Long Gone Retail stores that you miss.

[ErikCLDR]

Ocean State Job Lot is great. It ranks right up there with Benny's.

Hahah! Benny's. Is that store a chain?

The only one i know of is near my beach house. Its on the boarder of Charlestown and Westerly. I am amazed that that place can stay in business with Wal-Mart right next door. I honestly have not been in that store in ages. I just remember they sell a lot of beach things and toys. And they are always having a Bike Sale or something.

 

[letsgorangers]

It really is a shame it became a crime site. We used sit around the ice rink and read or snack and watch the skaters. Even two years after its closing, they found two corpses at the site. It became known as the Mall of Murder.

took the words right out of my mouth. i used to skate there as a child. it really lived up to that nickname over the years...

 

[FrankBlack]

Sears stock has been at all time highs and Sears continues to grow. It ain't going anywhere...

Their stock may be doing well for the moment, but time has a funny way of changing things.

The Sears in Natick, MA was unbelievably busy on Saturdays, back the 70's to mid 80's. The floor traffic was almost like a mob. This was before the blue laws were repealed, and most retail stores were not open on Sunday. They sold lots of stuff, and the craftsman tools could not be beat. Craftsman tools were manufactured by Stanley Works. I'm not certain who makes now, but the quality has definitely changed. Anyone have info on this?

I just think that today, Sears is a totally different place. Example: I own a small table lamp I'd like to fix. I'd like to replace the socket, and install that part known as "the Harp", (supports the lampshade) so I can use an energy efficient bulb in it. Sears always used to carry all the stuff you could possibly need for things like this. Today they carry a few replacement sockets, but not the one I need. In fact, the electricial department is less then one third the size it used to be, circa 1980. Asking an employee only produced a blank stare. The employees of old would have known what I was talking about, and answered "Yep, we got those".

Grocery Stores: Anyone remember a chain called "First National"? I think they may have had a company policy that stated that each and every grocery cart had to have one wheel that wagged back and forth, and squealed as you pushed the cart.

 

[Fezwick]

Hahah! Benny's. Is that store a chain?

The only one i know of is near my beach house. Its on the boarder of Charlestown and Westerly. I am amazed that that place can stay in business with Wal-Mart right next door. I honestly have not been in that store in ages. I just remember they sell a lot of beach things and toys. And they are always having a Bike Sale or something.

I don't think it's a chain as I haven't seen them outside of RI (granted I'm not looking for them). There's three in RI that I know of: Smithfield, Cranston and Westerly. I have a feeling Benny's isn't going anywhere as the one up near me has been open forever and there's always people in there. I stick to this rule - "If you can't find something in another store, it's probably at Benny's"

 

[emmawu]

I miss Marshall Field's and I miss Gimbels. There were a lot of little departments you can't find unless you go to speciality stores. They actually had knowledgeable sales people who could help you pick out something for your parents. Oh well, life goes one.

 

[MacNut]

I don't think it's a chain as I haven't seen them outside of RI (granted I'm not looking for them). There's three in RI that I know of: Smithfield, Cranston and Westerly. I have a feeling Benny's isn't going anywhere as the one up near me has been open forever and there's always people in there. I stick to this rule - "If you can't find something in another store, it's probably at Benny's"

There is a Benny's in CT.

 

[zwida]

They aren't gone, but we don't have any Piggly Wiggly's here anymore.

The Pig! I'd never seen a Piggly Wiggly until I visited my wife's family in Appleton, WI. Those are odd little stores. They must be franchises or something, because they seem to really vary from one location to the next.

 

[Fezwick]

There is a Benny's in CT.

I just took a look at their site and there are a bunch more than I realized. I guess it really is a chain in the tri-state area. Learn something new everyday!

 

[xparaparafreakx]

I miss TechSource. If people don't remember, back before apple stores, there were Apple Specialist Dealers and Apple Authorized Service Providers. This store was clean and knew their stuff. This was important for little asian kids, me and my lil brother, 11 and 10, when it came to buying our macs.

Few years later when it came up buy our 4th computer, its was hard to find a 17" Powerbook at compusa when our parents did not allow us to buy them online.

Now we just buy everything online/I take the train to San Fran and get our 17" MBPs.

 

[jakochampolska]

GAYFERS
It was more of a department store bought and renamed by Belk. They closed when I was 6 or 7, but I remember me and my dad making fun of my mom for shopping there

 

[TheEdisonEffect]

Bruno's Supermarket. They're still around, just not in Florida anymore. Always had unusual foreign foods and a good produce selection, and were cheaper than Publix.

Also miss '80s-era Electronics Boutique, back when they had all sorts of cool computer gadgets and parts and such... not the video game store it is now.