Hello everyone. Today I will be writing about my fond memories of shopping at Kresge’s. The store was in business for over a hundred years and is however remembered by many people to this day. It was a five and dime store like Woolworth’s and had everything a person needed.
I initially encountered Kresge’s when I was living in the Roseland neighborhood in Chicago in the early 1970s. It was located next door to Gately’s Peoples Department Store at 11201 South Michigan Ave, The colors of the building were red and white. The red logo of the store was indelible in my mind to the present day. The window displays showed signs of sale items where they were exhibited in big, bold letters of various sizes and colors.
I fondly remembered the lunch counter and the ICEE machine that were housed there. The iced drinks were delicious. Other foods that I remembered accurately purchasing were hot dogs, popcorn, and ice cream bars. The only thing that I bought regularly was the Peanuts paperback books that traditionally featured Charlie Brown, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus, and the rest of the principal characters.
I devoted hours reading those books. Some of the humorous sketches were presented on the Peanuts TV specials that were broadcasted on television for years and were printed in the local newspapers. I also remembered the comic book racks and it was there I was introduced to them. One rack consisted of Archie Comics. My mother loved shopping at Kresge’s. It was one of her favorite stores. If she didn’t find anything there, we would walk to Woolworth’s which was conveniently located at East 113th St on South Michigan Ave.
My family and I moved to the Ashburn neighborhood in September 1974. The nearest Kresge’s by our house was at The Hometown Shopping Plaza at West 87th St & Southwest Highway in Hometown, IL. Kmart launched their local stores in Chicago in the mid-1970s and Kresge’s disappeared soon after. The one nearest to our house was located at West 71st Street and South Pulaski Road. That store was huge and my family shopped at that place frequently where Dominick’s was also located there too.
I miss Kresge’s very much. Five and dime stores are now a thing of the past. We presently have local dollar stores, and they typically consist of the essential items that we require in our active lives. Kresge’s, Woolworth’s, and other discount shops had different ambiance in those memorable days. Today, it is non-existent. It was undoubtedly a wonderful shopping experience and I still miss it. Thank you. Pete Kastanes-Admin for Vanished Chicagoland Facebook Page.