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| Harzfeld's official address was on Main Street, but the longer side of the store stretched down 11th Street, popularly known as "Petticoat Lane." |
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| Harzfeld's 11-story building was faced in cream-colored ornamental terra cotta and opened in November 0f 1913. |
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| A 1950s view of Petticoat Lane, bustling with shoppers, reveals a modernized storefront on Harzfeld's, which had also expanded eastward into the adjacent Lillis Building. |
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| Harzfeld's - Petticat Lane, Kansas City, Mo. |
1111 Main Street
Petticoat Lane
Kansas City,
Missouri
Precious Jewels • Fashion • Jewelry • Perfumery • Cosmetics • Beauty Essentials • Hat Bar • Neckwear • Handbags • Hosiery • "Legs" • Gloves • Fashion Accessories • Les Must de Cartier • Stationery • Luggage • Men's Shop • Men's Furnishings
Sports Shop • Sportstuff • Gadabout Sports • Theme Generation • Petticoat Lane Dresses • Plaza Dresses • Plaza Sportswear • Coat Shop • Suit Shop • Y.E.S. Young Essentials Shop • Contemporary Sports • Contemporary Dresses
Signature Sportswear • Custom Cove • Production Numbers • Better Dresses • Private Collectors • Designer Sportswear • French Room Salon • Bridal Consultant • Coat Salon
Fourth Floor
Shoe Salon • Petticoat Lane Shoes • Gadabout Shoes • Corset Shop • Exercise Place • Slippers • Robes • Something Comfortable • Designers At Home • Absolute Essentials • Daywear • Sleepwear • Uniforms
Fifth Floor
Sixth Floor
Millinery • French Room Millinery • Junior Dresses • Junior Coats • Junior Sport • Jr. Accessories
Seventh Floor
Fur Salon • Alterations • Repairs
Eighth Floor
Gift Gallery • Idiosyncrasies • Linens Boutique • Georg Jensen Room • Silver Gallery
Ninth Floor
Beauty Salon
Tenth Floor
Executive Offices • Credit Office • Cashier
Eleventh Floor
Employee Cafeteria
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| Lawrence, KS "On the Hill" March, 1923 |
Columbia
922 East Broadway
1929/1949
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| Country Club Plaza Nichols Road and Pennsylvania 1954 55,000 s.f. |
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| Blue Ridge Mall Kansas City, MO 1958 41,000 s.f. |
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| Corinth Square Prairie Village, KS 1963 |
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| Metcalf South 1967 |
I've come across an old Harzfeld's hat box from Kansas City, would you have any idea as to what it's worth? Please let me on know, thank you. (asteidel87@yahoo.com)
ReplyDeleteYes I had one. The Windows at Christmas were so wonderful. Great memories.
DeleteWhat a treat finding this historic site. Harzfeld's was just the best-and offered the best service. We shopped there for decades-then moved from the area-and so sad to hear it had closed some time back. Gosh, I remember Mr. Kosmicke (Mgr. at the Blue Ridge Mall store and all the wonderful ladies in store. Such fond memories of when customer service really meant something. Won't see many as this store was in the future. Too bad.
ReplyDeleteMy father did the marble on the blue ridge and the other stores
DeleteIf boxes have monetary value I'd like to know. I have a large coat box. These photos grab at my heartstrings, especially the Lawrence store. My first apartment as a newlywed in 1954 was directly behind the store at 12th & Indiana. My address during the previous school year was just one block to the West on 12th so I walked by there every day. I knew the staff pretty well. Years later I was employed in the shoe salon at the Metcalf Store, then at Corinth when it closed. So sad to watch its demise.
ReplyDeleteI worked in the Harzfeld building, after it was converted to office space. I wish I could have seen it as a department store.
ReplyDeleteIt was a wonderful place to shop!
DeleteI searched for "Petticoat Lane" silk scarf and what a surprise! I have an orange silk scarf with the full view silkscreen of people walking down the street. I was trying to find out more about it. Any ideas?
ReplyDeleteI came across a Harzfelds Kansas City mink stole and would like to know how much it's worth.
