10 Big Retail Stores That Went Out Of Business | Part 2

Join us as we take a nostalgic journey through the once-bustling aisles of America's favorite brick-and-mortar stores that have since gone out of business. From the beloved bookshelves of Waldenbooks in the mall to the busy counters of CompUSA, and the charming racks of Mervyn's department stores, we explore how these retail giants went from shopping staples to defunct brands. Discover what led to the bankruptcies of iconic stores like Sports Authority, KB Toys, Hollywood Video, and others, and reflect on the ever-changing landscape of buying and retail.
#shopping #store #retail #mall #nostalgia
Welcome to American Rewind, your ultimate trip down memory lane! Dive deep into the golden age of Americana, as we journey through the good old days of the 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. Experience the nostalgia of days gone by, flipping through vintage photo albums and exploring this rich archive from the 20th century. Remember when the USA was filled with memories that shaped its history? Relive those moments growing up, as we bring you a nostalgic look back at America's golden years. From retro vibes to the timeless charm of yesteryear, our channel is dedicated to remembering the past and celebrating our great country. Join us as we travel back in time and let's rewind together!

[@AmericanRewind]

What other stores do you miss the most?

[@roamsweethome4895]

I grew up in rural Alaska during the 70’s. A trip to Anchorage, 3 hours drive one-way, to restock bulk non-perishables was an exciting once a month endeavor. I remember going to stores like Long’s Drug and CARR’S (Carr-Gotstein), and eating “fancy” dinners at La Mex.

[@TS-wh4ey]

Central Hardware

[@lelandgaunt9985]

K-mart.

[@oneobserver6116]

Waldenbooks.

[@DragonKazooie89]

I'll always remember shopping at Mervyn's for Back-To-School shopping growing up in the 90s

[@TS-wh4ey]

I miss all the record stores we once had. 'Streetside Records', 'Camelot Music', 'Sam Goody', and also the electronic store 'Circuit City'.

[@reh3884]

They were way overpriced. Plus, they didn't know jack about music. I was in Sam Goody once, looking for "Leonard Skinner" but couldn't find it. I asked the young kid working there were they kept it. He looked at me like I was an idiot and said, "in the heavy metal section, duh."

[@TS-wh4ey]

@@reh3884 I experienced something similar one time. Someone would ask you what album you're looking for, and yet they couldn't find it, so I'd just go in there and find it on my own. "Can I help you find something?". My reply: " No thanks, I can find it on my own". Of the three I mentioned, Streetside was by far the best.

[@TS-wh4ey]

@@reh3884 I experienced something similar myself on occasion. They ask you what album you're looking for, but can't find it and so I'd wind up finding it myself. Sam Goody did have higher prices than others, located mostly in malls was probably why. Of the three I mentioned, Streetside was by far the best. They had their own locations, not a store in a mall.

[@TS-wh4ey]

​@@reh3884 I had a similar experience also. More than once. I would always wind up finding an album by myself. "Can I help you find something?" My reply, "No, I know what I'm looking for, I'll find it." They were overpriced probably because they were located in the malls where the rent was high. Of the three I mentioned, by far the best was Streetside where they were mostly located in a single building outside and away from a mall. As far as album prices back then, they were cheap in comparison to what they are now. I know I've have many titles that are worth way more than they were in those days. Many of my classic rock albums are OP now and worth a tidy sum.

[@glennso47]

Media Play, Circuit City, Builder’s Square , Venture , A and P Grocery Stores.

[@indianoutlaw5702]

CompUSA died mostly from poor senior leadership focusing on unusable service contracts, weird subscriptions and "deceptive" pricing models. In addition, their training department focused less on the casual user and more on sponsored software training. Also, they never answered their phone.

[@jerrykwarner6713]

K-Mart and Zody's Department Stores, my mom worked at the Zodys Lay a Way counter for years.

[@californiahiker9616]

My kid grew up in clothes bought at Mervyns San Lorenzo. We later moved and I frequently shopped Gottschalk‘s Merced. They had nice clothes, purses, and upscale makeup. I hated to see them close!

