Monday, February 7, 2011
Sears - 1700 West Broad Street - 1960s
For years I wondered what this building at Broad Street and Allen Ave had been. It appeared to be some sort of shopping cart factory in the early 90s, but always seemed like it had been a department store at some point. It wasn't until years later that I discovered it had in fact been a Sears. The picture below was taken sometime in the late 1960s. In the background you can see the Sauer's sign is on a different building than it is today, and the Wards TV (Circuit City).
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
The shopping cart factory (Rehrig International) was between Lombardy and Bowe. I remember shopping at this Sears in the 70's and very early 80's.
ReplyDeleteOh yes. This was a busy Sears. We went there often until Azalea Mall and Eastgate Mall became big. Wasn't Best (not to be confused with Best buy) in the vicinity?
ReplyDeleteBest was further west off Broad St near Staples Mill Rd.
DeleteAngela: I remember that shopping cart factory that was where Kroger is now, but I remember seeing lots of shopping carts outside of this building too. Maybe they were left over from the Sears days? Anyone know what business was in this building after Sears closed?
ReplyDeleteI have heard rumor and seen possible evidence by the change in facade where the display windows are that this became a theater for a short while? I have never seen any written evidence of it. Anybody know?
ReplyDeleteThis is part of Sauer's now. They own the building and use it to manufacture spices.
ReplyDeleteI went there as a kid many times during the 60's and 70's. Always wondered why that building was never repurposed as a retail space. Seems like such a waste.
ReplyDeleteDietra Best Products was on the other side of Broad st. across from Willow Lawn.
Attended VCU in the 70's and that Sears was where I got my first credit card. That area of the fan always had this blissful aroma of spices in the air from Sauer's. Contact High!
ReplyDeleteWe used to get our feet Xrayed for shoes at that Sears....
ReplyDelete....and we'd always stand underneath the Sauer's sign to watch the Harvest Festival parade every Fall.....
ReplyDeleteAs a kid I remember the smell of fresh popcorn being popped right near the entrance. Sears is where my parent shopped for my clothes in the 1960's and 1970s.
ReplyDeleteDid Sears intentionally build their stores to look like near-windowless bunkers in the 60's and 70's? The one near downtown in Durham (demolished a couple of years ago) looked very similar to this one and the 1970's vintage Sears in Greensboro, still in operation, has a similar fortress-like quality. I, too, shopped for my school clothes at Sears (the Greensboro one) as a child, and I remember the smell of fresh popcorn as well.
ReplyDeleteThe Sauer's sign is indeed farther down the street today. While there is certainly not a 4-story building in that location today, I can't be entirely certain whether the building in the photo with the Sauer's sign was demolished or if the upper stories were removed.
I went there often in the 70's.http://www.flickr.com/photos/library_of_virginia/4990236487/
ReplyDeleteWinnie the pooh Peter Pan collar dresses
ReplyDeleteWhen my Mom would take me there, I would race down the steps to the toy dept. and I was in G.I. Joe Heaven!!
ReplyDeleteWho owns the building now? Just wondering?
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know if there was a Sears downtown in Richmond in maybe the 40's (not the one by Sauer's)? My mother said there was, but I can't find any record of that.
ReplyDeleteThe first Sears in Richmond was on the Southwest corner of Jefferson & Broad Sts. I have interior photos of each floor. Sears then moved to East Broad (later to become Rayless Department Store). Finally to 1700 W. Broad. Everything I know about retailing, marketing, display, economics, etc. I learned as a young employee at that store. Unlike today's big box stores, to be a salesperson at Sears meant that you had to know EVERYTHING about EVERY item in your department. You also had a strict dresscode (suit, tie and dress shoes for guys). It was a great place to work and felt like "family"
ReplyDeleteThere is a Dukes mayonnaise sign facing south in this picture....and the "Vanilla" sign is facing west
DeleteThere is a Dukes mayonnaise sign facing south in this picture....and the "Vanilla" sign is facing west
DeleteThere is a Dukes mayonnaise sign facing south in this picture....and the "Vanilla" sign is facing west
DeleteGoing to Sears for us was a treat. There was a candy store on the ground floor. My mother would buy chocolate covered peanut clusters which were delicious! As children, we freely roamed with no worries of abductions, etc. and spent the better part of the day there. The Best store someone mentioned was near the corner of Broad and Staples Mill Road.
ReplyDeleteThe Sauers sign is no longer on that building because that building is no longer standing. That was the triangular building at Broad and Hermitage.
ReplyDelete