It's monkey wards to us Gen x children of boomers.
Hudson's, kmart, Sears I think some of these places are still around but man not like they used to be.
Yes! The Best around here actually had a corner of the building that would move back to reveal the entrance in the morning, then move forward to close up the rectangle building at night.
A&P was the first place my mom sent me after getting my driver’s license. We got home and “oops, I forgot to buy milk this week…here’s a couple of dollars, would you run out and get some?”
[Millers Outpost](https://youtu.be/q7--DaEkuZE?si=-bJnpUiiVp0B8l7D) Technically sold and under a different name, but back then it was a go-to for Levi’s, flannels, and their infamous wall of bandannas in every color you could want. Each store had a touch of western decor from wood floors to saloon style doors to the dressing rooms.
Wicks N Sticks
EarthCraft
Weren't they basically owned by Levi's?
I remember shopping there for Bugle Boy Jeans. I feel like my mom never understood Levi's jeans. I certainly never realized they had different styles for different body shapes. I always tried on 501s (because that's what they advertised the shit out of) and they never fucking fit me; always way too tight in the thighs. It wasn't until I was in my late 20's early 30's that I realized Levi's came in different styles for different body features.
I guess the Bugle Boy Jeans just always fit well, so that's what I always wore.
Edit: Just looked up Miller's Outpost - they were bought by another long-gone store - Anchor Blue!
Caldor. I barely remember it (went out of business when I was 7 or so) but I think it was sort of a discount sell-everything store. Possibly regional to the Northeast?
We have one A&W where I live, it’s in the same building with a KFC. Both were owned by Yum Brands at one time.
They have one of the best fast food burgers IMHO
A&P
Five and Dime
Woolworth's
Kings
Zayre
Ames
Lum's
Howard Johnson's
Fotomat
CompUSA
Border's books
There's a bunch that I grew up with, but I don't know if they are local or chains.
Fernandes Market
Rojack's Fruitland
Filene's
* Waldenbooks/Borders Books
* York Steak House (there's only one left, in Columbus OH)
* Bill Knapps
* Burger Chef
* Arthur Treacher Fish & Chips *(fun old-person fact: this chain was named after a British actor who played the policeman in Disney's Mary Poppins.)*
* Woolworths
* Big Bear grocery
* Media Play
* Camelot Music
* Toys R Us (and its mall-only knockoff, KB Toys, aka "The Retail Twins from Hell")
* Radio Shack
* Monkey...er, Montgomery Wards
* Elder Beerman
* Service Merchandise (the store with the incredibly stupid & backwards way of buying stuff)
* CompUSA
Woolco. Went there in Nov. 1981 to get a new battery for my watch. Struck up a conversation with the clerk who installed it. Fast forward to 2024 and we are still happily married.
I had to scroll to far for this one. Someone once said "the guy had so many accessories on his car that he must have run through a Western Auto with a magnet!"
Woolworth
Woolco
Name owned by Foot Locker.
That was my first thought, too. I miss their pick n mix aisle...
Well, just last week i bought stuff at Woolworth in Germany. They are doing ok i guess.
No, you stole this from me lol
Still operating in the UK and Germany.
Montgomery Wards
That’s Monkey Wards To us Boomers. 😎
It's monkey wards to us Gen x children of boomers. Hudson's, kmart, Sears I think some of these places are still around but man not like they used to be.
Fact.
Came here too late to say this.
My wife’s first job was at Monkey Wards… Good times.
Very first credit card i ever got. Also the first one to never pay off. Sorry guys, it's my fault the store went belly up.
I worked at the monkey wards paint department in Joplin, Missouri while newly married and going to college 1993-1994.
Circuit City.
Radio Shack
Nick Cannon recently had some sort of deal to resurrect radio shack. I wonder what happened with that.
Toys r Us
There is a Toys r Us in Japan. And a Tower Records... we couldn't believe it.
Now operating inside Macy's
Kids r us
Any time that I took the kids to either the doctor or dentist, this was our next stop.
They are all over Canada according to the action figure subreddits.
Was just in Toys R Us in Winnipeg. Your username checks out as a Canadian...
TG&Y
TG&Y always had the best selection of GI Joes and vehicles. Loved that place as a kid.
