L. S. Ayres
| Company type | Private (historical) |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (department store) |
| Founded | 1872 |
| Founder | Lyman S. Ayres |
| Defunct | September 9, 2006 |
| Fate | Brand retired and stores rebranded as Macy's |
| Headquarters | Indianapolis, Indiana , United States |
Area served | Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky |
| Products | Women's apparel, department store goods, discount retail (Ayr-Way), specialty shops, home furnishings |
| Parent | Associated Dry Goods (1972–1986), The May Department Stores Company (1986–2005), Federated Department Stores (2005–2006) |
L. S. Ayres and Company
L. S. Ayres and Company was a department store headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, established in 1872 by Lyman S. Ayres. Its flagship location, inaugurated in 1905 and subsequently expanded, gained renown for its women's apparel, the Tea Room dining experience, festive holiday displays, and an affordable basement outlet. As demographic trends shifted toward suburban areas, Ayres responded by opening branch locations in various Indiana shopping centers. The company also expanded through acquisitions of retail outlets in Springfield, Illinois; Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Louisville, Kentucky. The discount store arm, Ayr-Way, was notable as the first discount retailer launched by a traditional full-line department store. By the late 1960s, Ayres had evolved into a multi-faceted merchandising enterprise comprising department stores, discount outlets, specialty apparel shops, a home furnishings showroom, and a real estate investment division. The enduring slogan "That Ayres Look" positioned the brand as a fashion authority and was recognized by 1972 as the longest-running retail tagline in the United States.
In 1972, ownership of Ayres transferred to Associated Dry Goods. Following the 1986 acquisition of Associated Dry Goods by The May Department Stores Company, several Ayres locations were shuttered. The Indianapolis flagship store ceased operations in spring 1992 when the remaining Ayres stores were consolidated with May's Famous-Barr division. Federated Department Stores—owner of Macy's—completed its acquisition of The May Company on August 30, 2005. Subsequently, on February 1, 2006, L. S. Ayres was officially dissolved and integrated into the newly created Macy's Midwest division. The L. S. Ayres brand was retired on September 9, 2006, as most former Ayres stores were rebranded under Macy's banner.
Beginnings in Indianapolis
In 1872, Lyman S. Ayres, originally the owner of a dry-goods shop in Geneva, New York, established a new business in Indianapolis, Indiana by acquiring a majority stake in N. R. Smith and Company, a dry-goods retailer also referred to as the Trade Palace. This store was situated at 26–28 West Washington Street in Indianapolis. The Trade Palace's origins trace back to 1851 when H. A. Fletcher and Company opened a dry-goods shop at 28 West Washington Street. It moved to 10 East Washington Street in 1856 and later settled at 26 West Washington Street during the 1860s, where it became known by various names including the Trade Palace. The rebranded store, called N. R. Smith and Ayres, launched in January 1872. By 1874, Ayres had purchased Smith's share, and the business appeared under the name "L. S. Ayres & Co." in local advertisements that February. The following year, the store relocated across the street to 33–37 West Washington Street, where it operated for three decades as L. S. Ayres and Company. It marketed itself as a "First Class One Price Establishment," emphasizing consistent quality and fixed pricing—concepts that were innovative for that era. Throughout the early 20th century, Ayres expanded its presence to become a premier department store in Indianapolis. Its main local competitors included the William H. Block Company, H. P. Wasson and Company, and L. S. Strauss and Company. In 1972, the Lazarus chain entered the Indianapolis market by absorbing Block's stores. While all these retailers offered comprehensive merchandise lines, Ayres was particularly distinguished for its women's fashion offerings.
