Remembering Furchgott's Department Store

[Wacca Pilatka]

Thanks for posting this.  I love reading about the old downtown stores.  I wish I had seen them while they were still open.

[Luveenyah]

Wow, the Milk Bar.  That's a name I haven't heard in some time.  And that post office looked really nice!

[urbaknight]

I hope a bookstore does move into the Zodiac"s former location. However, I have a big problem with the next four floors not being converted to residential units. That would be a good opportunity to try out that density and urban infill concept. There are some apartments just across the street. Screw the storage space, the building will still look dead above the first floor if that happens! I'm sure with a little bit of planning, there's plenty of room for book storage.

[fieldafm]

Furchgott's was more my father's day...

but I popped in this thread b/c of this:

Wow, the Milk Bar.  That's a name I haven't heard in some time.

Oh Milk Bar, what a wonderful time to be alive!

Rosenblum's is still alive and kickin.  One in Mandarin, one at the beach.  Going to use my Teal Deals/Rosenblums coupon to get flossed up for Best of Jax party at the end of the month.

I did give a brief history lesson last night on Lerner Shop.

Isn't there a sports bar opening on this(Furchgotti/Chew/Zodiac) block soon?

[Ocklawaha]

As one that enjoyed Jacksonville's downtown in the 50's and 60's I'm here to tell y'all there was NOTHING mundane about Furchgott's... EVER. Whatever their building might have lacked on the outside, they more then made up for it on the inside.

Furchgott's was top shelf all the way through, every bit the equal of Sak's or Macy's, maybe even better. The interior of the "new" 1980's Regency Mall store was done in rose marble, and they had robot's that wandered around, introduced themselves and made suggestions on gifts based on what you told them. TRUE.

Rosenblums in that same era was the creme de la creme of the starched collar nabob set, and something of a fad for students at area high schools. "Psst... Sally got that at Rosenblums!" was a higher compliment then "She went to Jarreds." I haven't been back in one of the surviving Rosenblums stores, but if they are anything like the in the past, you can't go wrong for appearance and style, you most certainly WILL impress the boss.

OCKLAWAHA

[simms3]

Well if you say it was every bit the equal of Macy's or Saks, then I have questions.  Macy's is a mid-level store (most being lower scale than the Dillards at Town Center, and none being higher scale).  Saks and Macy's can't really be in the same sentence.  That being said, Rosenblum's certainly has some nice product.

[Wacca Pilatka]

Does anyone have any memories to share on Levy-Wolf or Purcell's?  Those seem to be the downtown department stores I don't hear much about amidst reflections on Cohen's, Furchgott's, Rosenblum's, and Sears.  Possibly because of their being mid-level or less dramatic stores?

[thelakelander]

I'll be making the rounds in JPL's special collections department over the next few weeks.  Ivey's is up next on my hit list.  My research has just started but I do know that Purcell's last location was built as a part of Downtown Center (the initial name of the complex where Ivey's was and what is now the JEA Tower).

[Jaxson]

Where was Furchgott's at the Orange Park Mall?  What department store or retail took its place? 

[Overstreet]

Maybe if they sold fishing gear, guns, hardware, and camping stuff . But fancy perfume............naw wouldn't go there.

[Jaxson]

Speaking of the old post office building, here is a picture from shorpy.com that dates back to 1910.  You can see the post office building on the left hand side of the photo.
http://www.shorpy.com/node/9648

[Singejoufflue]

^^That is one delicious photo.  Look at all the lighting and signage...a drug store, pool hall, haberdashery, buffet.  At least we got rid of all those power lines.

[duvaldude08]

Well atleast we have not done what we are imfamous for doing... That is demolition. It is great to see the building is there. It would be nice if the exterior was taking care of better though

[Jaxson]

Well atleast we have not done what we are imfamous for doing... That is demolition. It is great to see the building is there. It would be nice if the exterior was taking care of better though

So true!  The exterior could use some TLC...

[Jaxson]

Wow, the Milk Bar.  That's a name I haven't heard in some time.  And that post office looked really nice!

I miss the Milk Bar!