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Old Department Store On Milwaukee Ave - Niesners
Posted by:
logansquare60647
()
Date: August 01, 2011 01:10AM
Hi all,
I'm looking for any information regarding a department store that used to be at 2774 N Milwaukee Ave, off of Kimball, called "Niesners." [en.wikipedia.org]
Currently there is a "Lot Stores" red awning in front of the building.
In the 50's and 60's, my grandparents ran a chicken shop inside of it. They sold whole chickens, and from what my father says, some of the best rotisserie chicken in the city. So it also doubled somewhat as a lunch counter.
No pictures exist in the family of the shop inside Niesners, and I know that'd be a longshot request, but even any pics of the store itself, or even just stories, would be gladly appreciated.
As coincidence would have it, I ended up living right by there a few years back, on Spaulding. And everytime I'd walk by I'd be reminded that that is where my family started in America. My grandparents were Holocaust survivors and that was what they did after they finally got into America in about '51 and got on their feet. They are long since gone, so all I have to go on is my dad's recollections. It'd be great to get some insight/info from some others who perhaps remember the store or their chicken shop.
Thanks in advance for any help!
I'm looking for any information regarding a department store that used to be at 2774 N Milwaukee Ave, off of Kimball, called "Niesners." [en.wikipedia.org]
Currently there is a "Lot Stores" red awning in front of the building.
In the 50's and 60's, my grandparents ran a chicken shop inside of it. They sold whole chickens, and from what my father says, some of the best rotisserie chicken in the city. So it also doubled somewhat as a lunch counter.
No pictures exist in the family of the shop inside Niesners, and I know that'd be a longshot request, but even any pics of the store itself, or even just stories, would be gladly appreciated.
As coincidence would have it, I ended up living right by there a few years back, on Spaulding. And everytime I'd walk by I'd be reminded that that is where my family started in America. My grandparents were Holocaust survivors and that was what they did after they finally got into America in about '51 and got on their feet. They are long since gone, so all I have to go on is my dad's recollections. It'd be great to get some insight/info from some others who perhaps remember the store or their chicken shop.
Thanks in advance for any help!
Re: Old Department Store On Milwaukee Ave - Niesners
Posted by:
jak378
()
Date: August 01, 2011 04:54PM
I kind of remember Neisner's being a small 5 and 10 Cent store, but I know little about them.
Re: Old Department Store On Milwaukee Ave - Niesners
Posted by:
Richard Stachowski
()
Date: August 01, 2011 04:58PM
One was on 47th & ashland ave.
Re: Old Department Store On Milwaukee Ave - Niesners
Posted by:
PKDickman
()
Date: August 02, 2011 11:42AM
There used to be a Neisner's at the Winston Plaza shopping center on North Ave in Melrose Park. It was sort of a five and dime operation.
When my brother and I would ride our bikes out there to go to Olson Electronics and to check out the cutout bin at the record store, we would stop in at the Neisner's lunch counter and get a meatloaf sandwich.
[en.wikipedia.org]
When my brother and I would ride our bikes out there to go to Olson Electronics and to check out the cutout bin at the record store, we would stop in at the Neisner's lunch counter and get a meatloaf sandwich.
[en.wikipedia.org]
Re: Old Department Store On Milwaukee Ave - Niesners
Posted by:
WayOutWardell
()
Date: August 14, 2011 11:13AM
I asked some family friends who lived on the corner of St. Louis and Schubert (from '40-'81) if they remembered Neisner's; they did, and remembered it being a five-and-dime with a lunch counter. Unfortunately, since they were partial to Woolworth's, they didn't have much else to add...
Re: Old Department Store On Milwaukee Ave - Niesners
Posted by:
Kchi
()
Date: August 15, 2011 07:57AM
Apparently Neisner's was a national chain. I found a article in the Tribune dated 1960 where Neisner's was announcing the opening of their 36th store in the Chicago area. I found some other ads,but they didn't appear to do any newspaper advertising other then mentioned with other stores and I could not find any ad that listed any store locations.