ReplyDeleteI am interested in finding out about the history on a quilt and coverlet that is made up of Harzfeld clothing labels. The quilting was done by a local tailor and is professionally finished. I would like to know if anyone has information on the individual who commissioned the tailor and also the tailor who assembled it and finished it. Thank you in advance!
ReplyDeleteOh what fond memories of Harzfelds I have! As a small child in the late 50's/early 60's, I remember so vividly the windows of the store during the Christmas season. I can still see the bigger than life mechanical dolls that captivated and held me almost spellbound! As a teenager, I can still remember the smell of the department store, the elegance of the clothing, shoes, purses, etc. Just such great memories. Unfortunately that is all lost in today's world. So sad.
ReplyDeleteI worked for Harzfeld's in 1973 in their receiving department. It was above an old cigar factory close to the old Spagetti Warehouse near 10th & Washington Street. I made $1.60 an hour minimum wage but was handling designer dresses. The Harzfeld's fur storage vault was located there as well. It had pretty high security to guard all of the valuables (more than furs!) that were stored in the facility. It was a slick operation for 1973. Dresses would come in and one person would unpack them and put them on hangers. I would write the store purchase orders, deciding how many of each size went to each of the stores in the area and then another lady would make the price tickets. Once ticketed, they went to a team of ladies who sewed Harzfeld labels in the clothing before being wheeled to the dock to be separated to go to each store. I can remember doing inventory in the downtown store, where ladies white gloves were kept in wooden drawers. Each size in a different drawer and the sales associates gave excellent customer service. Brings back memories.
ReplyDeleteI loved harzfelds! it had such class always the sharpest and smartest clothing, perfumes, feminine where at its finest. loved there soaps and bubble baths also.
ReplyDeleteHarzfeld's aah, so many memories. I remember shopping there w/ my Momma and Grandma so, so many times. Mostly at the Blue Ridge Mall but also catching the bus on the Independence square and riding to Downtown, Kansas City. First we'd go shopping at Harzfeld's and then go to the Fourm Cafeteria for lunch.
ReplyDeleteMy Mother's Wedding Dress was from Harzfeld's.
Many happy Saturdays would be spent with my best-friend, Gina, shopping at the Blue Ridge Mall. The Junior's Dept at Harzfeld's was downstairs and I can vividly remember the Poster display and the infamous poster of Farrah Faucet in her red bathing suit. The other memory I have of Harzfeld's is the beautiful green and white striped marble that was the signature of their entry. How sad it is now to return to my hometown and see the sprawl of Super Walmart and Lowes in the place of the wonderful Blue Ridge Mall and all it's fabulous stores... Chasnoff's, Newberry's, The Jones Store, Wolf Brother's, Wolworth's, The Cakebox Bakery, Don's World of Beef, Putch's Cafeteria. A walk down a wonderful Memory Lane!
Hi ! I have the sign from the front entry of the Blue Ridge Mall store. DO you know if your Mom got her dress from Miss Evelyn? She was my Granny !!
Deleteemail memawkat@hotmail.com
DeleteJust recently we have been clearing out a friends home and found a metal shoe horn that boldly states Harzfeld's shoe salon. That brought back many memories of that fine department store. Any idea's for what to do with the piece??
ReplyDeleteUse it, as it was meant to be? Or, contact a historic society or museum in KC, they would likely take it. I would accept and post a photo of it at bakgraphics@comcast.net
ReplyDelete- Bruce
I came across a really old Pearl concealed closure signed necklace and I asked a friend and she said I should contact the museum but I don't know where that is
DeleteI would like to use one of your photos on my husband's new dental office website under the "history" section. His office is located in the old Herzfeld's building and in particular in the old lingerie department. His office overlooks Petticoat Lane. Do you own the rights to the photo or do you know how I can seek permission to use it? (It is your 1950s photo of "bustling shoppers" used above. Thank you for any help you can provide and if you do not want to grant permission for me to use the photo that is fine too. Love your site!
ReplyDeleteThere is a higher resolution version available; email me at bakgraphics@comcast.net for more information.
