Long ago on independence square (Kansas City, St. Louis: pre-k, vacations, disabled)

[dmouse]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

I should've mentioned my sources years were 1960, a couple for 1952, and then 1945

So that might explain why some of the stores and addresses were obsolete by your time

Let's try 1970:

Adler's was still at 1208 Main. It had 5 other locations:

Minnesota Ave KCK,
Prairie Village 3901 Prairie Ln,
The Landing, NE Antioch RD, and Metcalf South

Harzfelds was also at MS.

Downtown at Petticoat Ln, Plaza 445 Nichols, Blue Ridge Mall, Corinth 8230 Mission Rd

Klines 3 locations:

1112 Walnut
8700 Ward Parkway
5425 NE Center Mall

Macy's KC:

DT
1240 E Meyer Blvd
11134 Holmes
Plaza
North 5330 NE Chouteau Trafficway

I guess I had forgotten that Country Club Bowl became KL Bowl CCB was an old baseball rival

JCPenney has listed these locations:

3037 Troost was still there
8720 WardP
North
Blue Ridge Mall

2 SS Kresge's:

1104 E Meyer
1125 Main

FW Woolworth's:

8600 WardP
Plaza
North 1906 Swift
Still at 3120 Troost
BR Mall

I know I haven't addressed everything but I'll send this portion off

PS:
That KMart was 5 minutes from my home

There was also a Venture Store which was up Noland around I 70

The Mrs. and I always liked Venture the best.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

I should've mentioned my sources years were 1960, a couple for 1952, and then 1945

So that might explain why some of the stores and addresses were obsolete by your time

Let's try 1970:

Adler's was still at 1208 Main. It had 5 other locations:

Minnesota Ave KCK,
Prairie Village 3901 Prairie Ln,
The Landing, NE Antioch RD, and Metcalf South

Harzfelds was also at MS.

Downtown at Petticoat Ln, Plaza 445 Nichols, Blue Ridge Mall, Corinth 8230 Mission Rd

Klines 3 locations:

1112 Walnut
8700 Ward Parkway
5425 NE Center Mall

Macy's KC:

DT
1240 E Meyer Blvd
11134 Holmes
Plaza
North 5330 NE Chouteau Trafficway

I guess I had forgotten that Country Club Bowl became KL Bowl CCB was an old baseball rival

JCPenney has listed these locations:

3037 Troost was still there
8720 WardP
North
Blue Ridge Mall

2 SS Kresge's:

1104 E Meyer
1125 Main

FW Woolworth's:

8600 WardP
Plaza
North 1906 Swift
Still at 3120 Troost
BR Mall

I know I haven't addressed everything but I'll send this portion off

PS:
That KMart was 5 minutes from my home

There was also a Venture Store which was up Noland around I 70

1104 E. Meyer Blvd. would be The Landing. I have a vague recollection of that store, which was at the west end of the mall's main level IIRC and also had an entrance via stairs from the upper-level parking lot on Troost. (There was also a fancy Gilbert/Robinson restaurant on that level whose name I forget.)

Where was "Northeast Center Mall"? Antioch Center is the one major shopping center I remember North of the River. 1906 Swift would be in Downtown North Kansas City, which was an attractive commercial district then and still is now. (The bridge that the Heart of America Bridge replaced for car traffic was named for that packing house, one other meatpacker, and the railroad that crossed it and still does: Armour-Swift-Burlington. I guess the three companies jointly built it in 1911. And those are also NKC's three principal thoroughfares.)

And yes, I remember Venture too. That was (St. Louis-based) May Department Stores' foray into the discount-department store realm. They tried to go for the "upscale discount" crowd Target (Dayton Hudson's discount division, now the company name) captured.

Rothschild's, mentioned earlier, also had a store at Metcalf South as well as its store on the Plaza. I got my first suit at the Plaza store.

So you lived in Independence yourself?

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by dmouse

The Mrs. and I always liked Venture the best.

Venture's staff was great at catching shoplifters. IPD ran a paddy wagon down to Venture multiple times a day during the Christmas shopping season, thus it was referred to as The Venture Express.

[MRG Dallas]

I tried to buy one of those cool new handheld calculators back in the mid 70s from that Venture. Can't recall the catchy name of the device (Alzheimers/JK) but when I arrived to purchase based on a great price advertised in the paper, V wouldn't sell me at the that price.

Pissed, I wrote a nice, well documented, professional complaint to the FTC for deceptive advertising. After several weeks of biting-nails anticipation, the FTC replied, denying my claim

A precursor to my legal career, I should have known

Epilogue: A lifetime boycott of Venture ensued. Even though the company is out of business, the boycott remains intact

A "BOWMAR BRAIN" That was it. EUREKA!

[CatHerder]

Venture opened at 4023 Noland Rd. in November '71. The Examiner reported that there was continued opposition to a traffic light at that intersection. Opponents believed that if a light was installed there, what was to stop a stoplights from going in at 37th St., Noland Rd. Ct., Noland Plaza, etc. Well.....

It was originally supposed to have a 27,000 sq ft discount supermarket and a "Venture Inn" restaurant, snack bar, dry cleaners, and bakery, but I was in junior high then, so have no idea if those features were included when it opened.

As a newlywed, I drove there from Lee's Summit to buy household basics because in 1981 it was still the largest store of that type in the area. I thought it was nicer or at least better stocked than K-Mart on 40 Hwy & Noland. Venture closed in '98 and became a (now-closed) K-Mart.

[CatHerder]

After skimming a couple of decades of Examiner newspaper articles about Venture, I was surprised at just how much crime went down there. I grew up 2 miles away and had no idea.

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Venture's staff was great at catching shoplifters. IPD ran a paddy wagon down to Venture multiple times a day during the Christmas shopping season, thus it was referred to as The Venture Express.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by CatHerder

After skimming a couple of decades of Examiner newspaper articles about Venture, I was surprised at just how much crime went down there. I grew up 2 miles away and had no idea.

Newlyweds from LS weren't the only ones willing to drive to Venture!

[CatHerder]

You, too, eh? It was clearly the place to be!

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Newlyweds from LS weren't the only ones willing to drive to Venture!

[dmouse]

Originally Posted by CatHerder

After skimming a couple of decades of Examiner newspaper articles about Venture, I was surprised at just how much crime went down there. I grew up 2 miles away and had no idea.

Geez......I had no idea that I was shopping in such a den of scum and villany......

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by dmouse

Geez......I had no idea that I was shopping in such a den of scum and villany......

I shuda posted my Bowmar Experience 40+ years ago so y'all coulda joined in my boycott