[@jasoncarpp7742]

My favourite was a CD store called Silver Platters. It was (possibly still is) a Seattle Washington based CD store I used to buy my favourite CDs between the 1990s to 2005.

[@yamil.343]

Like my childhood gone so are these.

[@reh3884]

UGH, I hated Walden Books. They would constantly harass you to sign up for their membership card. Years ago, I was in there with my daughter. We were trying to pay but the employee would not stop trying to push their card on me no matter how many times I said no. I finally got frustrated and pull up my hand and said, "young lady, I said, 'no thank you!'" She slammed the $100 worth of books I was buying on the counter and turn her back on me. I wrote a letter to the company to complain (remember this was years ago). They sent me a "non-apology" with a $5 coupon which I promptly sent back. We started going to Barnes & Noble after that even though it was a farther drive.

[@MrPGC137]

After that treatment, you should've gone full "Karen" mode & demanded to see the manager to complain. I didn't like Walden either, but it was for a different reason. I couldn't get used to the cluttered arrangement of the place; I felt like I had no elbow-room to move around, everything felt so crammed in there. Plus I think I was allergic to the carpets or something in the local store, because as soon as I set foot inside, I'd get a splitting headache. (It smelled kind of rank too, so maybe they had rats-dead & alive-in the walls or something...)

[@edfry3531]

Unfortunately the people under the age of 50 don't know the value of books. I'm not talking of monotony values but the years it lasts. I still have a first addition of TREASURE ISLAND. Every time I read it brings me back to my childhood.

[@yvonneplant9434]

Some do, though. They're still going to libraries.

[@yvonneplant9434]

😅😅😅 Now, come on... you know it's " edition" not " addition". 😅

[@reh3884]

Don't generalize. My daughter is just over 30 and loves books. She has a large collection. Also, you using "addition" instead of "edition" is very ironic. Maybe you shouldn't throw stones.

[@lelandgaunt9985]

My mom a hoarder, still had bags from eckerds and K and B drugstores up until 2016, when the house flooded.

[@Runnerschai]

I loved Sports Authority! I miss it. Hollywood Video and Blockbuster were such pillars to communities. It’s crazy that they died. It was the best place to see everyone you knew. I used to loved Eckerd and Long’s Drugs, but CVS killed them. Macys killed so many dept stores but is now the dying lame evil empire. I look forward to the day I can watch one of these remembering Amazon. Lololol

[@lovedfriend2020]

I do remember most of them living in FL and they where cool.

[@petemahler4784]

CompUSA was bought by the guy who owned the Mexican telephone company, can't remember his name. He wanted to merge with Circuit City, they did not want to, so he closed the stores to take the loss. I used to work there when this was going on.

[@MrPGC137]

Pity; I liked both stores.

[@kennixox262]

I remember Sports Authority. The vast majority of their merchandise was tee shirts of one sort of another and the sports equipment was cheap junk. If you need a good racket or set of clubs, you had to visit a specialty store. What stores do I miss the most? None of them frankly. Corporations are not loyal to their customers and this customer is not loyal to any corporate owned store. Became tired of going to stores and not finding what I was looking for, so I stopped going. CompUSA also in my opinion left something to be desired. As a Macintosh user, their "Appel Store within a store" was a joke, with poor lighting, poor display and usually used as a storage area with employees who had no clue about anything Apple. For me, it was Microcenter for Apple products until Apple eventually opened their own stores. Eckard Drugs was synonymous with their shopping center neighbor Publix supermarkets in Florida. The two always went together and I do remember when they had an in store restaurant/coffee shop.

[@bigsexy8035]

Yes, the loyalty point you made is key. Letting nostalgic emotions well up for dead corporations is insanity

[@henrytroll3439]

My first job was at an Eckerd Drugs close to my house

[@glennso47]

Coast to Coast Hardware Store.

[@MrPGC137]

I remember those; we frequently found stuff in there that we couldn't find in the other, bigger hardware-chains (like OSH.)

[@jmed412]

Hill's department stores.

[@rweaver912]

Hallmark Cards!

[@MrPGC137]

Those are still around; coincidentally I visited both my local stores just the other day.