B. Dalton
I miss B. Dalton and Walden Books.
Service merchandise
the conveyor belt method of shopping worked so well that zero stores tried it later.
Holy cow I’ve been trying to remember the name of this place for years, thank you!!
Best
Best catalog was…well, the best.
They had the coolest entrances. South Florida kid?
Yes! The Best around here actually had a corner of the building that would move back to reveal the entrance in the morning, then move forward to close up the rectangle building at night.
The Best Xmas catalog was legendary
A&P grocery stores
A&P was the first place my mom sent me after getting my driver’s license. We got home and “oops, I forgot to buy milk this week…here’s a couple of dollars, would you run out and get some?”
Fry's. :'(
That one hurt
Sambos Tower Records
[Millers Outpost](https://youtu.be/q7--DaEkuZE?si=-bJnpUiiVp0B8l7D) Technically sold and under a different name, but back then it was a go-to for Levi’s, flannels, and their infamous wall of bandannas in every color you could want. Each store had a touch of western decor from wood floors to saloon style doors to the dressing rooms. Wicks N Sticks EarthCraft
Weren't they basically owned by Levi's? I remember shopping there for Bugle Boy Jeans. I feel like my mom never understood Levi's jeans. I certainly never realized they had different styles for different body shapes. I always tried on 501s (because that's what they advertised the shit out of) and they never fucking fit me; always way too tight in the thighs. It wasn't until I was in my late 20's early 30's that I realized Levi's came in different styles for different body features. I guess the Bugle Boy Jeans just always fit well, so that's what I always wore. Edit: Just looked up Miller's Outpost - they were bought by another long-gone store - Anchor Blue!
Alphabeta Grocery
Memory unlocked. We're you in SoCal by chance?
Central
Gemco
& Fedco
Mervyns
"Open. Open. Open"
Radio Shack
CompUSA.
Sambo’s restaurant
Still one left in Santa Barbara!
Stuckey's
That was always our pit stop. Go potty, get a Coca-Cola and a pecan log. Didn't mind long trips because we got to stop at Stuckey's
Kmart…
MediaPlay, Harmony House, Borders, Waldenbooks, Cunningham’s, Great Scott, Farmer Jack
Border's was pretty good. Can't forget Walden either.
Two Guys, Crazy Eddy
Crazy...I just said these two...great minds think a like...lol
Ooh. Two Guys.
Two Guys the best!
I heard Crazy Eddy is insane.
Two Guys, will always remember a pretzel cart sale in the lobby in Manalapan NJ, said “2 for the price of 3”.
His prices are INSANE!
Ames
Grants.
Brits - Jamesway - K-Mart
Borders
Ben Franklin.
They just dropped to Ben. They are still around.
Bradlees
Consumers distributing
Fellow Canadian 👍
Same! But in Northern California. Loved being a “Picker”!
Kresge's.
S&H Greenstamp Store
Now online. [https://greenstampsforgood.com/](https://greenstampsforgood.com/)
Newberrys
Builder's Square Farrell's Ice Cream
Wonder/Hostess thrift store
The original Orange Julius. They were bought out by DQ in 1987.
Revco, Yellow Front, Totem, Rexall Drugs,
My first job was at Revco.
Woolworth’s
WaldenBooks, first job outside mom&pop places.
Revco
Gateway Computers
Ames
I'll age myself AND tell you where I grew up, in one fell swoop: Red Owl.
Wieboldt's for me, Chicagoland area. They also gave out S&H Green Stamps and had a redemption center in their stores.
White Front
Those have unfortunately resurfaced in different, political forms 👎🏼😂🤣😂
Kings, Giant Open Air, Zayre, Thalheimers, Smith and Welton, Rices Nachman, Miller and Rhodes, Kmart unfortunately the list goes on...
Caldor. I barely remember it (went out of business when I was 7 or so) but I think it was sort of a discount sell-everything store. Possibly regional to the Northeast?
Sav-on
Best
Has no one said Radio Shack yet?
Not that I’ve seen scrolling
Camelot Music Swiss Colony
Gemco
Leonard’s, Grant’s. I’m not sure if A&W Drive in restaurants are a thing anymore. Sometimes we’d stop on the way home from a Boy Scout campout.
