Downtown Grand Rapids – stores to remember

My friend, the wonderful Mary Lou Smith, read my “Signs You are a Grand Rapids Native” posts (Part 1 and Part 2) and came up with an amazing list of her own! Here’s a walking tour of downtown Grand Rapids stores.

Downtown Grand Rapids – Stores to Remember

By Mary Lou Smith

Moderate to Low-priced women’s apparel on Monroe

• Beverly’s
• Sarret’s
• Winkelman’s
• Darling Shop – where Rosa Parks Circle is now
• Baker Shoes
• Sears

Higher-priced goods – on Fulton [One Trick Pony block] and Jefferson

• Alice Jane Dows
• Strauss Shop
• Helen Henry
• Joseph P. Doody – later at Breton Village, morphed into Leigh’s
• E.A. Rood – fine china and silver
• Leocadia Jones – hats [Civic’s costume shop has some]
• The Moderne Shop – progressive designer wear
• Jacobson’s – retail royalty [1st GR store was in Pantlind Hotel; 3rd in EGR

Dependable women’s wear

• Steketee’s [where my clothes and Stride-Rite shoes came from]
• Wurzburg’s
• Herpolsheimer’s
• Bon Marche
• Blanche LeBaron

Men’s Wear

• MBM – [Mackenzie Bostock Monroe]
• May’s – as in Meyer May [Frank Lloyd Wright house owner]
• George Bulliss
• Houseman’s – historic GR family business

Non-fashion retail

• Daane and Witter – gourmet food w/home delivery! [was in current Children’s Museum building]
• Walgreen’s – BIG Monroe Ave. store, w/lunch counter
• Peck’s Drug Store – Division at Monroe

30 N. Division – Majestic block in pre-Civic Theatre days

• Allen’s Bookstore – site of GRCT’s Scene Shop
• Grinnell Music – 5 or more stories [GRCT’s dance studio/Porter/3rd floor rehearsal space and up]
• Economy Shoe Repair – on site of GRCT Box Office