Department Store dining...any memories?

I used to love having lunch at the grand old department stores of my early youth. My mom used to reward me with a leisurely lunch after a day of boring (to me) shopping. I always used to feel so grown up around the linen napkins and pots of tea. My favorites used to be croquettes with cream gravy and corn muffins, followed by a dish of Jell-O (with a little fancy swirl of whipped cream!).

Alas, I fear that such pleasantries are gone. The last department store I ate in was the Suncoast Room of Maas Brothers back in the 80s (I worked in the store as well). Dining in those places after shopping seemed like such a civilized way to spend the afternoon.

I miss those huge, cavernous, multi-floored, musty-smelling department stores themselves, too!

Anyone else have memories?

Gertz, Macy's, Altman's, and many others, all in NYC had what I thought to be posh dining and tea rooms. A relived a bit of that much more recently in Harrods in Buenos Aires.

quote:

Originally posted by Kristi S.

I used to love having lunch at the grand old department stores of my early youth. My mom used to reward me with a leisurely lunch after a day of boring (to me) shopping. I always used to feel so grown up around the linen napkins and pots of tea. My favorites used to be croquettes with cream gravy and corn muffins, followed by a dish of Jell-O (with a little fancy swirl of whipped cream!).

Alas, I fear that such pleasantries are gone. The last department store I ate in was the Suncoast Room of Maas Brothers back in the 80s (I worked in the store as well). Dining in those places after shopping seemed like such a civilized way to spend the afternoon.

I miss those huge, cavernous, multi-floored, musty-smelling department stores themselves, too!

Anyone else have memories?

When I first read the title the ONLY place that came to mind was Maas Brothers, back when the Gainesville Mall was in operation. Our's was more in the later 70's though. I think I personally liked the burgers and soup of the day at Woolworth's.

I saw a story on the news this morning about a lady that retired from Marshall Fields at the age of 102. She had worked for them for 85 years and never married. Talk about a career gal!

Woolworths - They made great milkshakes

Tapps department store in downtown Columbia SC. They had a resturant in the basement and served some of the best down home southern cooking. Their trademark was to serve every table a basket of cornbread baked in the pans that had molds looking like ears of corn !!!

The Store closed several years ago .... thanks to large suburban malls !

quote:

Originally posted by scbuzz

Their trademark was to serve every table a basket of cornbread baked in the pans that had molds looking like ears of corn !!!

Love it. Do you know where to buy one of those pans? I make cornbread regularly.

At the Robinson's in the Lakewood Shopping (CA) center in the early 70's, I would always get a chili dog. It was the only reason I liked shopping with my mother.

When my father went along, we would always get hot nuts from the nut and candy counters at the various department stores -- I specifically remember the counters at Buffum's and Robinson's. Both of those are great memories. Thanks for the reminder.

quote:

Originally posted by Willly

At the Robinson's in the Lakewood Shopping (CA) center in the early 70's, I would always get a chili dog. It was the only reason I liked shopping with my mother.

When my father went along, we would always get hot nuts from the nut and candy counters at the various department stores -- I specifically remember the counters at Buffum's and Robinson's. Both of those are great memories. Thanks for the reminder.

I too would hot peanuts from Sears when I was little. I could not wait to go there. I'd head straight to the counter and just stare at the peanuts going around and around. The smell was incredible. Loved the spanish peanuts. My Mom would always give me money to buy them and tell me to buy a "quarter", I always thought I was buying .25 worth...hey, I was 7 -8.

quote:

Originally posted by Kristi S.

quote:

Originally posted by scbuzz

Their trademark was to serve every table a basket of cornbread baked in the pans that had molds looking like ears of corn !!!

Love it. Do you know where to buy one of those pans? I make cornbread regularly.

Here you go!

ruralroot-store.site.yahoo.net

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty246

quote:

Originally posted by Kristi S.

Originally posted by scbuzz

Their trademark was to serve every table a basket of cornbread baked in the pans that had molds looking like ears of corn !!!

