America’s economy was built on entrepreneurship and small businesses. Today, it’s mostly big-box stores, national chains and that business-eating-behemoth – Amazon. Still, the recent announcement that Dell Brothers Inc., a men’s clothing store in Columbus, was closing caught me by surprise. It’s been a family-owned business for over 100 years, and I thought it would still be there long after I was laid to rest at Garland Brook Cemetery.
When I heard the news, my thoughts drifted back to other local businesses that were here when my husband, Mike, and I first came to town in 1978. Many are gone now, and I’m sure it’s the same story in mostly every town and even big cities.
Truth be told, the COVID-19 pandemic forced me (and zillions of others) to resort to a lot of online shopping. I’m a card-carrying Amazonian now, but it sure isn’t the shopping experience of days gone by.
Via Facebook, I asked Columbus friends to recall some favorite long-gone Columbus businesses, and I was flooded with responses. Many of us miss the good-old-days of dependable customer service and mourn the loss of friendly relationships with shopkeepers who were always willing to lend a helping hand.
HARD STOP: If I missed anyone’s former business, or if I didn’t mention the stores most dear to your heart, my apologies. It’s a long list!
Over time, clothing stores seem to have taken the biggest hit. In days gone by, ladies shopped at Anderson’s, Stanfield’s, Peggy’s Dress Shop, Brunings and Locketts, to name a few. The clerks at ladies’ clothing stores always fussed over you, helped you choose outfits to try on, and, if it didn’t fit just perfectly, offered to have it altered.
There were also many children’s clothing stores, like LaVaughn’s and Yula’s Young World. I had two rowdy boys, so I mostly shopped at Hills Department Store for jeans and T-shirts, but I’m sure all the well-dressed little kids in town got clothes for special occasions from the children’s specialty stores.
Men had Dell Brothers, Dalton and Payne, Rodes, and others to choose from. The stores had salespeople who knew their merchandise like the back of their hands. They courteously helped guys pick out business suits or casual clothes and helped the younger set who needed tuxedo rentals for proms or weddings.
One friend reminded me of the Singer Store that was downtown, and where you could take sewing lessons, buy fabric, notions, pick out patterns and even have draperies made.
Friends who have deep roots in Columbus recalled Hilger’s White House Department Store. Many women mentioned bought their wedding dresses there, and later, purchased Boy Scout and Girl Scout uniforms there for their kids. Other old-time stores mentioned that were gone way before my time are A. Tross and Melton’s Hats.
Malcolm Ross Jewelers was mentioned several times with most remembering when you could pick out wedding-registry items at jewelry stores, like “good” china, “everyday” china and a silver pattern, or buy a charm for your charm bracelet or even a class ring.
Other family-owned businesses, like Gross Hardware, Gary Davis Music Makers and Dibble Drugs – to name just a very few, are history now.
Thankfully, we still have some independently owned businesses in Columbus, like Viewpoint Books, Max’s Jewelry, Columbus Optical and Zaharako’s. And Viewpoint just opened a second location, so all is not lost!
The older I get, the more nostalgic I am for the way things used to be. Accepting change gets harder, and I hate seeing family-owned businesses dwindling but am grateful there are still some dedicated entrepreneurs here.
Thanks for taking a trip down memory lane with me. Let’s keep the conversation going – what stores from the good-old-days do you miss the most?
Sharon Mangas is a Columbus resident and can be reached at [email protected]. Send comments to [email protected].
