Coats • Leather Coats • Knitique • Young Designer Dresses • Young Designer Sportswear • Designer Salon • Fur Salon • Bride's Shop • Millinery • Wig Center
Fourth Floor
Junior Dresses • Junior Sportswear • Junior Coats • Junior Shoes • The Attic • Infants' Shop • Infants' Furniture • Toddler's Shop • Children's Accessories • Children's Shoes • Girlswear • Girls' Accessories • Girls' Intimate Apparel • Boyswear • The Shack • Teen Shop "Goin' Thing" • Made in Buffalo Shop
Fifth Floor
China Shop • Pewter Shop • Silver Shop • Crystal Shop • Waterford Gallery • Gift Gallery • Williamsburg Shop • Linens • Bath Shop • Blanket Shop • Art Gallery • Lamps • Drapery Center
Sixth Floor
Beauty Salon
Seventh Floor
Entertainment Center • Furniture • Lifestyle Furniture Shop • Floor Coverings • Area Rugs • The Tea Room
Main Street and Eggert Road
The Tea Room
Sheridan (1965)
Sheridan Drive and Delaware Road
Kenmore/Tonawanda
The Tea Room
Kenmore/Tonawanda
The Tea Room
West Seneca
The Tea Room
Eastern Hills Mall (1971)
Clarence
The Pewter Pitcher
The only Hengerer's that is still open as a store is the Eastern Hills location. It was first changed to a Sibley's (based in Rochester) then Kaufmann's (Pittsburgh) then of course Macy's. The fate of the others? Downtown and Amherst are now office buildings. Sheridan was a supermarket for 20 years and recently torn down for a strip plaza (Panera, CVS, etc.). The whole Seneca Mall was torn down soon after Walden Galleria opened in 1989 and only partially rebuilt as a power center. You can still make out the outline in the ground where the Seneca Hengerer's was.
ReplyDeleteThe 8th floor at Hengerers was Personnel and The President's Office, Advertising,and Credit Department,
ReplyDeleteI worked my first real job as a stock clerk for the downtown Hengerer's november of 1961 till autumn 1962.
ReplyDeleteRuss Peoples was the Warehouse elevator operator.
I can still remember him singing Moon River..guy had a fantastic voice.
Tom Flynn was one of the stock clerks..the names of the rest escape me.
The store was its own thriving entity. There was a protocol which was followed that made the store an wonderfull experience for every customer who walked thru the doors (including the Air Door)
Rich McCarthy
O how I miss the Seneca Mall days. Hengerers, Sibleys, hens & Kelly's, am& a's...all sadly missed. I long for the good old days before crass commercialism and cookie cutter so called dept stores of today. We have lost a lot. Also miss the Buffalo of yesteryear.
ReplyDeleteremember the nice round fireplace in seneca mall and going to ground round near the shows
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone recall the elevator operators of the 1940s? My mother used to recall working at the Main St store as an elevator operator from 1939 until after WWII broke out early 1942.
ReplyDeleteIn addition to the basic operation of the elevator car, she described the role of the "Hengerer's Girl" as a goodwill ambassador to customers as well as a reporter of trends and comments back to management. Customers' comments about their shopping experience overheard in the elevator were likely a valuable source of intelligence to fix what needed fixing.
They were the news reporters as well as the "gossip columnists..."
Can anyone comment on this?
More on the "elevator girls...."
ReplyDeleteThe pay was $13 a week plus lunches, hairdressers, manicures, makeup, and uniforms. “Glamour girls of the store…” Had to look good, be sociable to all the guests, and keep track the department heads and vendors who were in the store. Guess they didn't have pagers and cellphones yet....
Does anyone know of any video archives of the Hengerer's sponsored Santa Claus (with Forgetful the Elf) tv show that aired in the afternoon after Thanksgiving through Christmas Eve?
ReplyDeleteMy Grandmother worked here her entire career in ladies apparel. I have one of her jewelry sets still in the original box from Hengerer's. She retired in the mid-1960's.
ReplyDeletewish even had a box you are very lucky to have a piece of buffalo history
Deletethe store was that of my family
oh wow I wish I had a piece of buffalo history your very lucky hengerer's was my family
DeleteAccording to this website, the Amherst store may have been designed by the prominent architect, Andrew Geller. http://alastairgordonwalltowall.com/2011/12/26/andrew-geller-architect-of-happiness-1924-2011/
ReplyDeleteIt is a fascinating article about an iconic architect of whom I had never heard. It would be nice to have a book about the retail design work of the Loewy firm. I laughed, though, when the article mentioned "Hengerer's department store in Amherst, Long Island!"
ReplyDeleteBruce
http://alastairgordonwalltowall.com/2011/12/26/andrew-geller-architect-of-happiness-1924-2011/
ReplyDeleteThe website above suggests that noted architect Andrew Geller designed the Amherst store.
