Gimbels Has It! - Softcover

Lisicky, Michael J.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1609493079 ISBN 13: 9781609493073

Publisher: The History Press, 2011

Synopsis

In 1842, Adam Gimbel opened a small storefront in Vincennes, Indiana and unknowingly set forth the groundwork for an American retail icon. His fair trade" practices encouraged him to leave Vincennes and open up "the largest store ever" in 1887 in the city of Milwaukee. After getting his Milwaukee on firm ground, Adam Gimbel left for Philadelphia, his wife's hometown, with his seven sons and opened the "world's largest store" in 1894.Like every major department store, Gimbels began to follow its customer into the suburbs, and the family became less involved in the running of the store. With sales and profits falling, Gimbels was purchased by British-American Tobacco. The company struggled to right itself in the challenging and changing retailing world. It built a new controversial flagship store in Philadelphia but it failed to draw its traditional shopper. By June 1986, Gimbels was going out of business and the 36 Gimbels stores located from Philadelphia to Milwaukee permanently shut their doors"

About this title

About the Author:

Michael J. Lisicky is the author of several critically acclaimed department store history books. He helps to produce an Ask the Expert"? column at www.departmentstorehistory.net and resides in Baltimore, where he is an oboist with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra."

Review:

"Lisicky notes, every city in which Gimbels had a presence felt like it was a 'Gimbels city.' But, Milwaukee, he says, was especially connected to its Gimbels identity....It's no real mystery why Lisicky, who was dubbed 'Official Historian on East Coast Department Stores' by Philadelphia's City Paper wrote a book about Gimbels. After all, he's already written 'Wanamaker's: Meet Me at the Eagle' and 'Hutzler's: Where Baltimore Shops.'" --Bobby Tanzilo, Milwaukee Online

"Gimbels Has It!" is filled with evocative black-and-white photos and even a chapter of recipes, including the one for Gimbels-Schusters Potato Salad, a favorite of Wisconsin shoppers and Allan "Bud" Selig, commissioner of Major League Baseball. --Marylynne Pitz, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

About this edition

• Publisher: The History Press
• Publication date: 2011
• ISBN 10: 1609493079
• ISBN 13: 9781609493073
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 160