The Jones Store Co., Kansas City, Missouri








The Jones Store Company
1201 Main Street
Kansas City, Missouri

GRand 1-5050





Lower Main
Jones Budget Floor

Walnut Level
China  Glassware  Silverware  Gift Shop  Housewares  Small Appliances  Paints  Wallpaper  Housewares  Small Appliances  Vacuums  Windows  Flower Shop  Decorative Accessories  Art Needlework  Optical • Portrait Studio  Candy  Stationery  Calculators  Hat Box  Luggage  Books  J. Logan Jones Restaurant

First Floor Main
The Hawthorn Room Restaurant  Jewelry  Precious Jewelry  Handbags  Small Leather Goods  Gloves  Neckwear  Hosiery  Handkerchiefs  Hat Bar  Dress Accessories  Blouses  Sweaters  First Floor Sportswear  Cosmetics Bars  Drugs  Toiletries  Notions  Linens  Domestics  Towels  Fine Linen Shop
Youth Center Infants' Shop  Tots and Toddlers  Girls' Shop  Hi-Ho Shop  Girls' Hat Bar  Children's Shoes
Men's Shops Men's Furnishings • Men's Shoes  Men's Hats  Men's Sportswear • Men's Wear  Young Men's Shop  Student Shop  Boys' Wear

Second Floor
Fashion Fabrics • Sewing Machines  Sportswear  Sun Fun Shop  Dresses  Career Dresses  Town and Casuals  Half-Size Dresses  Custom Size Sportswear  Coat Salon  Suit Salon  Contemporary  Formal Shop  Ladies' Shoes  Millinery  Wig Boutique  Bridal Salon  Fur Salon  Designer Room  Loungewear  Lingerie  Foundations  Maternity Shop  Uniforms  Beauty Salon
Junior Colony Jr. Sportswear  Jr. Dresses  Jr. Coats  Pre-Teens

Third Floor
Furniture  Bedding  Rugs  Lamps  Wall Decor Gallery  Draperies  Appliances  Music Shop  Radios  Stereos  Televisions  Toys  Sporting Goods  Credit Bureau

Fourth Floor
The Club House  Personnel Office  General Offices





Muskogee, OK
1948

Troost
31st and Troost
March, 1949

Independence
206 Liberty Street
June, 1951

Prairie Village
71st Street & Hudson Road
Mission, Kansas
October, 1956

Blue Ridge Mall
August, 1962
200,000 s.f.

Metcalf South
July, 1967

Metro North
1975


Coming in due course.


44 comments:

  1. Wasn't the Café on Third Floor Main known as The Hawthorne Room?

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  2. Is there any way to find Jones Store television commercials from the 1960's? My brother & I were in quite a few of them and I would love to find them.

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  3. This wasn't the layout when I worked there in th 80's. You had Walnut level, which housed home goods, crystal, and fine china. Then 1st floor, which was Mens, Fragrence, Jewelry, children's, linens and women's hosiery. 2nd floor was all women's wear. 3rd floor was furniture and meeting rooms, and 4th floor was offices.

    Yes, the cafeteria was The Hawthorne Room was on 1st floor, and J. Logan Jones restaurant was on Walnut level.

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  4. I miss Jones', Federated didnt help it and MDF and was the death knell, no more fur salon, the best china dept in the 4 state area slowly died till it was a shadow of its former self. I remeber when they had real antiques and such for their display areas and fresh flowers in cosmetics. And some of the best service from its long time employees, phone calls with new arrivals....Now they are all the tacky "New" Macys.

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  5. I agree with anon, jones was a great store, miss downtown store. the macys stores are just glorified penneys. miss Woolf bros, Harzfelds and swansons and now jack henry is gone. the only local store left is Halls.

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  6. Is there any way to find out whether or not someone worked at the downtown jones store? I am trying to find out about someone who I think was an employee there back in the late 60's?

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  7. Wow..just stumbled on this .I have so many memories of the old DT . It was a treat for us to ride the bus and spend the day there. The dolls in the Hartsfield window made Christmas come alive.
    I actually worked there in the cosmetics counter in the late 80 early 90
    Those were the days...Tammy Dozier Arlington Texas

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    1. I remember Jones store the corner main st @12th
      The best memory was Christmas and winter wonderland and train rides

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    2. I remember Jones store the corner main st @12th
      The best memory was Christmas and winter wonderland and train rides

      Delete
    3. I remember Jones store the corner main st @12th
      The best memory was Christmas and winter wonderland and train rides

      Delete
    4. I'm 61yrs old. You shopped downtown in white gloves if you were a woman and wore a suit if a man.