In the years leading up to his death in 1896, Lyman Ayres acquired multiple properties along Meridian and Washington streets with plans to construct a new flagship store at their intersection downtown. The Indianapolis architectural firm Vonnegut and Bohn designed this eight-story flagship, which opened on October 3, 1905, offering over 3 acres (130,000 sq ft; 12,000 m2) of retail space. This iconic location at One West Washington Street underwent several expansions over time; its first major enlargement was completed in 1915, doubling both its size and frontage along Washington Street. Starting in the 1920s, the company expanded its holdings along Meridian Street south of the main store by acquiring properties including the former Chamber of Commerce building; this led to the opening of the South Building on September 14, 1929. By then, the entire store complex encompassed approximately 475,000 sq ft (44,129 m2) of space. Following World War II, an eleven-story addition was constructed along Meridian Street adjacent to the South Building.
Despite downtown Indianapolis experiencing decline during the 1950s as businesses shifted away from the city center, Ayres continued purchasing nearby real estate around its flagship location. In 1973, some of this space was relinquished as operations were consolidated within remaining downtown buildings. The company demolished several older structures near its main store to create surface parking lots and subsequently built two parking garages aimed at attracting suburban customers to park conveniently while shopping downtown.
Although Ayres made efforts to revitalize its flagship location amid downtown’s downturn by the 1970s—where vacant lots and empty buildings surrounded the West Washington Street store—the area continued to struggle economically. To stimulate development and draw convention and tourism activity downtown, Ayres partnered with others to invest in hotel projects: contributing $3.3 million toward a Hilton Hotel (later rebranded as a Sheraton) and donating $50,000 to Merchants Plaza, which housed a Hyatt Regency Hotel alongside Merchants Bank offices occupying most of its space.
Growth of the Ayres 1905 Flagship Complex
| Date | Developments | Architects | Sq ft | Sq m | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Original One W. Washington Street structure, consisting of 8 floors. It replaced the former Hubbard Block. | Vonnegut & Bohn | 105,000 | 9,755 | ||
|
An annex was built on the site previously occupied by the Iron Block, which was destroyed by fire in January 1914. This included #9-11 Washington St. (Bobbs & Merrill stationery) and #13-15 (Besten & Langen store). This expansion nearly doubled the store’s total area. | Vonnegut, Bohn, and Mueller | ~210,000 | ~19,510 | ||
| by 1920 | Extended westward by approximately 34 ft (10 m), reaching a total frontage of 135 ft (41 m) along Washington Street. | ~280,000 | ~26,013 | |||
| by 1928 | L.S. Ayres Annex Warehouse established on Haueisen property at #14-22 Maryland St., with 67.5 ft (21 m) frontage, designated for storage purposes as of 1928. | |||||
| Built 1926, opened
|
South Building located at 30-32 S. Meridian; featuring 11 full stories plus a 2-story penthouse and two basement levels; equipped with seven elevators. This addition increased the complex’s floor space by nearly 90%. Throughout the 1920s, Ayres expanded southward, acquiring:
|
Vonnegut, Bohn, and Mueller | 425,000 | 39,484 | ||
| 1936 | Installation of the L. S. Ayres Clock. | |||||
| 1941 | Expansion to the west along Pearl Street with the Burford printing plant integrated into the store. | |||||
| 1941 | Utilization of part of Stutz Motor Co. property at 10th and Capitol as workshop, warehouse, and delivery garage. | |||||
| 1946 | Construction of an 11-story extension at 38-40 S. Meridian St., featuring a 38.5-foot frontage on the south side of Pearl Street, located on the former William B. Burford store site. This provided an additional 50,000 sq ft (4,645 m2) of space at a cost of $500,000. | Skidmore, Owings & Merrill | 475,000 | 44,129 |
Present usage
The buildings at 1-7 W. Washington and 30 S. Meridian underwent renovations in 1997 by Browning Investments and Hagerman Construction, transforming them into office space and a department store initially occupied by Parisian, which was later replaced by Carson's. This location served as an anchor for the newly developed Circle Centre Mall. Carson's ceased operations in 2018, leaving the space unoccupied.