Loewy firm designed the Seneca Mall store
ReplyDeleteCheck out this link for a view of classic Santa Show with Forgetful the Elf
ReplyDeletehttp://www.staffannouncer.com/santa.htm
I was a Hengerer's elevator girl in the late 60's while in school. We were all tall blondes and wore deep blue suits, pearls and white gloves. Made $1.35 an hour, 10 cents more than minimum wage. They bought our clothes, shoes and we had to wear girdles. At 115 pounds, 5'9'' hardly needed it! And they did our hair every week in the 6th floor beauty salon.It was better than being a sales clerk, having to buy your own dark clothing for work. Stayed there 11 years and left as a senior executive in fashion and special events. They had quit the TV Santa Show, but we did "Breakfast with Santa". The store was a world of it's own. Over 1500 employees in all 5 stores. Someone else mentioned the 8th floor, offices, but the best was the small 9th floor where the store nurse worked. I also remember the sub basement locker rooms for staff and the tunnel that went under Washington St. to the warehouse. Haven't been back to Buffalo in many years, but seeing the store gone would break my heart. How sad.
ReplyDeleteI ran the whse and tunnel operation during that time.
DeleteI have my grandfathers charge plate, it looks like a dog tag..
ReplyDeleteIn the early 80s I worked at Sears at the Eastern Hills Mall, and often went to the Pewter Pitcher for lunch. The food was okay, but the prices were reasonable, and it was a quiet retreat from the rest of the mall.
ReplyDeleteI think the real reason I liked going there was because when I was little, my mother shopped at all the stores, but we never ever wasted "good money" on eating at the tea room. I remember peeking in there and the tea room at the Amherst location always looked so sophisticated and also relaxing. I really wanted to eat there, but we never did. So when I started earning money on my own, I was determined to get the experience.
I guess I was just born a little too late --if department store tea rooms would be around today, I would be there all the time!
I have a fur coat that has a Hengerer's Buffalo label in it. Does anyone have an idea as to the value? I got it at an estate sale. You can reply to joycefuel@gmail.com if you know anything. It is a lovely coat.
ReplyDeleteI have to chairs from Hengerers that my husband Grandparents gave us. They are a lovely pea green color and look well made. I am just wondering if I should have re-upholstered or toss? Any suggestions
ReplyDeleteIf the upholstery is in good shape do not reupholster them, it will lower their antique value significantly. I have a king's chair that my dog about 10yrs ago tore the upholstery and I was told, even with the tear, reupholstering the king's chair would likely decrease the value more. Restoring the upholstery would be the best route, if you go to a reputable, quality antique reupholsterer.
DeleteI worked in the Statistical Dept.back in the 70's. Loved that job of preparing the "Daily Flash Report" using an adding machine, making copies and delivering it in person to the dept. heads. Great place to work! Also remember working the day the "Blizzard of '77" hit. Wish I could go back in time...
ReplyDeleteI RAN THE BLIZZARD 77 DT STORE OPERATIONS THAT WEEK.
DeleteI have a picture with your store name on it. it is of st john and the lamb, printed in 1845. is it from your store and what might the date be?
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, this is not a store. Hengerer's closed long ago. If someone reads your comment they may know something, so I am publishing it here. You'll have to check and see if someone see it. Why don't you take it to an antique dealer and see what they think?
ReplyDeleteI remember going to Hengerer's and Berger's with my Mother to get new dresses for school in first grade! We picked out 5 dresses, one for each day of the week! This was around 1957 or '58!!!
ReplyDeleteI just wrote my comment about my wonderful memories in Buffalo and all the lovely department stores downtown including Flint & Kents in the 1940s and 50s. You did not accept my comment. Don't know why.
ReplyDeleteIt must have been an internet/computer glitch, because I checked and didn't get any other comment from you. Please try again!
ReplyDeleteOh my. I can't write all that again. Maybe it was too much. I thought you would be interested in my experiences of the 1940s and early 1950s at these wonderful department stores downtown Buffalo. Again it was not published. Don't forget Flint & Kent's. Located across the old arcade building on Main Street. One of the owners went down with the Titanic in 1912. My grandmother liked that store & Berger's too. She worked at Wanamaker's in Philadelphia as a young girl 1910 through 1912 'l3. I sent comment on that at Wanamaker's ny.
ReplyDeleteSibleys was the 1st store in the Galleria Mall on Walden Avenue. I remember when I went to Sibleys before the entire mall was open. I was so excited to go there. Some of the pictures posted I recall being AM&As, so I am confused here. My father worked for a competitor of Hengerers, I can't remember the name, I think it started with a K. (Not Kaufmans, was long before that store took over Sibleys, was open when Hengerers was around) If anyone remembers. I would like to know the name, I keep thinking it was something like Klinehans but not the music hall.
ReplyDeleteI have antique (1962) china from Hengerers in the original box with their name on it. Anybody know where I can get a value?
ReplyDeleteWhen did the Amherst store on Main St. and Eggert Road close? My mom used to work in the
ReplyDeletedrapery dept. for many years. I have fond memories of that store, and it was an unexpected
surprise to see a picture of it here.
It closed about 1989 when the Galleria opened. It's still there, just an office building now.
DeleteI believe the Amherst store closed in the early to mid 1980's after Sibley's opened the Boulevard Mall store inside the former Sattler's store (the current large Macy's store) in 1983.
