Montreal had four count them four major department stores! Three of them were within (if memory serves me ) within ten blocks of each other.
All of them were in the downtown core. Only one still exists.
They were Simpson's, Eaton's and Morgan's. Morgan's eventually was renamed The Bay (The Hudson Bay Company). Simpson's was eventually bought out by The Bay and operated as separate entity for a while. Eaton's was eventually run into the ground and bankrupcy by the younger Generation. The Bay is still around. Simpson's and Eaton's buildings are still around but I don't remember what they have become. I had moved away by then.
A picture of the Simpon's Building
The Bay department as it looked when it was Morgan's circa 1890
And as it looks today as the The Bay/ La Baie
Two memories of Eaton's were: that the elevator's were opearated by employees in uniforms. The door was an old accordian type and you see the shaft as you moved up or down. The other was the restaurant on the top floor. Splendily designed in art deco it reminded me of the dinning room's you would see in the old ocean liners. (Memories from movies of course) They had a wonderful lunch and the also had the oh so very proper "afternoon tea". Below is the Eaton's Building.
The fourth was Oglivy's. It was a British compay. It is still a department store type a concept, but the boutiques are owned by different companies. They had two traditions which one still exist today (I believe) is their animated Christmas window. The other one at a certain times of the day (it might have been only once) a man in full highland costume played the bagpipes as he walked through the store.
Below is a pucture of the buidling and their Christmas Window.
Now, that sure is a trip back down Memory Lane!
(For some reasons, I am quite fond of department stores!)
Well, I have visited that La Baie store quite often in the... seventies! AND I do have a story: I vividly remember the day I used the revolving (HUGE) doors of the big main entrance and... being stuck holding it for everyone else who was entering... After a while, I yelled that I was going to let the door go... I did... and some jerk yelled back because he had gotten that door on his face! He may not remember that event, but I obviously do; Mr Cellophane I was! Story of my life!!
I also interviewed for a window dresser position at Ogilvy's (THAT Ogilvy's!) and got the job... which I declined because I also got an offer I grabbed at the same time! Ogilvy's WAS very old English and they were very nice to me -- whatever that means!! -- when I "auditioned" for them that I almost felt guilty for turning them down!
Yes, their Xmas window displays were quite something!
