Leonard's Department Store Museum (Texas Country Reporter)

You can find it all at the Leonard’s Department Store Museum in Fort Worth.
Marty Leonard
200 Carroll St
Fort Worth, TX 76107
Phone: [phone]
/ texascountry. .
Follow us on Twitter: / tcrbob
Texas Country Reporter
#1705
5-02-2020

[@1965Flipp]

Absolutely the best memories of Christmas childhood. I grew up during a wonderful time in Fort Worth history. Their subway station displays were dreamy

[@kathysmith7540]

Leonard's was one of my favorite childhood memories.

[@jetdoctn]

Grew up in Ft. Worth and lived in the Ripley Arnold Housing project's from the early to late 60's. What an awesome store. Rode that subway sometimes just for something to do. Can't wait to visit this museum.

[@hippiedadtx2878]

I grew up in Fort Worth, and still live here. I have many fond memories of going to Leonard's and other department stores downtown. I even have a photo of me with the exact same Santa that's at the end of the video!

[@Oldag75]

Who recalls the blind couple who stationed themselves outside Leonard's, singing and selling pencils? They even continued their singing during Aggie Corps Trip parades, the Aggie Band blasting the area with march music... and there was that couple singing and selling pencils.

[@Paul-hg3hm]

One of my favorite memories of Leonard's was at Christmas time . I always had to go see the talking Christmas tree. It was a Christmas tree that had two eyes and a mouth that moved and it would talk to all the kids that walked by. If you put a quarter in the slot on the side of it. It would give you a Christmas present! I remember receiving a toy airplane in mine. I am so lucky to have grown up in that day in time.

[@felixcat9318]

The world's only privately owned subway system! That alone tells of what an incredible place this was!

[@LarryRobinsonintothefog]

Was so young that only remember the outside and the subway, then in years later I worked at Tandy Center and rode the revamped subway.

[@MrEvadmullek]

Leonard's was Magnificent. You could buy anything there. From a Combine to a Wedding Ring...

[@Jane_Dow]

My Mother worked at Leonards when I was little. I remember getting to go eat in the cafeteria about every month or two. Lots of memories.

[@bobpitman4949]

I remember Leonard's so very well. It was so big it was almost like a magic land.

[@charlesharris2749]

I remember going there as a 3 or 4 year old with my mother in the early '50's. It was a great store, but unfortunately the thing I remember most was the pair of drinking fountains at the entrance; one marked for whites, one for blacks. It was a product of the times, not singular to that store, but it stuck with me that I was only supposed to drink out of one of those, and I didn't understand why. Still don't. But I'm glad there's the museum now, because it was a part of many of our childhoods.

[@RoyAH.]

Wow! Thanks for sharing.

[@lukegeorge7384]

Another good story 👍👍

[@gregsells8549]

Unusual for a local department store to have so many private label products. Leonard's was sold to Tandy in 1967, which put Radio Shacks inside, then to Dillard's in 1974 -75.

[@beeblebrox09]

I have numerous memories of Leonards. The Tram/train that shuttle people from the parking lot to the lower level of the store. There was a fresh doughnut store right as you stepped off. And I believe there was a hot peanut stand at some time. We would go every Christmas season, we were kids, and do our shopping. The store windows, especially, Striplings were magical. Still more memories as I think,

[@georgespeck2289]

i used to work for the tandy center subway 1991-2002

[@jameshutchins3396]

Great memory

[@Macdaddy.]

I worked at RadioShack in the 90s and an older white guy told me the story of this department store I was amazed.

[@themattsweeney]

My grandfather told me he bought his first dress suit at Everybody’s for 13 dollars!

[@davidpass3584]

I didn't see or hear the location given, so it's at 200 Carroll St., Ft.W. NOT at the old store location.

[@terrybane6206]

Amazing.......such a shame that these kinds of places are long gone. What happened?

[@sweethometennessee6537]

How much are adult tickets?

[@styldsteel1]

Who the hell would ever think a department store would be a museum. Sad really.

[@MIKECNW]

It's not like Dept. Stores are gone.

[@brendagammon9948]

Not like Leonard’s. It was special. They had the subway. We dressed up to go. It was a big deal to get to go! Santa Claus was there to get our picture taken - in the middle of the most magical toyland ever!

[@jetdoctn]

There is nothing in this country anymore like Leonard's absolutely nothing.