ReplyDeleteI recently found a beautiful Harzfeld dress, it is long and looks a bit Victorian. Was wondering if anyone would have any idea of how old it is or what it might be worth (achildoftheking@rocketmail.com)
ReplyDeleteI recently found a pair of heels that my petite mother wore in the 1950's. They are labeled "Harzfeld's-Kansas City". Are in very good condition, and are a size 5. Was wondering if they are worth anything. Would anyone want them? You can email me at nancyrobertsrn@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteI have a red velvet loveseat that was in one of the salons in the downtown KC store. It was given to be by a decorator along with several chairs. I also worked there in 1975. If interested I can send photos. I can be contacted at Rreid198@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteIn 1957 I worked as an office girl for a law firm in the Harzfeld's building. Do you have the name of that law firm?
ReplyDeleteI’ll never forget working at wolf brothers expecially when they had their big sale, I was in high school but my sisters and I were the best dressed girls in school! They don’t make clothes like that anymore. Such quality!
ReplyDeleteIs there a way to find out which dept. of the KC Plaza Harzfelds my mother, Doris Cathey, managed (or worked in)? Think Womens Wear, but not sure. Think managed, but not sure. About 1955-60.
ReplyDeleteWhen Harzfelds in Corinth Square closed, my husband, Charlie Wooten, relocated Wooten Drugs in that space. We had Hallmark Cards, Rental Video, Post Office,pharmacy, etc, in that 10,000 sq ft.
ReplyDeleteWe still have the old Harzfelds Sign that hung above the entrance! I wonder if that has any value? Jan Wooten ... wootenjanj@aol.com
Charlie Wooten moved Wooten Drugs into the Corinth Square space where Harzfelds once was located. What fond memories!
ReplyDeleteWe had a pharmacy, also Hallmark Card &Gifts, Video Rental, Post Office in that 10,00 sqFt space.
We still have the old original Harzfelds Sign that displayed on the roof above the Corinth store. I wonder if anyone would want it? Email me if you have any thoughts. Wootenjanj@ aol.com
I worked at Harzfeld's to help open the Metcalf South store. We were hired several months in advance. We trained three days downtown, then worked a couple of months on the Plaza so we could hit the ground running when the Metcalfe South opened. I don't recall if we made $1.40 or $1.60 an hour - but it was in that range.
ReplyDeleteI was a sales girl - there was a strict dress code. We had to wear a plain, dark dress and stockings, of course. No slacks, no patterned outfits. Plain, dark - we were to recede and let the merchandise get all the attention. I worked in ladies dresses on the third floor on the Plaza. The seasoned sales women knew their customers by name, and would call them when an item arrived that might be of interest to that customer.
There were the famous green and white striped gift boxes. We could also do gift wrap. There was a nominal charge for the gift box (maybe 25 cents??). However, if your purchase was over a certain dollar value, the gift box was free. Otherwise, the nominal charge applied. However, we were instructed that if a MAN asked for a gift box or gift wrap, we were not to charge him, even if his purchase was not large enough to get the free gift box. Only the women got charged that little extra. That's just the way it was - nobody was too aware of sex discrimination at that point.
Also, if a customer was trying on a dress that did not fit quite right, we could call the Alterations Department. They would send a seamstress up immediately, who would fit the dress to the customer. The sale would be saved, and the customer could pick up the properly fitted and altered dress a few days later.
Miss Epstein was a long-time sales lady on the third floor. She seemed old at the time - but may have only been in her fifties or sixties. Still, she worked ON HER FEET eight full hours a day. Hard work.
The only time the sales force did not have to wear plain dark clothing was when we opened the Metcalf South store. As a high school student, I was assigned to the Juniors Department, which sold Gay Gibson dresses. For the opening, our manager had us all wear one of the Gay Gibson dresses, so we were "modeling" the merchandise that day. It was a yellow and black plaid dress - not that cute - but we completely sold out of those dresses the first day we were open.
I have a few fur coats of the harzfelds I don't want to get rid of it but I would like to know more about it .on the coat one of it has a label that says SWAHILI CREATED BY E.F. TIMME& SON INC.
ReplyDeleteMy first job at age 18 was at the Hartzfeld's store downtown. I worked in the credit drpartment looking up customers ledger sheets to see if they were able to charge a purchase. There were pneumatic tubex that carried the hand written sales tickets. Along the Petticoat Lane side of the store were chauffeur driven limousines waiting for Hartzfeld's customers. It was a wonderful experience.
ReplyDelete