Here is the link for their Wikipedia article which contains very little informationn other than they were bought by Ames Department stores.
[en.wikipedia.org]
The other dime store chains I remember were Kresge's and Woolworths. If I remember correctly most of the store for some reason always had red signs with gold lettering.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/15/2011 08:17AM by Kchi.
Here is the link for their Wikipedia article which contains very little informationn other than they were bought by Ames Department stores.
[en.wikipedia.org]
The other dime store chains I remember were Kresge's and Woolworths. If I remember correctly most of the store for some reason always had red signs with gold lettering.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/15/2011 08:17AM by Kchi.
Re: Old Department Store On Milwaukee Ave - Niesners
Posted by:
logansquare60647
()
Date: August 18, 2011 02:46AM
Thank you very much WayOutWardell for asking and inquiring, I really appreciate it. And everybody else too, thank you for your input. Hopefully one day I'll find some picture or something or other, it'd be nice.
Cheers!
Brian Ekerman
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/18/2011 03:03AM by logansquare60647.
Cheers!
Brian Ekerman
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/18/2011 03:03AM by logansquare60647.
Re: Old Department Store On Milwaukee Ave - Niesners
Posted by:
mitchb13
()
Date: August 18, 2011 03:00AM
There was one on Madison and Karlov. Now it's the site of a McDonald's. You can find a picture in the book "Chicago's Jewish West Side".
[books.google.com]
[books.google.com]
Re: Old Department Store On Milwaukee Ave - Niesners
Posted by:
StrayKitten
()
Date: August 18, 2011 09:19AM
There was one on Devon Avenue at either Campbell or Maplewood in the '60s. I used to like it better than Woolworth's.
Re: Old Department Store On Milwaukee Ave - Niesners
Posted by:
423reed
()
Date: October 13, 2011 11:00PM
There also was a Niesner's 5 and 10 store on North Avenue just east of Larrabee Street on the north side of the street. There was a bowling alley upstairs. I had my first date with a girl there. I bought her Cokes at the soda fountain.
Other dime store chains from years ago were Ben Franklin, W.T Grant, and Newberry's. S.S. Kresges later became K-Mart! I guess today Wal-Mart has become the ultimate super dime store.
Other dime store chains from years ago were Ben Franklin, W.T Grant, and Newberry's. S.S. Kresges later became K-Mart! I guess today Wal-Mart has become the ultimate super dime store.
Re: Old Department Store On Milwaukee Ave - Niesners
Posted by:
zorchvalve
()
Date: October 30, 2011 06:11PM
423reed,I think there also was a woolworths on the south side of north ave. between mohawk and cleveland.
Re: Old Department Store On Milwaukee Ave - Niesners
Posted by:
shekaago
()
Date: November 15, 2011 10:41PM
Here's an exerpt from an October 1938 Tribune article mentioning the Madison and Karlov Neisner's location.
Coutesy of...
Chase, Al
Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963); Oct 16, 1938;
ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Chicago Tribune (1849-1987) pg. 20.
Coutesy of...
Chase, Al
Chicago Daily Tribune (1923-1963); Oct 16, 1938;
ProQuest Historical Newspapers: Chicago Tribune (1849-1987) pg. 20.
Re: Old Department Store On Milwaukee Ave - Niesners
Posted by:
BullHubbard
()
Date: December 23, 2011 11:07AM
There was also a Niesner's on Archer Ave. in Brighton Park, with a lunch counter. I remember they had pretty fair utility pizza--kind of a glorified frozen John's style that my brother and I enjoyed. We also had a blast in their photo booth and frequently bought 45 records there in the mid-late '60's. Alas, all that's left of them is the tiled entryway to some crummy store I forget the name of. Interestingly, many of the old shops on Archer have been slightly preserved in the presence of their tiled thresholds (?), which have the store names on them. Is there some sort of specialized architectural term for these things?
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