Expansion into suburban markets
With the migration of city dwellers to suburban neighborhoods, Ayres adapted by opening branch stores in Indianapolis and Lafayette, Indiana. In 1959, the company established a substantial warehouse and service center on Hillside Avenue in Indianapolis. Six years later, a new branch debuted in the Greenwood Shopping Center, situated approximately 10 miles south of the main Indianapolis store. The following year, Ayres launched another branch at Glenbrook Square in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Beyond constructing new branches within Indiana, Ayres expanded by acquiring The John Bressmer Company in Springfield, Illinois, in 1958 and introduced Ayr-Way, a self-service discount store chain. In 1969, Ayres extended its reach into Louisville, Kentucky, through the purchase of Kaufman-Straus Company, part of City Stores Corporation. However, the downtown Louisville store struggled financially and was closed within two years. An Ayr-Way discount store opened downtown in 1973 but also failed by 1975. Subsequently, two suburban Louisville outlets were integrated into Ayres’s Indianapolis operations. The City Stores acquisition also included Wolf and Dessauer (W&D), a prominent department store located in downtown Fort Wayne. During the late 1960s, Ayres ventured into specialty retail with the creation of Sycamore Shops and Cygnet Shops aimed at young adult consumers.
By decade’s end, Ayres had diversified its portfolio beyond department stores to encompass its Indianapolis flagship and branches across Indiana; three subsidiary department stores (Bressmer's, Kaufman’s, and W&D); discount chains Ayr-Way and Ayr-Way Discount Foods; specialty stores Sycamore Shops and Cygnet; an upscale home furnishings retailer Murray Showrooms; and a real estate investment firm named Murray Investments.
Acquisition
In 1972, Associated Dry Goods of New York City acquired Ayres. Announced on January 26 of that year, the transaction involved exchanging Ayres stock for 1.4 million shares of Associated Dry Goods stock, valuing the deal at $78.5 million in 1972 dollars. In 1983, Associated Dry Goods merged Cincinnati-based Pogue's with Ayres; these stores were rebranded as L. S. Ayres and Company in 1984 following $7 million in renovations. Two years later, Louisville’s Stewart Dry Goods stores were absorbed into Ayres. Given intense competition and deteriorating downtown conditions in Louisville, Stewart Dry Goods locations were renamed L. S. Ayres in 1987 with $6.5 million allocated for remodeling the downtown store.
The May Department Stores Company acquired Associated Dry Goods in 1986 through a stock exchange valued near $2.47 billion at that time. Between 1986 and 1990, several leadership changes occurred at Ayres as May sought to enhance profitability; this period also saw closures of Louisville and Cincinnati stores. By the late 1980s, May had shuttered former Pogue’s and Stewart’s locations, reducing Ayres outlets to fourteen stores. In 1988, three Cincinnati-area Ayres stores—located at Tri-County Mall, Kenwood Towne Centre, and Northgate Mall—were sold to J.C. Penney; all have since been either closed or relocated.
In April 1991, May announced that the Ayres flagship would not participate in Indianapolis’s forthcoming Circle Centre mall project despite its proximity to the downtown store site under construction. Later that year on October 25, May declared plans to close the downtown Indianapolis Ayres store along with three other Indiana branches. Additionally in 1991, Ayres operations merged with May’s Famous-Barr division headquartered in St. Louis while retaining the Ayres brand name. Parisian opened a store within the former downtown Indianapolis Ayres location in 1995; this was replaced by Carson's in 2007 before closing in 2018.
Federated Department Stores acquired Macy's in 1994 followed by The May Department Stores Company in 2005. On February 1, 2006, Ayres was integrated into the newly formed Macy's Midwest division (now Macy's Central). Most former Ayres stores converted to Macy's outlets except for those at Greenwood Park Mall and Castleton Square near Indianapolis suburbs where existing Lazarus locations remained as Macy's stores instead. The Greenwood Park Mall and Castleton Square Ayres stores were subsequently demolished.
Flagship store
While Ayres carried a comprehensive range of merchandise and services, it gained particular recognition for its women's fashion collections, its Tea Room, festive Christmas activities and displays, as well as its budget-oriented store offerings.