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  8. Hi there,
    It seems like I grew up in the downtown k.c. Jones Store my father was a stylist/hairdresser
    his name is Frederick Williford he worked in the salon department in the 60's. If anyone knew
    of him my email bebe031.bb@gmail.com














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  9. Who is writing the history of The Jones Store Co.?

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    Replies
    1. I don’t believe anyone is and I have search and know nothing is out there today. My husband and I are considering it. He was president for almost 20 years. I’ve been posting photos of historical documents from his collection (in our basement) on the FB group “Remembering The Jones Store.”

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  10. My father, John C. Cline, was the furniture buyer for the Jone's Store in the late thirties. From there he was hired by the Brandeis Dept. Store to be their buyer.

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  11. I purchased a paper back copy of Charles Dickens The Pickwick Papers at a yard sale in South Carolina. Hand written on the inside is 5/17/63 Jones Store Kansas City Missouri and a name Magers. I just thought this was very interesting. The book has really traveled over time.

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  12. Teresa Christensen23 August, 2015 16:10

    I started my career as a buyer st Jone's Store in 1972 right out of college.

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  13. I have a jones store chair. There is no info on Internet anywhere. Can someone help?

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  14. Lyn Lindley Lewellen15 September, 2015 12:41

    My grandmother, Edna Lindley, retired from the Jones Store Co., downtown after 30 some years. This has been many years ago since she retired. I remember, with such fondness, going to her Housewares Department. She would take me around the store and "show off" her only granddaughter. (smile) I remember the "train" during Christmas time in the snowy wonderland. That same train is now at Union Station during the Christmas season, once again giving small children a ride. Unfortunately, Union Station hasn't created quite the winter wonderland that the Jones Store Company did! Oh how I miss the QUALITY of the Jones Store Co.!!

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    Replies
    1. I forgot about the train. Thanks for remembering it!

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  15. My grandfather took my grandmother to Kansas City, Missouri in the year 1980 and bought her a mink stole from The Jones Store Co., it is still in great condition, it is a caramel color, with a tan, satin like interior that is embroidered with flowers, and has inside pockets. The label reads, "Furs by the Jones Store CO Kansas City." Does anyone know of someone who would be interested in purchasing this piece of history?

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  16. My father did the marble in the store, remember seeing him working when I was small. Nice memories

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  17. Cathy Sanchez03 June, 2017 22:15

    I worked at the Jones Store Co. from 1975-1980. I started at the age of 15 with a work permit and worked in nearly every department. I remember selling wigs, lamps, mirrors, and pictures, men's clothing, housewares, cards, scarves and handbags. My last department was the candy department making fudge and selling Russell Stover and Godiva chocolates. I left at age 20 to work for the federal government, but have great memories of the store. Even bought all my families clothes there. Still have some that I've passed down to my 23 year old daughter and they are back in style. Lol

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  18. Cathy Sanchez03 June, 2017 22:16

    I worked at the Jones Store Co. from 1975-1980. I started at the age of 15 with a work permit and worked in nearly every department. I remember selling wigs, lamps, mirrors, and pictures, men's clothing, housewares, cards, scarves and handbags. My last department was the candy department making fudge and selling Russell Stover and Godiva chocolates. I left at age 20 to work for the federal government, but have great memories of the store. Even bought all my families clothes there. Still have some that I've passed down to my 23 year old daughter and they are back in style. Lol

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  19. Michelle Miller August 22, 2017

    My mother, Jean Miller, started working at The Jones Store downtown Kansas City as assistant Jr Buyer in 1955. She retired in 1985 and always lamented that she would have worked five more years. Through the years she became women's sportswear buyer, central buyer for all stores, merchandise manager, and store manager. While sportswear buyer, she ranked #1 for many years with Mercantile Stores. She helped open Blue Ridge in 1962. Many successful buyers, who went on to work for other large department stores, were trainees of my mother. She had a Teen Board of high school girls from Raytown and Independence who worked for her and were in her back to school fashion shows. She made many buying trips to New York and always brought me souvenirs. She missed the birth of our son as she was on her way home from a buying trip in New York.
    She was heartbroken when Jones became Macy's as it was her competitor downtown. I was never allowed to shop there!
    I knew so many of the employees who worked DT and at all of the branch stores. They were all so dedicated and proud to be a part of Jones Store family. The DT windows were always dressed so perfectly and fun to see. I was able to watch the American Royal parade from a tiny window when the weather was too cold to be outside. Many people helped me coordinate my wedding. Mother worked six days a week as did most employees. They were always so kind and helped many loyal shoppers. We would pick Mom up in the evenings. Every Christmas Eve at 6:00 pm when we picked her up, she would have lots of presents that were gift wrapped so beautifully! I met Charlton Heston there. I grew up there as a Jones Store kid as did so many other employees' children. Most of those employees are no longer with us. I enjoyed reading the accounts several of you have made here. I was able to help Jeanne Matthews, the fashion coordinator, with her fashion shows in the summers and Lora Lee Davis, the fragrance/cosmetics buyer on Saturdays. The Jones Store was a magical place where I grew up learning the fashion business from my mother.