We have one A&W where I live, it’s in the same building with a KFC. Both were owned by Yum Brands at one time. They have one of the best fast food burgers IMHO
I remember the burgers were great, and you could buy a gallon or half gallon of root beer on tap.
Yeah there's a few operating A&W drive ins with the roller skates and everything. I went to one in the thumb last year
This A&W is still there in the original drive-up building. It hasn’t change in my lifetime. https://maps.app.goo.gl/GEf2cA5CGKRa7Jqu7?g_st=ic
There's an A&W drive in near Providence RI (Smithfield) With carhops and trays.
Eaton's
Blimpie’s sub shop Shakey’s pizza Osco drug store
I loved Blimpie’s sub shop! These days I go to Publix.
There are still Skakey's Pizza's in So Cal.
Blimpies still exists, there just aren't very many locations left.
Fedmart Mervyn's Fotomat
Woolworths.
TCBY
Hollywood Video
Service Merchandise and Best.
S&H Green Stamp Stores
[https://www.reddit.com/r/NOLA/comments/zr551c/age\_yourself\_with\_a\_store\_product\_that\_no\_longer/](https://www.reddit.com/r/NOLA/comments/zr551c/age_yourself_with_a_store_product_that_no_longer/)
Ardans
Musicland
W.T.Grant
Turtles Records and Tapes (Blockbusters predecessor)
Two Guys
Montgomery Wards
Venture
Mervyn's
Tilt
TG&Y
A&P Five and Dime Woolworth's Kings Zayre Ames Lum's Howard Johnson's Fotomat CompUSA Border's books There's a bunch that I grew up with, but I don't know if they are local or chains. Fernandes Market Rojack's Fruitland Filene's
Radio shack
Crazy Eddie's
* Waldenbooks/Borders Books * York Steak House (there's only one left, in Columbus OH) * Bill Knapps * Burger Chef * Arthur Treacher Fish & Chips *(fun old-person fact: this chain was named after a British actor who played the policeman in Disney's Mary Poppins.)* * Woolworths * Big Bear grocery * Media Play * Camelot Music * Toys R Us (and its mall-only knockoff, KB Toys, aka "The Retail Twins from Hell") * Radio Shack * Monkey...er, Montgomery Wards * Elder Beerman * Service Merchandise (the store with the incredibly stupid & backwards way of buying stuff) * CompUSA
Piggly Wiggly, Gino's, Winn Dixie
FotoMat. One hour photo developing and printing on malls and parking lots everywhere.
Tower Records.
Montgomery wards or “monkey wards” as my dad called it.
Longs Drugs. Consumers, Ltd.
Sears ,
Stoeffer’s restaurants. Anybody remember them?
Woolco. Went there in Nov. 1981 to get a new battery for my watch. Struck up a conversation with the clerk who installed it. Fast forward to 2024 and we are still happily married.
Woolworth
Grant's
Jamesway
Korvettes Sam Goody Herman’s
Gino's
Mervyns
Two Guys
Contempo Casuals
Mervin’s!
Gadzooks
Western auto
I had to scroll to far for this one. Someone once said "the guy had so many accessories on his car that he must have run through a Western Auto with a magnet!"
Sammy Goody
Goody got it!
Caldor
Bradlees
Crazy Eddie
Woolworths McCrorys Ames Nichols
Zodys Gemco
Bill Knapp’s
Circuit City.
KMart
Chess King
Kresge.
Ben Franklin
Kmart
Egghead Software
Toys R Us
Monkey wards
Gemco.
Service Merchandise Pharmor
Gemco
Woolworths
Farrell’s!!
Lucky’s Groceries
Circuit City
Ben Franklin.
Chesapeake Bay Seafood House
Bradley's.
Gimbal’s , Buster Brown shoes
Montgomery Ward
Radio Shack
Bradley’s, Zayres, Fotomat, Caldor
Howard Johnson’s (aka HoJo’s)
Dairy King
KB Toys
For those from the SE US, I remember when Food Lion was called Food Town.
Montgomery Ward
Pantry Pride, Kresges and JM Fields.
C-Mart
Burger Queen
Hills
Zayres
Woolworth
I'll go further back than that: Grand Union supermarkets.
Zayre