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    Wanamaker's: Meet Me at the Eagle
    Unavailable
    Wanamaker's: Meet Me at the Eagle
    Unavailable
    Wanamaker's: Meet Me at the Eagle
    Ebook220 pages1 hour

    Wanamaker's: Meet Me at the Eagle

    By Michael J. Lisicky

    3/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    Philadelphia was once the proud home of Wanamaker's, a department store of many firsts founded by the retail giant John Wanamaker in 1861. Its name was synonymous with service, and Philadelphians still fondly remember the massive bronze eagle in the Grand Court, concerts from the world's largest pipe organ and the spectacular Christmas festivities. Philadelphia native Michael J. Lisicky takes a nostalgic journey through the history of the store, from its beginnings as a haberdashery to its growth into New York and Delaware and the final poignant closing of its doors. Lisicky brilliantly combines interviews with store insiders, forgotten recipes and memories from local celebrities such as Trudy Haynes and Sally Starr to bring readers back to the soft glow of the marble atrium and the quiet elegance of the Crystal Tea Room that was Wanamaker's.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherThe History Press
    Release dateOct 15, 2010
    ISBN9781614230304
    Unavailable
    Wanamaker's: Meet Me at the Eagle
    Author

    Michael J. Lisicky

    Michael Lisicky is a nationally recognized east coast department store historian and lecturer. He is the author of several bestselling books including "Gimbels Has It!"? He has been featured in Fortune Magazine and on the CBS Sunday Morning show. He resides in Baltimore, and is an oboist with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra. Albert Boscov is the chairman and chief executive officer of Boscov's Department Stores.

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    Reviews for Wanamaker's

    3/5

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    • 3/5
      I was expecting this book to be about the main Wanamaker's store in Philadelphia; the one which featured the eagle, a central meeting place for people. It is actually both a history of what became the Wanamaker chain and a history of department stores in the Philadelphia region including adjacent New Jersey. Mr. Lisicky also discusses the competition such as Strawbridge & Clothier, Gimbels, and the Lit Brothers. Much of the text is devoted to the openings and closings of branch stores including those in other regions such as New York City, Wilmington, and other parts of Pennsylvania. The text does point out the general problems of a number of once prominent department stores, which have gone out of business, in major cities such as Philadelphia, Washington, New York, and Chicago.The most enjoyable part of the book told the story of such features as the eagle, the Crystal Tea Room on the ninth floor, the organ concerts, and the Christmas events. Most of these I experienced as a child in the 1950s.There was some repetition from one chapter to another, and Mr. Lisicky repeatedly quoted the same few people. A briefer version of this account would have made a very interesting journal or newspaper article.