139 replies to this topic

[hydeaway]

Just enjoyed reading my copy of "Foley's" by Lasker Meyer. Great read!

[Gulfgate_Girl]

I can't believe no one mentioned the children's shoe department in the Foley's at Almeda Mall. There was a pirate ship built out from the wall at the back of the department. It was there during the late '60s & early '70s (might've been there a bit earlier + a bit later). How I loved it when my mother took me to buy shoes at the Almeda Mall store -- playing on the pirate ship was so much fun! I also can remember going to that Foley's (we lived in Garden Villas) in elementary school before school started in September because they used to sell school supplies. I'd get to pick out all the stuff I'd need for the school year.

On a different note, I worked at the Foley's in Memorial City from June 1980--March 1983. Do any former employees remember the dinging over the store's speaker system? It sounded sort of like the "ding" part of a "ding-dong" doorbell. The dinging was a way of calling a main supervisor since that person was supposed to be out in the store, walking around & making sure that everything was running smoothly in the supervisor's section.

The Memorial City Foley's had a pharmacy & drug department until maybe '82 or '83. They sold typical health & beauty items, plus you could get a prescription filled.

Those were the good old days!

[TV2EBoogaloo]

I remember the dinging at all Foleys and it was for more than just one person different people had different tones and patterns

[NenaE]

I think we've talked about the Foley's pirate ship shoe dept. briefly, in an older thread...it's been a while back.

[sevfiv]

This was recently posted from UH special collections:

Quote

The current Special Collections exhibit, Foley’s Department Store: Houston’s Community Partner, 1900-2005, highlights materials from the Foley’s Department Store Collection. This collection spans more than a century of Foley’s, and Houston’s, history. The exhibit includes photographs, posters, documents and advertisements. The second floor exhibit space includes a slideshow of historic photos.

http://weblogs.lib.u...foleys-exhibit/
http://info.lib.uh.e...current-exhibit

[IronTiger]

Well, this day five years ago, Macy's officially "reopened" all the old Foley's stores, though the stores had been closed for a week, with Foley's signs only draped over the Macy's signs (and Federated shut down the offices in 2005, does anyone know for sure where the offices were?)

[Highway6]

IronTiger, on Friday, September 9, 2011 at 2:38 PM, said:

Well, this day five years ago, Macy's officially "reopened" all the old Foley's stores, ...

So... Foley Fan Club party at your place tonight ??

[LTAWACS]

Highway6, on Friday, September 9, 2011 at 3:30 PM, said:

So... Foley Fan Club party at your place tonight ??

Lan party? Sounds like a solid plan.

[IronTiger]

Highway6, on Friday, September 9, 2011 at 3:30 PM, said:

So... Foley Fan Club party at your place tonight ??

Ha ha, no, but you probably could come to the New Republic Brewery tour tonight which is a few miles away from my house (the Houston Examiner called it "Houston area's newest brewery"), though I think it's still a bit hard-pressed to call College Station the "Houston area".

[hydeaway]

IronTiger, on Friday, September 9, 2011 at 2:38 PM, said:

Well, this day five years ago, Macy's officially "reopened" all the old Foley's stores, though the stores had been closed for a week, with Foley's signs only draped over the Macy's signs (and Federated shut down the offices in 2005, does anyone know for sure where the offices were?)

The Foley's buying and executive offices were still in the downtown store until Macy's shut them down. Did you hear about the company that bought A&S (Abraham & Straus), Jordan Marsh, May Co., Robinson's and Bullock's expired trademarks and intends to bring the stores back? Macy's has filed suit and has since repurchased the old expired trademarks of their two dozen or more department stores and is selling a cheap black one size fits all shirt on their website to say they are using the trademarks. They have got to be the greediest, most idiotic company out there. To trash all those great names and the value, not to mention good will value that one cannot put a price on, was one of the biggest marketing blunders since New Coke. Customers are tired of the generic garbage in ever mall from coast to coast. Same anchors everywhere. Here is the article: http://www.prweb.com...rweb8685447.htm

[IronTiger]

Wow. The Foley's t-shirt link (http://www1.macys.co...ategoryId=30423) does make sense, but it's just empty words based on what they did to the chain. Still, not as shameless as Hardee's and the fake "Big Shef" burger. If Macy's really cared, they would bring back the Foley's branding to the stores they took over, and they can be like The Bon-Ton: one company, half a dozen nameplates.

[hydeaway]

IronTiger, on Saturday, October 8, 2011 at 9:20 PM, said:

Wow. The Foley's t-shirt link (http://www1.macys.co...ategoryId=30423) does make sense, but it's just empty words based on what they did to the chain. Still, not as shameless as Hardee's and the fake "Big Shef" burger. If Macy's really cared, they would bring back the Foley's branding to the stores they took over, and they can be like The Bon-Ton: one company, half a dozen nameplates.

I agree wholeheartedly. Isnt it compelling that Macy's praises every chain for their community involvement, philanthropy and specialness in their descriptions next to the t shirt for each chain. If they had such value, WHY DID YOU ELIMINATE THEM? Lundgren and the other Macy people don't want the new company to bring back Bullock's, Jordan Marsh, etc because they KNOW THEY WOULD DO WELL. They still have disdain for the Marshall Fields' loyalists who still picket their store every year on State Street in Chicago. Marshall Field's was an international destination - the 3rd most visited landmark in Chicago. Why go to a boring Macy's when you have one in every mall across the country? The public is tired of the same generic Chinese crap at their stores. Thankfully, we still have Dillard's. They are the closest thing to what Foley's was like. It's too bad Dillard's doesnt bring back Joske's. At least they did keep the store's quality and service up unlike Macy's.

