Thanks John.
I remember my mother taking me downtown on the North Shore line and the L to to Christmas shopping at Marshall-Fields and Carson’s Sad.
Yup, same here. My grandmother worked at Fields, and we lived in Evanston, so we’d go downtown (Field’s had its own underground subway stop) and hit both Field’s and Carson’s. It was an event. But it’s part of a distant past.
Your mention of the “North Shore” Line brings back memories of the “Electroliners” and the passenger line used on a Milwaukee to Chicago commute using the the “L” tracks into the Loop which was faster and far more convenient than today’s AMTRACK
Last Christmas, I got to check a role off my bucket list (as an actor)...
I had the opportunity to play Kris Kringle in a local production of Miracle on 34th Street. A classic role originated by Edmund Gwenn, all about the rivalry between Macy’s and Gimbel’s, and the wonderful intersection of the spirit of Christmas with the commercial aspects of Christmas in America. A wonderful play, and a delight to be a part of.
I fear that the time may not be be too far off when that show - Miracle on 34th Street - is simply incomprehensible to the next generation. It’s about such a wonderful, almost bygone time.
That’s why I shed tears when these department stores close. It’s not just about the economy... it’s about Americana.