The Indianapolis flagship's Tea Room operated from 1905 until 1990, providing customers with an elegant dining experience designed to attract shoppers to the downtown location. Although the restaurant itself did not generate profits, it served as a popular social venue, predominantly for women, who also experienced informal fashion presentations during their visits. The menu remained largely unchanged over many years and featured signature dishes such as chicken pot pie, chicken velvet soup, and special desserts tailored for children. A recreation of this Tea Room is now exhibited at the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis. Throughout its history, the flagship store also housed various food service options including a soda fountain, a coffee and snack bar located in the basement, and a cafeteria-style tea room situated on the balcony overlooking the main floor during the 1970s. Cafeterias and tea rooms were also present in branch locations. The downtown Tea Room remained operational until 1990, while other in-store dining facilities closed following Ayres' acquisition by the May Company in 1986.
Ayres attracted extensive media attention and drew large crowds through its seasonal departments, special events, and elaborate displays. On Thanksgiving Eve in 1947, a bronze cherub was placed on the prominent outdoor clock at the corner of Meridian and Washington Streets at the flagship store—a three-foot figure that became an enduring holiday tradition each Christmas season. The company was also celebrated for its ornate Christmas decorations, particularly its intricately designed window displays that featured new themes annually after months of preparation. The holiday section expanded over time to incorporate toy exhibits and a Santa’s workshop. Following World War II, Ayres introduced telephone calls with Santa Claus and live television broadcasts to enhance customer engagement. From 1958 to 1961, children enjoyed rides aboard the Santa Claus Express, a miniature electric train navigating through the festive Christmas display. Beginning in the 1940s, visits from a costumed Easter Bunny became part of the downtown store’s seasonal offerings; by 1957, live farm animals were added to the annual Easter festivities.
The concept of the Ayres Economy Basement dates back to the flagship store’s opening in 1905. Also known later as the Downstairs Store or Budget Store, this basement area operated distinctively compared to similar departments in other retail establishments. Rather than selling low-quality merchandise, it offered affordable yet well-made products aimed at attracting customers with limited budgets who aspired to eventually purchase full-priced items from upper floors. Additionally, this section functioned as a training environment for future Ayres managers. By the 1960s, however, the Budget Store's prominence diminished due to competition from Ayr-Way—Ayres’ discount chain—and shifting consumer shopping habits and pricing strategies. Ultimately, the Budget Store concept was phased out during the mid-1980s.
The L.S. Ayres Annex Warehouse, located on Maryland Street just south of the flagship building, is an Italianate brick structure originally known as Elliott's Block. Constructed in 1875 for Calvin A. Elliott, a wholesale liquor dealer, this warehouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Branches
The initial Ayres branch stores debuted in May 1958 at the Market Square Shopping Center located in Lafayette, Indiana.[1] Shortly after, in August 1958, Ayres launched another branch within the newly established Glendale Shopping Center at the intersection of Sixty-second Street and Keystone Avenue on Indianapolis's north side; this was a collaborative effort between Ayres and Landau and Perlman, a developer based in Chicago.[2] Through the 1960s and 1970s, further branches were introduced both in Indianapolis and other Indiana cities. Among these were the Greenwood Shopping Center (1965) in Greenwood and Ayres Glenbrook (1966) situated in Fort Wayne.[3] Following the acquisition of Ayres by Associated Dry Goods, additional stores were established in Indiana malls: including Lafayette Square Mall (1973) and Washington Square (1975) within Indianapolis, Scottsdale (1971) in South Bend, Muncie Mall (1977), Southlake (1978) in Merrillville, University Park Mall (1979) located in Mishawaka, and College Mall (1982) in Bloomington.[4]
Specialty shops
