One of my first jobs out of high school was working for a small shipping company down on Van Buren Street, near Wabash. The owner of the company loved searching the bargain basement at Goldblatt's during the lunch hour. He was remodeling his house, and one day found a good deal on a toilet down there. He bought it, dragged it back to the office, and carried it home with him on the IC train. I often wondered if the seating was tight on the train, and if he just plopped in down in the middle of the train and sat on it all the way home!
you know I can just about believe that event just posted actually happened and in the way it's described
the bargain basements in Goldblatt's, Weiboldt's, and Marshall Fields all were positively fantastic shopping places for me (and everyone) in the late-'60s to early-'70s. But I cannot recall one in downtown Carson Pirie Scott's (or The Fair for that matter).
There is an article dated Jan 5, 1936, page B10, in the Chicago Tribune regarding Goldblatt's purchase of the 26th street store from Leader Department store.
There is a large photo of the store with the article. At the time the store was only 3 stories and a basement. The building was constructed in 1929 at a cost of $1,350,000.00. Also of note, Christiana was known as Turner Avenue at this date. I can't find any articles on Leader department store and why they had to sell the building. There was a Leader store on 18th street that was in business up into the 1960s.
There is a June 7,1936 Tribune article (part 5 page 14), "Goldblatts Plans $250,000 Addition to 26th Street Store.", detailing plans to add 2 stories to the building (which they did do). They also bought the buildings on the S W corner of 26th-Spaulding, which they replaced with their 2 story annex.
Posted by:
Anonymous User
(---.hsd1.tn.comcast.net)
Date: September 01, 2015 11:54PM
My Goldblatt's was at Madison & Crawford (Pulaski). What I remember most - as a boy in the early 50's - was shopping for a Christmas tree in the parking lot in back of the store. Any tree for a dollar. Then dragging it home to my house on Flournoy Street. It was an exciting family outing.