[gulfcoast6]

The 'dime' stores I knew all had hardwood floors and they moaned and groined when you walked across them and the smell, wonderful. don't see them anymore, Kress was my favorite.

[Molly Pitcher]

Yes, that smell...I remember Kress too.

Do you remember the little machines where you could a penny in a slot and slide the "handle" and out popped some chicklet-like gum into your palm?

The bliss of anticipation!

[Miss Marple]

When I had just graduated from high school, before waiting to go to colege, I had a summer job at Woolworth's. Although the floors weren't wood (this was in the suburbs) they still had those wonderful little bins of cheap toys, a department called "notions," and Evening in Paris cologne.

The cash register was the old manual tipe, and I can still see how it operated in my mind's eye.

I got a lot of neat stuff there for school...brushes, laundry bag, plastic stuff, etc. My little brother was always after me to bring him home toys.

And it always smelled like caramel corn!

[Common Tator]

Kress was my favorite.

Kress stores were owned by the Kressge Company. In the south they used the name Kress to try to cover the fact they were owned by a Jewish family. In they north they went by the Kressge name.

When five and dime stores were going out, the company was reformed. Their new stores were going to be called Kressge Marts, but once again to hide their Jewish ownership they were called as KMarts instead.

Or as Paul 'whatshisname' would say that is the rest of the story.

[Guenevere]

#70..In our town we had a Kress AND a Woolworth.

Yep, hardwood floors.....and my favorite.... glass enclosed displays of all kinds of candy, and I could pick or choose which kind and how little or how much I wanted, and it was put in a little white paper bag :)))