Globe Store

Globe Store

Industry	Retail
Founded	Danville, Pennsylvania, U.S. (established 1883)
Founder	John Simpson and John Clelland
Defunct	April 1994 (1994-04)
Headquarters	Scranton, Pennsylvania , U.S.
Area served	Northeastern Pennsylvania

The Globe Store was a department store serving the Scranton, Pennsylvania area, established in 1883 by John Simpson and John Clelland. The business ceased operations in 1994.

History

Initially, the store occupied a three-story building with a white stone facade. Its inventory included an extensive and current assortment of dry goods, notions, cloaks, tailored women's suits, and men's apparel.Template:Fix/category

Eventually relocating to Scranton, the Globe Store gained considerable local recognition. The Scranton location was housed in the Cleland, Simpson & Taylor building on Wyoming Avenue. However, the original Cleland building was destroyed by fire on March 17, 1889.

Golden years

The Globe Store's Scranton location stood out as one of the city’s few stores of its kind. It was often likened to New York City department stores due to its expansive display windows, vast selection of contemporary fashions, and its dining establishment—the Charl-Mont—which was later transformed into a cafeteria-style eatery. Throughout the twentieth century, the store thrived by broadening its merchandise offerings and adding new features. During the holiday season, it was known for its elaborate exterior decorations.

Economic downturn and closure

Ownership remained within the founding families until 1979, ten years after the Globe Store became part of John Wanamaker. The store continued to achieve record sales well into the 1980s. In 1978, Carter Hawley Hale (CHH) acquired John Wanamaker and its Globe Store division at the Wanamaker family's request. CHH invested significantly in both entities with plans to expand The Globe's presence. However, after facing hostile takeover attempts by DeBartolo/Wexner, CHH was compelled to sell John Wanamaker and The Globe to Woodward & Lothrop. Woodward & Lothrop then sold The Globe to local investors in 1989. The rise of suburban shopping centers and retail consolidations adversely affected business. In 1993, Steamtown Mall opened in Scranton aiming to revitalize downtown commerce. A pedestrian bridge linked The Globe to this new mall across Lackawanna Avenue to attract customers. Despite this connection and changes among anchor stores at the mall, The Globe Store experienced ongoing financial difficulties and legal challenges. It filed for bankruptcy shortly after New Year's Day in 1994 and ultimately closed in April after laying off approximately 400 employees when PNC Bank seized its assets. The former department store building has since been repurposed as office space occupied by Diversified Information Technologies. The pedestrian bridge was sealed off from The Globe and incorporated into Boscov's furniture department—another mall anchor—which later became a Steve & Barry's sportswear location until that chain's bankruptcy and liquidation. Currently, that space operates as a Crunch Gym.

Future Developments

In 2016, the Lackawanna County commissioners revealed plans to transfer the majority of county offices into The Globe Store building after completing essential restoration and renovation efforts. By 2019, the County Government had officially relocated to the premises, while refurbishment activities continued.

Store Directory

First Floor Fragrances, Cosmetics, Sports Apparel, Florist, Candy Store, Charlmont Restaurant
Second Floor Coats, Enhanced Sportswear, Fine Dresses, Shirts, Lingerie, Juniors Section, Junior Hair Salon
Third Floor Housewares, China, Children’s Clothing and Footwear
Fourth Floor Furniture, Credit Services Department
Fifth Floor Administrative Offices