Between 1919 and the early 1930s, Ayres maintained two seasonal specialty boutiques at the French Lick Springs Hotel, a resort and spa situated in southern Indiana. These outlets sold gifts, accessories, lingerie, and sportswear items.[5] In August 1955, Ayres introduced the Boulevard Shop, a boutique located inside Indianapolis's Marott Hotel. This gift shop relocated to a new venue within the Stouffer Hotel on Meridian Street in Indianapolis by 1967 and operated there until its closure during the 1980s.[6]
The year 1968 saw Ayres launching small specialty fashion outlets known as the Sycamore Shop and Cygnet. The Sycamore Shop targeted young adults with classic apparel and accessories for both men and women, while Cygnet Shops offered contemporary fashion geared toward young women. The inaugural Sycamore Shop was opened at Lafayette Square shopping center in Indianapolis; meanwhile, the first Cygnet Shop began operations in Terre Haute, Indiana. By 1971, approximately twelve such specialty shops were active across suburban malls throughout Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. Although Cygnet Shops ceased operations by 1975, the Sycamore Shops continued expanding even after The May Department Stores Company acquired Ayres along with its parent firm Associated Dry Goods in 1986. Subsequently, three executives from Ayres purchased the Sycamore Shops from May and managed the specialty chain independently. By 1990, Sycamore Shops had grown to encompass 160 locations across five states.[7] Ultimately, Sycamore Shops filed for bankruptcy and underwent liquidation between late 1995 and early 1996.[8]
Subsidiaries
Around 1914, the Ayres family founded Murray Investments, a holding entity that possessed the store's real estate assets, which were subsequently leased back to Ayres. This subsidiary also facilitated future growth by acquiring additional properties in Anderson, Indianapolis, South Bend, and Evansville, Indiana. Remaining under Ayres family ownership, Murray Investments merged with L. S. Ayres Company in the late 1960s, injecting approximately $3.6 million in equity capital into the firm. This consolidation also raised the Ayres family's stake in the company to 67 percent.
In September 1954, Ayres launched a fully owned subsidiary named Murray Showrooms, exclusively catering to the interior decorator trade. The Indianapolis location at 31 West Thirteenth Street functioned similarly to Chicago's Merchandise Mart and was unique within Indiana. A second showroom was opened in 1960 in Kenwood, Ohio, a suburb of Cincinnati; however, it underachieved and closed by 1965. The Indianapolis showroom remained operational until the late 1970s and was ultimately liquidated in 1982 following a roof collapse.
Ayres expanded its portfolio in 1958 by acquiring The John Bressmer Company of Springfield, Illinois, maintaining operations under the Bressmer brand. This six-story downtown establishment was recognized for its fashionable merchandise and exceptional customer service and served as a managerial training site for Ayres personnel. William P. Arnold, who began with Ayres in 1947, advanced to become president of Bressmer and later held executive roles including president and CEO of J. W. Robinson's and chairman of Associated Dry Goods. P. Gerald Mills transitioned from an Ayres buyer to president of Dayton's, then led the J. L. Hudson Company and ultimately the Dayton-Hudson Corporation. David P. Williams III also gained experience at Bressmer before becoming president of Associated Dry Goods. In 1972, Associated Dry Goods acquired Bressmer's and converted it into a branch of their Stix, Baer and Fuller division. The downtown Springfield store closed in 1980 after a new Stix, Baer and Fuller location opened on the city's south side.
In 1969, Ayres purchased two department store chains from City Stores: Kaufman-Straus based in Louisville, Kentucky, and Wolf & Dessauer Company with two outlets in Fort Wayne, Indiana. These stores were eventually rebranded as Ayres locations.
Ayr-Way
In 1961, Ayres introduced Ayr-Way, a discount store concept,[9] debuting its first location on October 13, 1961 at Thirty-eighth Street and Pendleton Pike in Indianapolis.[10][11][12] Ayr-Way was among the earliest discount store ventures initiated by an established department store chain. Its inaugural Indianapolis outlet preceded both Kmart’s first store opening in Garden City, Michigan (March 1962), and Target’s initial launch (May 1962).[13] Additional Ayr-Way stores were subsequently established in various cities.