ReplyDeleteI worked downtown Tea Room back '76-'77. I was 18. Busy restaurant. Famous for our sweet rolls. Kitchen help was nice. Some waitresses were nasty. Stranded for 3 days during Blizzard of '77. Had to feed stranded employees from Wm Hengerer and Rand building. Anyone work around that time? My name is Alan. Email me: benderfox@yahoo.com. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteMy grandfather was the Santa Claus at the Seneca Mall location. My folks brought me and my siblings there twice. First time was when I was in Kindergarten and I spotted him right away.
ReplyDeleteSo which store was larger, Henegerer's or A,M,&A's?
ReplyDeleteYes, it very well might have been Kleinhans - if you turned left coming out the front door of Hengerer's and crossed Lafayette Square you were at Kleinhans They were solely a men's store for the longest time then started to branch out into women's; I do not know how well that went over, because once the snows from the Blizzard of '77 melted, I was "outta there".
ReplyDeleteIf you just count the number of branches, I believe AM&A's would have been the the 'larger' of the two; square-footage wise, it's anybody's guess.
ReplyDeleteThe Main/ Eggert store closed in spring '88 (I was in school at Sacred Heart then and remembered it well- mostly because we would go over to the ladies lounge after school and sit & smoke- back when there was smoking allowed inside).
ReplyDeleteI began my Design career in1957 with Hengerer's in the 7th Floor Design Studio. Designing for residential and commercial clients; The Buffalo Club, St Elizabeth's Convent, model homes at Wurlitzer Park, etcetera. I attended Univ Buffalo night school, 50% tuition reimbursement from Hengerer's. Now the store isn't there, but I found their two 'art deco' style display windows are now preserved in the Wolfsonian Museum, Miami, Florida, with a plaque, what a nice surprise !
ReplyDeleteWhen I applied for my Design job at Hengerer's I saw a pair of porcelain Siamese Cats on display, superbly sculpted, and I had to have them, new job or not. I got the job and the cats too,. I've had a great design career, and still have the beautiful cats looking at me in my den now. Hengerer's remains a fine memory for me and for so many.
ReplyDeleteI have 2 dolls with the Wm Hengerer's label attached. Stashia and Stanley, Pickards' Polish people. No date on the label. Does anyone have any information about these dolls?
ReplyDeletesldaniels42@gmail.com
I have heard many stories of my families department store. My name is Audrey hengerer and if anyone would like to tell me more I'd love to hear please and thank you my email is audreyhengerer0407@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteMy name is Audrey hengerer I would like to know more of my grandparents department store please email me at audreyhengerer0407@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteThe streamlined facade was in the 1930s, actually.
ReplyDeleteI have a picture of the Hengerer's Santa. Does anyone know who he was?
ReplyDeleteMy grandfather was a manager at Hengerer's in the 40's and 50's. He and my grandmother lived in Amherst. My father who is 85 tells cool stories about the store and Buffalo during that time.
ReplyDeleteJust picked up a Maxfield Parrish cropped calendar which has a Wm Hengerer Co. label on the back. Guess they did framing as well.
ReplyDeleteMaybe a related human interest story... I purchased a still life painting by Madge Wilcox Hengerer dated 1928 today. Just starting my research and love all the memories here. Reminds me of my first job at Burdines Department Store in Miami, Florida. Same status and quality theme as Hengerer's.
ReplyDeleteIn 1970 Hengerers carried cobalt blue pottery dishes named "Ocean". I wish I could add to one pitcher I found recently. I could not afford to buy these dishes when first married, but cannot forget how much I loved them. When I was a teen, Seventeen Magazine advertise a light blue spring suit by Catalina. I broght the magazine to the junior dept at the Main St store and was astounded to find out that they would special-order it for me. I never forgot the special times I would get on a bus on a Saturday and just browse through the downtown department stores. Those were wonderful days. Going to the tea room felt so special..
ReplyDeleteI still have some coat hangers from this store chain.
ReplyDeleteMy great granmother, Lettie Buffington, ran the Hengerer's cafeteria (or so I've been told) back in the 40's and maybe in the 30's too.
ReplyDeleteI just found a letter I received from Arnold Constable NYC store back in 1955, which would have been just after I graduated high school. It comments on my good record and asks if I might be interested in earning extra money for Christmas or even taking a full time position. Since neither of us is available to follow up on this nice offer in that particular way, I thought I'd at least ask if you have a spot for such historical items in your files. Please
ReplyDeleteI could take it, since it is small. I would try to find a worthy home for it in a New York museum/library.
ReplyDelete"Friend Request" me on Facebook and we can communicate via Messenger. Post your real name here (I won't make it public) so I know who you are.
My grandfather worked every Christmas as Santa at the Seneca Mall Hengerer's Tea Room.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could see a pic of those balloons that were passed out at Christmas
ReplyDeleteI have a sepia toned baby photo with a Hengerer’s stamp and negative number on the reverse. I was told it was of my Mom, but I have doubts. Is there anyway to trace those negatives? A year would solve the mystery…. Thanks!
ReplyDelete