Love it. Do you know where to buy one of those pans? I make cornbread regularly.

Just type in "ruralroot" at Google

We used to go upstairs at Rhienhaurs? is that what it was called? and eat with my grandmother while she shopped. They served little tea sandwhiches, it was all pretty up there. we were on our best behavior...which was hard for me!

I remember being embarrassed while eating lunch at G. Fox in Hartford with my mother and my aunt. My mother had ordered a cheese omlet and kept sending it back because she insisted it was uncooked. The problem was the melted cheese that she insisted was runny egg.

I have the best memories of going to the L.S.Ayers Tea Room in Indianapolis with my grandmother for lunch in their high ceilinged,very proper dining room. There was a treasure chest with wrapped gifts for well behaved children. The specialty of the house was Velvet Chicken which was a cream of chicken very thick soup/stew served in white milk glass chicken shaped crock. This was followed (for the girls) by a dessert bombe (a round,domed cake) decorated to look like a giant hop skirt with a (pre-Barbie) doll.This was called,I think, a Princess. Wow! What a lunch! I loved this day which was followed by some back to school shopping. Many years later I was able to return the favor to my grandmother. Today the department store is gone adn a replica of the Tea Room is in the Indiana State Museum.

Oh yes, memories.....The Chintz Room at Lazarus in Columbus, Ohio. Elegant, wonderful food and models walking throughout the restaurant modeling clothes. And the lunch counter in the basement at Lazarus served delicious burgers. We girls would go there for lunch when working in downtown Columbus. The menu for the Chintz Room had really good chicken salad, celery dressing, little cups of custard....so many memories.

Now Lazarus is closing that downtown store forever after well over 100 years of serving the people of Columbus. A sad day.

Donna

quote:

Originally posted by Rusty246

quote:

Originally posted by Willly

At the Robinson's in the Lakewood Shopping (CA) center in the early 70's, I would always get a chili dog. It was the only reason I liked shopping with my mother.

When my father went along, we would always get hot nuts from the nut and candy counters at the various department stores -- I specifically remember the counters at Buffum's and Robinson's. Both of those are great memories. Thanks for the reminder.

I too would hot peanuts from Sears when I was little. I could not wait to go there. I'd head straight to the counter and just stare at the peanuts going around and around. The smell was incredible. Loved the spanish peanuts.

I ADORED the candy counter at the department store. I particularly remember the counter at the May Co. in Cleveland. I was mesmerized by the rotating tray of nuts - I very vividly remember getting a little white paper bag of cashews, and they were always nice and warm and salty...or sometimes a bag of M&Ms. Chomped on them as I trailed my folks around the store.

quote:

Originally posted by lamertz

served in white milk glass chicken shaped crock.

I want one of those, too! Where can I get one?

quote:

Originally posted by Kristi S.

Love it. Do you know where to buy one of those pans? I make cornbread regularly.

Kristi,

Go here http://www.lehmans.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=1371&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=696&iSubCat=697&iProductID=1371

this is a great place to get neat stuff !

quote:

Originally posted by Donna Douglass

Oh yes, memories.....The Chintz Room at Lazarus in Columbus, Ohio. Elegant, wonderful food and models walking throughout the restaurant modeling clothes. And the lunch counter in the basement at Lazarus served delicious burgers. We girls would go there for lunch when working in downtown Columbus. The menu for the Chintz Room had really good chicken salad, celery dressing, little cups of custard....so many memories.

Now Lazarus is closing that downtown store forever after well over 100 years of serving the people of Columbus. A sad day.

Donna

My wife dragged me to the Chintz Room once. That was the only time I was ever in the downtown store. One thing I just cannot do is call it Lazarus-Macy's.

I have never eaten in a US Department store, but have dined a lot at the restuarant in Brussels at the Inno dept store. A nice little spot with good food. Thanks for bringing back those memories.

Lunch at Kaufmann's downtown Pittsburgh was an absolute thrill as a kid! Mom and I would get all dolled up and shop all morning (usually before Christmas) then have lunch. It was SUCH a treat.....white tablecloths, linen napkins......and they had this Ice Cream Pie that was scrumptious.

