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Wieboldt's

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Wieboldt's
Company typeDepartment store
IndustryRetail
Founded1883 Chicago, Illinois
Defunct1987 (all locations shuttered)
FateBankruptcy
HeadquartersChicago, Illinois
ProductsApparel, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, cosmetics, home electronics, small appliances, and housewares

Wieboldt Stores, Inc., commonly referred to as Wieboldt's, operated as a general retailer based in Chicago from 1883 until 1987. The company was established by William A. Wieboldt in 1883. Its main store was situated at One North State Street in Chicago. Template:Fix/category[citation needed]

History

The flagship outlet of Wieboldt's was located at the intersection of State Street and Madison Street in Downtown Chicago. In 1961, the company took over the defunct Mandel Brothers store on State Street along with a smaller branch within the Lincoln Village shopping center. By the decade of the 1970s, Wieboldt's had expanded to operate over 15 locations throughout the Chicago metropolitan area.Template:Fix/category[citation needed]

Marking its centennial in April 1983, Wieboldt's ran an advertisement in the Chicago Sun-Times proclaiming "Building for a New Tomorrow". The message expressed: "An integral part of Chicago’s heritage, we embrace the future with optimism and vigor. The vision of yesterday is the assurance of tomorrow. Chicago, Wieboldt's. Tomorrow begins today."[1]

Throughout the 1980s, the company struggled financially which ultimately resulted in filing for bankruptcy in 1987. The business was unable to recover from this setback and all stores were eventually closed.

Stores

The following locations ceased operations on March 10, 1987:[2]

Four outlets remained operational for a longer period:

Additional former locations included:[5][6] Chicago area:

Promotions

Wieboldt's gained recognition for distributing S&H Green Stamps with customer purchases, and their stores featured dedicated redemption centers. The outlet on State Street boasted an especially extensive redemption area. Shoppers selected merchandise according to the quantity of stamps they exchanged. During the 1940s and 1950s, as well as in the mid-1980s, the company sponsored a broadcast program centered on The Cinnamon Bear: tales of Cinnamon Bear guiding his young companions on an adventure to maybe land in pursuit of the Silver Star. In the 1950s, customers could buy a plush teddy bear version for $2.98, while children visiting Santa received complimentary Cinnamon Bear buttons. Originally created by Glen Heisch and Elizabeth Heisch in 1937 in Hollywood, the program was later syndicated nationwide. Wieboldt's also became known for memorable radio commercials aired during Chicago Cubs games in the early 1960s, featuring announcers Jack Quinlan and Lou Boudreau. Some of these advertisements remain accessible at Wieboldt's Commercials Quinlan & Boudreau.

Slogans

  • "Where You Buy With Confidence"
  • "The Values Speak For Themselves"

References

  1. ↑ Chicago Sun-Times. March 13, 1983.
  2. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  3. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  4. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  5. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value).
  6. ↑ Lua error in Module:Citation/CS1/Configuration at line 2123: attempt to index field '?' (a nil value). Original four sites and merger with Mandel Bros.

External links

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