The development and management of Ayr-Way presented several obstacles for Ayres. Initially, defining a distinct brand identity for Ayr-Way relative to L.S. Ayres proved challenging. Furthermore, some store sites were poorly chosen—either situated in economically declining areas or premature developments—hindering performance. Additionally, attempts to integrate supermarkets adjacent to Ayr-Way stores failed to yield success; by fiscal year 1970 (two years post-introduction), these grocery outlets—operated under lease by Scot-Lad Foods from Chicago—resulted in an after-tax loss amounting to $320,000 (~$Template:Format price adjusted for inflation). Consequently, Ayres divested its food operations to Scot-Lad Foods that year to focus exclusively on general merchandise sales within Ayr-Way stores.
Following Associated Dry Goods' acquisition of Ayres in 1972, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission raised concerns about anticompetitive effects stemming from overlapping retail locations—in Louisville and Lexington (Kentucky) as well as Evansville (Indiana)—where Ayr-Way operated alongside Stewarts Dry Goods stores owned by Associated Dry Goods. Additionally, Louisville housed two Ayres department stores; Danville and Champaign (Illinois) each had one store under the brand. Due to antitrust pressures from the FTC, Associated Dry Goods sold Ayr-Way to private investment firm Stephens Inc. for $19.9 million in 1976; this transaction finalized in early 1977.[14] In 1980, Dayton Hudson Corporation (now known as Target Corporation) purchased Ayr-Way's chain comprising forty stores plus one distribution center; these outlets were renovated and relaunched as Target stores during 1981.[15]
Corporate affairs
In 1872, Lyman Ayres secured a controlling stake in the Indianapolis dry-goods enterprise previously owned by N. R. Smith and Company, initiating his involvement with a $40,000 investment (~$Template:Format price in Template:Inflation/year) through sight drafts and notes. Two years later, in 1874, Ayres purchased Smith’s share of the business and ultimately assumed full ownership in 1895 following the retirement of James G. Thomas, who held a 25 percent interest in the store.
The incorporation of L. S. Ayres and Company occurred in 1896 with capital stock valued at $200,000 (~$Template:Format price in Template:Inflation/year). Upon Lyman Ayres’ passing that same year, his son, Frederick M. (Fred) Ayres, was appointed president of the company. Maria H. Ayres, Lyman’s widow, took on the role of secretary-treasurer, while William B. Wheelock, his son-in-law, became vice president. The business remained predominantly family-owned, except for two employees who held shares, until the early 1950s when it went public.
During the 1940s, the board of directors expanded from five members to as many as nine, incorporating representatives from the store’s interests, the broader public, and the Ayres family. By the 1960s and early 1970s, the board further grew to include external business executives alongside additional members of the Ayres leadership team.
Leadership
- Lyman S. Ayres served as founder and led the company from its inception in 1872 until 1896.
- Frederick M. (Fred) Ayres, Lyman’s son, held the presidency from 1896 through 1940.
- Theodore B. (Ted) Griffith, who was married to Emma Ayres Wheelock—the adopted daughter of Lyman Ayres—presided over the company from 1940 to 1954. He subsequently chaired the board between 1954 and 1959 and remained an honorary director until his death in 1972.
- Lyman S. Ayres II, eldest son of Fred Ayres, joined the board in 1940 and served as president from 1954 until his retirement in 1962. Following this, he assumed the role of board chairman until 1973 when he was named honorary chairman.
- James A. Gloin became president in 1962 as the first individual outside the family to hold this position; he retired three years later but continued to serve on the board.
- Daniel F. Evans took over as president in 1966 and was appointed chairman of Ayres in 1974 while maintaining his responsibilities as president and CEO.
- P. Gerald Mills assumed presidency in 1974 and became CEO in 1975; four years afterward he joined Dayton-Hudson Corporation where he eventually rose to chairman of Jacobson's.
- David P. Williams III returned to lead as president and CEO in 1978 after previously heading J.W. Robinson's, a division of Associated Dry Goods based in Florida. He departed Ayres in 1982 and later became president of Associated Dry Goods. Williams was a grandson of Katherine Ayres (daughter of Lyman Ayres I) and son of David P. Williams Jr., former president of Ayr-Way Stores, Inc.
