Originating as simple one- or two-room storefront operations, Cleveland’s department stores grew as population and industry in the region boomed throughout the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th. They moved into ever larger and elaborate structures in an attempt to woo the shopping dollars of blue-collar and genteel Clevelanders alike. Stores such as Halle’s, Higbee’s, May Company, Bailey Company, Sterling-Lindner-Davis, and others both competed with and complemented one another, all the while leaving an indelible mark on the culture of northeast Ohio and beyond. With many black and white images, some dating from the late 1800s, this book presents the story of the stores---from the humble origins of Halle’s horse-drawn delivery wagons and the elaborate design of Higbee’s on Public Square to Christmas favorites like Mr. Jingeling and the massive Christmas tree at Sterling-Lindner-Davis.
Softcover, 6 x 9, 128 pgs.