Denholms: The Story of Worcester's Premier Department Store

by Christopher Sawyer, Patricia A. Wolf

Overview

When William Denholm and William McKay teamed up in 1870 to form a dry goods store in the factory town of Worcester, Massachusetts, they could not have imagined the 103-year legacy that would make their store a beloved New England landmark. Former customers may well recall the store's elaborate promotions that took shoppers to exotic locales, from an African holiday to a trip through the Italian fashion world. Join authors Christopher Sawyer and Patricia Wolf, daughter of a former Denholms president, as they take a behind-the-scenes view of the history and memory of Massachusetts's largest department store outside of Boston. With vivid descriptions of the festive holiday displays and personal recollections from former employees, this book is sure to make any reader nostalgic for the bygone days of shopping at Denholms.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781609493950
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	11/16/2011
Series:	Landmarks
Pages:	160
Sales rank:	1,125,626
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Christopher Sawyer is a creative director for Ralph Lauren. Previously, he was an executive with the Neiman Marcus Company for ten years and launched his career with the now defunct Jordan Marsh Company. He is an avid collector and historian on the Denholm and McKay Company, all in remembrance of his grandmother Josephine Carbone. As a memoriam to Denholms, Mr. Sawyer has set up a blog located at www.denholms.blogspot.com. Raised in Princeton Massachusetts, he now resides in the Boston area.
Pat Wolf grew up in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, where she has been a lifelong resident. She attended St. Paul's Elementary School, the Bancroft School, Newton College of the Sacred Heart, Boston University and Anna Maria College. She has many interests, including historical restoration, horticulture and genealogy.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 9

Introduction 11

1 The Birth of an Industry 13

2 A Store Is Born 16

3 Clark's New Block 19

4 A Greater Presence 26

5 Krim's Early Years 32

6 A Change in Business Practices 41

7 The War Years 46

8 A New Look 51

9 The Steadfast Years 60

10 The Early'60s 69

11 Changing Times 82

12 Retail as Theater 92

13 One Hundred Years Young 103

14 A Changed Downtown 112

15 The Shutters Go Up 116

Epilogue 125

Memoirs Pat Wolf 127

Notes 153

About the Authors 157