[NenaE]

I find it very strange that Macy's, the business that took over Foley's & quickly stripped the name is selling Foley's t-shirts. Never seen that before.
Maybe they are having second thoughts about their decision to wipe out Foley's name, a long-time Houston tradition. I remember a time when I wondered " What's Macy's?"

I must get to the Downtown location to take some pics.Soon!

[Riomar]

Dan the Man, on Friday, May 1, 2009 at 9:14 PM, said:

I found this while trying to find the logo with the asterisk:



http://blog.modernme...006/10/page/10/

love this pic ty!!!

[Riomar]

I very well remember Foley's. I loved that store. Some of the others mentioned I have never heard of until today, however. This is prolly cause we never shopped at them. If it wasn't Foley's then it was Sears (which used to be neat but now just looks like crap and I do miss the old candy counter at the mid town -near Wheeler- Sears lol). We also went to Montgomery Ward's sometimes. Most of our shopping was at Foley's. When I was little (before we had a car) we always went to the downtown store. I do remember eating there sometimes, but I forgot which restaurant we ate at. I believe it was the one in the basement. From what I am reading here, I am guessing the cafeteria. Most of the time my mother would take me to either the McDonald's or Burger King. The only thing left is the McDonald's. I find this kinda sad cause I prefer Burger King. I have been tempted to go into the McDonald's recently for old time sake lol. I also remember a old (or old fashioned) ice cream shop somewhere near by. Dose anyone else? I really do miss Foley's. I remember the sales and that they where good sells. Not Macy's idea of a sale. While Foley's was more expensive then Sears or Ward's they where cheaper then Macy's. Did anyone else notice the price jump when they all became Macy's? I do go there, but typically for the white sale. That they are famous for and that they do do well. Now I am a Penny's girl. I still miss Foley's though and the maroon and white bags and boxes. I even still say Foley's sometimes when I mean Macy's. Oh after we had a car for some reason we started going to the Sharpstown store almost exclusively. I never saw the downtown one after '87, not counting the time I went to Macy's for nostalgia (though that trip was a huge let down). Lastly does anyone know where the name came from?

[blue92]

hydeaway, on Thursday, July 23, 2009 at 6:06 PM, said:

I miss Foley's


I miss Foley's, too. It was the last of the hometown department stores. When you think about how involved they all used to be in civic support, etc. Foley's, Sakowitz, Joske's, Craig's, Walter Pye's, Isabell Gerhart, the true Beall's and Palais Royal - when they were separate entities and unique. Remember the Foley's Thanksgiving Day Parade? the Foley's Academy in the basement downtown for kids struggling in school?
Each region used to have their own stores, history and traditions. Look at Marshall Fields and what they meant to Chicago. Burdine's to Florida, Rich's to Atlanta, Bullock's, I Magnin and The Broadway to southern California.

It is a real shame. Southern California, for instance, used to have May Co., The Broadway, Macy's (the original RH Macy Co. - not the Kmart of today), I Magnin, Emporium, Capwell's, Bullock's, Bullock's Wilshire, Robinson's, Gottschalks and Harris'. Now all they have is ONE - Macy's. Talk about no competition. Where are all the bleeding hearts and their talk of anti trust problems? Virtually every market across the country is in the same position. It all started with the greed on Wall Street allowing Campeau ( a real estate tycoon from Canada) to purchase Allied Stores and then Federated Dept Stores -- all with junk bonds, none of his money --- which eventually caused the bankruptcy and consolidation of centuries old icons. Read "Going For Broke" and "The Rain on Macy's Parade". Both very good books on this debacle.

Your list didn't include Battelstien's.

[Houston19514]

hydeaway, on Sunday, October 9, 2011 at 9:36 PM, said:

I agree wholeheartedly. Isnt it compelling that Macy's praises every chain for their community involvement, philanthropy and specialness in their descriptions next to the t shirt for each chain. If they had such value, WHY DID YOU ELIMINATE THEM? Lundgren and the other Macy people don't want the new company to bring back Bullock's, Jordan Marsh, etc because they KNOW THEY WOULD DO WELL. They still have disdain for the Marshall Fields' loyalists who still picket their store every year on State Street in Chicago. Marshall Field's was an international destination - the 3rd most visited landmark in Chicago. Why go to a boring Macy's when you have one in every mall across the country? The public is tired of the same generic Chinese crap at their stores. Thankfully, we still have Dillard's. They are the closest thing to what Foley's was like. It's too bad Dillard's doesnt bring back Joske's. At least they did keep the store's quality and service up unlike Macy's.

You do realize Dillard's has done the exact same thing with many many local names through the years... Joske's, John A. Brown, Stix Baer & Fuller etc etc etc.

[NenaE]

Houston19514, on Friday, October 21, 2011 at 2:39 PM, said:

You do realize Dillard's has done the exact same thing with many many local names through the years... Joske's, John A. Brown, Stix Baer & Fuller etc etc etc.

I know that's true...were no Dillard's in Houston when I was growing up, in the 1960's.

[hydeaway]

The reason Macy's is selling Foley's T Shirts, Lunch and shopping totes is they have filed suit against Strategic Marks LLC to block them from bringing back Bullock's, Jordan Marsh, Filene's and other quality department stores, both in internet and brick and mortar. Macy's let all their trademarks expire, including Foley's, allowing others to legally purchase them. Strategic marks sees the void in the marketplace of quality merchandise and stores, as well as the good will in the names of the stores. Macy's has an impure, albeit greedy, motive at work in selling the items with all of the old stores names -- to NEVER bring back the stores and create competition again. They have disdain for the brands and no intention on bringing them back.

http://www.retrodepartmentstores.com/

http://www.topix.net...their-expired-2

[plumber2]

Macy's announced that it would be closing it's store in Texas City at Mall of the Mainland. Foley's built that store in 1993. Macy's will continue to own the building and land, unless they can find a buyer.