Wieboldt's
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| Wieboldt's | |
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| Type | Department store |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1883 Chicago, Illinois |
| Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois |
| Industry | Retail |
| Products | Clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, home electronics, small appliances and housewares |
| Website | None |
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Wieboldt Stores, Inc., also known as Wieboldt's, was founded in 1883 by William A. Wieboldt. The flagship location was located on Milwaukee Ave. in Chicago. In 1961 there was a merger with the failed Mandel Brothers store on State St. Prior to that time there were four Chicago neighborhood stores; Grand and Ashland, Milwaukee and Paulina, Lincoln and Belmont, and Ashland and Monroe.[1] By the 1970s Wieboldt's operated over 10 stores in the Chicago area.
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[edit] Promotions
Wieboldt's was know for giving S&H Green Stamps with purchases and had redemption centers located in their stores. The State St. location included a large redemption center. Customers would choose items based on the number of stamps turned in for redemption. In the 1940's and 1950's they sponsored a radio program featuring Cinnamon Bear. Later they had a television program called The Cinnamon Bear. The shows were stories of how Cinnamon Bear takes his young friends on a trip to maybe land in search of the silver star. A stuffed teddy bear version could be purchased from the stores for $2.98 in the 1950's. Santa would give out free Cinnamon Bear buttons to children visiting Santa. The program was first produced by Glen Heisch and Elizabeth Heisch in 1937 in Hollywood and syndicated around the country. [2]
Wieboldt's was known for their good values, unpretentious merchandise, and multilingual sales staff, the stores were especially popular among ethnic, working-class shoppers who could not afford or did not like to shop at the big downtown department stores. Wieboldt's former slogan was "Where You Buy With Confidence!".
They celebrated 100-years in business in April 1983. An advertisement in the Chicago Sun-Times stated "Building for a New Tomorow". "An important part of Chicago's past, we look to the future with confidence and enthusiasm. The dream of yesterday is the promise of tomorrow. Chicago, Wieboldt's. Tomorrow begins today."[3]
During the 1980s the chain had trouble staying profitable, eventually leading the company into bankruptcy in 1986. The chain never recovered and all the stores closed.
[edit] Former locations
- Evanston, Illinois (freestanding)
- Ford City Mall, Chicago, Illinois (opened 1965, became Carson Pirie Scott in 1987)
- Harlem Irving Plaza, Norridge, Illinois (opened 1956, became Carson Pirie Scott in 1987)
- Jefferson Square Mall, Joliet, Illinois (opened 1975, closed 1987, became Menard's in 1992, demolished 2005)
- Lakehurst Mall, Waukegan, Illinois (opened 1971, closed 1986, became Montgomery Ward and Dunham's in 1987, demolished 2004)
- Lincoln Mall, Matteson, Illinois (opened 1973, closed 1987, became Sears in 1995)
- Lincoln Village (freestanding), Chicago (closed 1987)
- Meadowdale Shopping Center, Carpentersville, Illinois (closed 1987, demolished 1991)
- River Forest, Illinois (Oak Park) (freestanding) (closed 1987) demolished at unknown date, currently single floor shopping center and parking lots.
- Orland Park Place, Orland Park, Illinois (opened 1981, closed 1987, currently Stein Mart & Bed Bath & Beyond)
- Randhurst, Mount Prospect, Illinois (opened 1962, became Bergner's in 1987, became Carson Pirie Scott in 1990)
- State Street (freestanding), Chicago, Illinois (Mandel Bros. merger 1961, closed 1987)
- Stratford Square Mall, Bloomingdale, Illinois (opened 1982, became JCPenney in 1987)
- Yorktown Mall, Lombard, Illinois (opened 1968, closed 1987, became Von Maur in 1994)
[edit] References
- ^ Christmas on State St. ISBN 0-7385-1972-3 Original four locations and merger with Mandel Bros. Store
- ^ Christmas on State St. ISBN 0-7385-1972-3 - WENR, WGN Cinnamon Bear Program, teddy bears, and advertising.
- ^ Chicago Sun-Times, March 13, 1983.