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  20. We have a catalog from Jones, Post & Company, successor to Jones Bros Mercantile--also in KC. It resembles the Sears Catalog and features fashions reminiscent of about 1912. Is there a connection to this company

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  21. I recently purchased a fur coat from a second hand store inside it says Jones Kansas City Missouri.There are no other tags it seems to be real fur. However I am not sure can anyone tell me if Jones sold Real Fur? The coat is beautiful and it great condition. Thanks for any help.

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  22. Yes, The Jones Store Co. sold furs in its second-floor Fur Salon for many years. Advertisements in the Kansas City Star would also bear this out.
    - Bruce

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  23. Didn’t think I was crazy! I remember paint and bathtub refinishers from 60’s tv commercials that were sold at Jones downtown!

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  24. Exactly! So wish someone would write a definitive history of Jones sometime before I pass. Grew up shopping there!

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  25. Trying to find manufacturer of Danelle Shoes I used to buy at The Jones Store. Anyone know how to find this out?

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  26. Was Jones at the Westroads in Omaha several years back.

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  27. My father, John C. Cline, was the furniture buyer for the Jone's Store in the late '30's/very early '40's. Brandeis in Omaha hired him away. How can I access history of the store in that era?

    Thanks.

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    Replies
    1. genealogybank.com has archives of Omaha and Kansas City newspapers. It is a subscription service, but may be carried by your local library. Newspapers.com also has the KC papers. You could do searches to see how the papers reported on store activities at the time.
      - Bruce

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  28. I just bought some items from a guy it had a The Jones Store Luggage really old looking! I don’t know how old it it is it does have a serial number on it

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  29. I worked as a window decorator in the Jones Store in Pittsburg, Kansas 1969-1972. My mother had taken me to most of the Kansas City stores to shop at different times after going to the American Royal Horse Show. I also made sale signs on the old leaf type set machine. I would love to have the Jones Store insignia make from the type set. Such happy memories. Our manager, Harold Mobley would let me go visit for the day. The downtown store would give us their used store displays and a truck would bring them with merchandise.

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  30. I remember going downtown with my mother to buy school clothes and it was so much fun. I also loved to have lunch with my mother in the Hawthorne room. Tuna salad sandwich..potato chips and a pickle. So many good memories of Jones. Wish they were still around.

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  31. My mother was executive secretary to the President of Jones Store from 1946 to 1951. One of the most aggravating tasks the President had was negotiating real estate leases with the owners of the properties upon which the downtown Jones Store stood. She said there were a dozen owners or more of various plots of land, all of whom were fractious and contentious. She said she typed, retyped and typed again as demands and counteroffers were made for months. Another story she told was a day that a great number of checks payable had just been completed and were under a paper weight prior to being put into envelopes. A supplier salesman came in, perched on her desk. Then he absentmindedly lifted up the weight to examine it just as a wild gust of wind blew through the open windows (remember those in office buildings?). All the checks flew out the window and sailed through the air like confetti, lazily floating down into the street below. She dashed down and was handed the checks back by people who'd stopped to pick them up. Different times then, people wouldn't do that today.

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  32. Used to be a location in Omaha at Westroads in the late 90's early 00's briefly before it closed and Younkers moved into the space.

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  33. I am writing a monograph on Kansas City artist Duard Marshall (1914-2010) who created an Italian tile mural for the Jones Store in Prairie Village in 1965. It was a scene of a wagon train crossing the prairie with an alert Indian watching. Anyone one have an image of this mural or know what might have happened to it? Perhaps it still exists?

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    Replies
    1. From this distance, I can't help you other than to ask if you have checked digital photo archives at libraries and museums from Missouri, Kansas City, and Mission, KS.; as it may have been covered up (why oh why???) in further renovations, you could check with the store management, or if closed, the current owner.
      -Bruce

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  34. Jennifer Johnson11 August, 2022 16:39

    Thirty five years ago this week, The Jones store of Bannister Mall held a ceremony to present the winners of You Be the Designer of the next Century with Apple iic computers. These computers were supplied by Bottomline Inc of the mall. The winners designs were made and modeled at the presentation. There was mentioned a time capsule the clothes would go in. Was there a time capsule at that Jones store and if so, what has happened to it?

    Thank you,
    Jennifer Johnson

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  35. Jennifer Johnson11 August, 2022 16:40

    Was there a Time Capsule at the Jones store in Bannister Mall?

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