[jocon307]

"The clothes were crushed into overflowing racks and full of wrinkles. The quality was the cheapest. Is this typical of Filene's or was it an aberration?"

Back in the day Filene's Basement was exactly that, the basement of Filene's store in Boston, where clearance merchandise was sold. Macy's basement in NYC was the same way, before it was "gentrified" into The Cellar. It seems Filene's has completley transformed into an "off-price" or "odd-lot" retailer.

Those stores work for some people. I know many folks who love Filene's, and my sister-in-law was crazy for Marshalls. But as she used to point out, you have to go there regularly, because you never know when you'll find some great bargain. I, myself, can't stand these stores, although I like getting a great deal as much as anyone. Basically it's because I find the merchandis is generally shopworn, it's dug through by customers searching for that unique "great find", and the whole shopping experience is just depressing. I don't mind going to the "Everything $1.00" store for gift bags or things like that, but I don't like shopping in a junk shop that is trying to pass itself off as a department store.

[avenir]

"Basically it's because I find the merchandis is generally shopworn, it's dug through by customers searching for that unique "great find", and the whole shopping experience is just depressing."

Same here. Bargain hunting is fun for awhile, but the labor involved and the time lost in pursuit of a deal has me paying retail when I KNOW I want something. My time is more important than the "savings".

[kitkat]

Thanks for the information about today's Filenes. That explains the confusion I had over an article I read years ago about the store and what I actually saw when it opened in my area.