Gilchrist's

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Downtown Crossing location of the former Gilchrist flagship store, Boston

Gilchrist's

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Industry	Retail
Founded	1842
Defunct	1977
Fate	Bankruptcy
Headquarters	Boston, Massachusetts
Products	Apparel, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, cosmetics, and household goods.
Website	None

Gilchrist's was a prominent department store situated in Boston. Its main store stood at the corner of Washington and Winter Streets, positioned opposite both Filene's and Jordan Marsh within the Downtown Crossing area.

Recognized as one of Boston’s big three retailers—alongside Filene's and Jordan Marsh—Gilchrist's played a significant role in shaping the city's retail landscape for many years. Established in 1842, just one year following the launch of Jordan Marsh downtown, Gilchrist's catered to a slightly different market segment but achieved comparable success.

The origins of Gilchrist's trace back to a dry goods establishment on Washington Street owned by George Turnbull & Co. during the 1840s. R. Gilchrist initially joined the business as a clerk and became a partner in 1855 when Turnbull retired.

In 1855, a new outlet opened at 5 Winter Street. The company underwent several name changes: Churchill, Watson & Co. in 1862; Churchill, Gilchrist & Smith in 1874; R. & J. Gilchrist in 1877; Gilchrist & Co. by 1893; and finally Gilchrist Co. from 1901 under John Gilchrist’s sole ownership. The store expanded its premises in 1896. In March 1900, a newly constructed building designed by architect Richard Clipston Sturgis debuted on Washington Street. Five years later, the firm leased the Century Building at the corner of Washington and Winter Streets adjacent to their existing location, adding an additional 50,000 square feet to their retail space.

By 1900, the building earned the nickname "the daylight store" due to its extensive windows and a vertical light well extending from roof to ground floor that maximized natural illumination. This architectural concept was further enhanced when part of the old Century Building was demolished to make way for a new structure that opened in October 1912. This updated design incorporated prismatic glass windows and doubled the available floor area while introducing numerous new departments. Notable features included an expansive soda grill, reception rooms for visitors, and separate "hospital" areas for men and women. Customer convenience was improved with innovations such as shopping cards and mechanical chutes and dumbwaiters for transporting merchandise.

During the 1940s, Gilchrist's began expanding into older suburban neighborhoods. By 1964, it operated eight stores across Massachusetts, including locations in Quincy, Brockton, Framingham, Medford, Waltham, Stoneham, Cambridge, and Dorchester. The Cambridge branch was situated in the basement level of the Star Market grocery within the Porter Square shopping complex.

The rise of shopping malls contributed to the decline of downtown retail outlets. Eventually overshadowed by larger anchor stores within malls, Gilchrist's ceased operations in 1977. Its former flagship store at Downtown Crossing was replaced by The Corner shopping mall housed within the original building.