My grandmother would always take me to Marshall Fields in downtown Chicago at Christmas time and at Easter to have lunch. At Christmas there was a huge tree that went up 3 or 4 stories, I don't remember what the Easter decorations were like, this was 50 years ago! There was a great amount of decorations and a Christmas train that ran overhead, I remember it being almost magical and certainly special. I have eaten at their suburban stores a few times and the food always seemed upscale and trendy. I have not been in a Field's in 10 years now so I have no idea if they still have a restaurant.

My Aunt would take me to lunch at Steigers Tea Room in downtown Springfield, MA..She would have the lazy mans lobster served under a glass dome and I would have the chicken croquetts. The Tea Room was located on the top floor near the gift shop. What fun I would have looking at all the beautiful things. "Look but don't touch". What wonderful times.

When Rich's was in Knoxville, they had a great upscale place to do lunch and dinner.

S. H. Kress use to have a dime store in Knoxville. I never could figure out why they called it a dime store cause everything was more than a dime. They had a great lunch counter that sold short order food. Great burgers and shakes and fries. They generally had a special every day which varied from meatloaf, chicken and fish.

Paul E. Smith
Knoxville, TN

Back in the 70's, mom, sis and I would spend a day (school holiday) at the Wyoming Valley Mall in Wilkes-Barre, PA. We were a one-car family, so Dad would drop us off and we'd shop for three or four hours...and then hit the Woolworth's Cafeteria for lunch. After lots of school cafeteria lunches, it was a real treat to look and choose the (much, much better) food. I recall lots of open face sandwiches (roast beef, turkey) or meatloaf with mashed potatoes and gravy, plus lots of cakes, pies, Jellos. Aah...the good old days!

The last "department store" meal I ate was at the Tick Tock Coffee Shop in Kaufmann's in Pittsburgh about ten years ago. Great burgers and desserts!

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Originally posted by stanpnepa



The last "department store" meal I ate was at the Tick Tock Coffee Shop in Kaufmann's in Pittsburgh about ten years ago. Great burgers and desserts!

YES! EXACTLY!! Because everyone would meet "under the Clock on Stanwick Street" Too funny that you've been there. Small world.

YES!!! to the Tick Tock Coffee Shop. My family would make the sojourn to Pittsburgh once a month for my doctor's appointment at Pittsburgh Eye and Ear.( I was one of those lucky little kids with short , fat eustachian tubes and chronic ear infections). Depending on what time the appointment was, decided where we ate. If it was later in the morning, we always went down to Kaufmann's and the Tick Tock Shop. If was earlier in the morning, we ate on the way home at the McDonalds with the airplane as it's roof on RT 51.

I never ate there, but the Zodiac Room in Neiman-Marcus in Dallas was suppose to be the cat's meow.

only the chocolate chip one of course...

Time: 1950’s – the day after Thanksgiving

Cast of characters: Aunt Betty (who didn’t have any children), my cousins Joann, Carol and me

Costumes: Our best Sunday dresses, hats and white gloves; our glamorous “career woman” aunt in her mink coat and blazing red lipstick

Setting: Philadelphia PA

After an exciting morning riding the train around the ceiling of Lits Bros. toy department, gazing in store windows and visiting Santa and the animated Christmas village at Gimbels, we wearily sunk into the striped chairs, soft lighting, big linen napkins and wood paneled walls of the John Wanamaker tea room. Our meal never varied - a cup of soup, triple-decker tea sandwiches with ham salad and pimento cream cheese fillings, a pot of tea and a dish of chocolate ice cream and orange sherbet for dessert. After lunch, we would go see Wanamaker’s lighted fountain display accompanied by organ music and then off to see the animated elves making our gifts in Santa’s workshop.

That trip was always Aunt Betty’s Christmas gift to us and we felt like fairy princesses sitting in that luxurious tearoom. I can see it like it was yesterday.