Webb's City
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Webb's City was a one-stop department store of sorts that was located in St. Petersburg, Florida and was touted as "the Worlds Most Unusual Drug Store".
It was started in the mid 1920's by James Earl "Doc" Webb in a building 17 by 28 feet (45m²). At its peak Webb's City had 77 departments and measured seven city blocks. It was considered as a fore-runner to the shopping center.
Webb was once taken to court for selling Ipana toothpaste below Bristol-Meyers' suggested retail price. The case went all the way to the Florida Supreme Court which ruled in Webb's favor.
Webb's had a gift shop, hardware store, meat market, beauty salon, travel agency, clothing departments, cafeteria, multiple coffee shops and soda fountains and of course, a drugstore. Webb's City is credited as having implemented a new idea in the check out aisle, the express lane, 10 items or less.
Sales reached $US4 million a year in 1941. As shopping centers became popular, business dwindled at Webb's City. It was eventually closed in 1979.