- John L. Hoerner became president and CEO in 1982, marking the first time a non-family member occupied the CEO position at Ayres.
- Following The May Department Store Company’s acquisition of Ayres in 1986, leadership roles including president and CEO were held by several individuals such as Robert L. Mettler and Robert Friedman.
Stock
Ayres launched its initial public stock offering during the mid-1950s, issuing 52,250 shares. This move generated close to $1 million in funding while the Ayres family maintained an 85 percent stake in the company.
Sales
Following the stock issuance in the 1950s, the company experienced substantial profit growth, with earnings surpassing $47 million in 1956, marking a new high at that point. The subsequent year, 1957, saw another record with sales exceeding $50 million and net income of $1.2 million, equating to $3.09 per common share. By the fiscal year 1966, Ayres reported revenues of $106.3 million alongside net profits of $3.1 million, or $2.51 per share. However, on July 31, 1971, after a consistent period of annual profitability, the company disclosed a quarterly loss amounting to $404,000.
During the 1980s, under the ownership of Associated Dry Goods, Ayres expanded its footprint by opening new outlets and renovating aging stores, maintaining profitability as a subsidiary. In 1985, the Glendale branch in Indianapolis ranked second in profitability among the 438 stores within Associated Dry Goods, surpassed only by the Lord & Taylor flagship in New York City. That same year, Ayres commanded at least a 60 percent market share in most cities where it operated. Despite this strong market presence, Ayres's sales performance—$103 per square foot—fell behind other May Company subsidiaries such as Hecht's ($163 per square foot) and Famous-Barr ($124 per square foot).
Diversity
In 1971, minority employees constituted approximately 9 percent of Ayres's workforce. The majority of these employees were based in downtown stores located in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, Indiana, as well as Louisville, Kentucky. Indianapolis had the highest concentration of minority staff at 17 percent.
Flora Krauch became the company's first female executive when she joined Ayres in 1909 as a buyer and went on to develop a thriving children's department. Beverly Rice broke new ground as Ayres’s first female vice president in 1969, overseeing merchandise for Cygnet Shops and women's better apparel. She advanced to vice president and general merchandise manager in 1976 before retiring in 1983. In 1972, Marlene Druien was appointed as the first woman store manager at the Ayres Dixie Manor location in Louisville. Additional women who managed Ayres branches included Florence Elias and Mary Alice Fogarty—the latter appointed manager of the Lafayette store in 1974 and retired five years later.
Slogans
- "A Gift from Ayres Means More"—this well-known slogan debuted in Ayres's Christmas catalogs dating back to 1922.
- "That Ayres Look"—a longstanding tagline created by merchandise manager J. Park Wood alongside publicity director Sidney Sullivan. The phrase made its first national appearance in Vogue magazine in 1936 and was featured for nearly five decades in advertising campaigns that positioned Ayres as a fashion authority. These campaigns showcased designs from renowned creators such as Bill Blass, Christian Dior, Hattie Carnegie, and Norman Norell. Additionally, "That Ayres Look" served as the title for a temporary exhibit hosted by the Indiana Historical Society from March 14, 2015, through August 6, 2016, at Indianapolis’s Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center.
See also
References
- ↑ Turchi 2012, pp. 187. - This store was later moved to a different site within Lafayette during the 1990s.
- ↑ Turchi 2012, pp. 181, 183, 185.
- ↑ Turchi 2012, pp. 208, 221.
- ↑ Turchi 2012, p. 255.
- ↑ Turchi 2012, p. 47.
- ↑ Turchi 2012, pp. 158, 160.
- ↑ Turchi 2012, pp. 229–230.
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- ↑ Turchi 2012, p. 204. - This self-service discount format featured a full-service grocery section alongside a parking facility accommodating 1,000 vehicles.
- ↑ Turchi 2012, p. 205.
- ↑ "Closing Papers for Sale of Ayr-Way Chain Signed", Columbus Republic, January 10, 1977, page A3.
- ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
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