By Paul A. Tenkotte
Special to NKyTribune
F. W. Woolworth Co. was once the largest discount store chain in the entire world. Its five-and-ten-cent stores, recognizable everywhere by their gold-lettering-on-red-background signs, proved to be early mass-marketing success stories. And to many of us, they held special memories.
In the 1960s, as I was growing up in Northern Kentucky, my mother would drive us to Downtown Covington to do most of our shopping. However, mom didn’t drive in downtown Cincinnati, where traffic was heavy and parking was at a premium. Instead, we would occasionally board a Green Line bus to the Dixie Terminal, where we would exit on Fourth Street for a full day of shopping in Downtown Cincinnati.
The S. H. Knox five-and-ten-cent store on West Fifth Street in Cincinnati later became Woolworth’s. Courtesy of www.cincinnativiews.net
We would visit several department stores, eat at the lunch counter at Hathaway’s in the Carew Tower Arcade, and sometimes shop at Woolworth’s on West Fifth Street. Woolworths was located at 18 West Fifth Street, next door to Potter’s Shoe Store on its west, and Mabley and Carew Department Store to its east (on the northwest corner of Fifth and Vine Streets).
The new Woolworth store building on West Fifth was opened on November 22, 1935, during the midst of the Great Depression. It replaced an earlier building, where S. H. Knox and Company had opened a five-and-ten-cent store in 1895. Seymour Knox was Frank Woolworth’s cousin. In 1912, Woolworth acquired the S. H. Knox stores, and the location became a Woolworth’s.
When the old Woolworth store on West Fifth Street was demolished to make room for a new one, the company opened a temporary store on Fourth Street, in order to retain its employees and its customers. An ad in the Cincinnati Enquirer of November 21, 1935 proudly proclaimed that the new building was a “magnificent modern super-store.”
With three sales floors and another three floors devoted to offices, storage, and a kitchen, the location was a wonderful example of Art Deco architecture. The building’s lines were fresh and clean, its piers expressing verticality, as did its recessed spandrels and windows.
Article about the new Woolworth’s store on West Fifth Street. Source: Cincinnati Enquirer, November 21, 1935.
The new store featured air conditioning, promising “a constant flow of fresh, pure, correctly temperatured and humidified air,” offering “the last word in safe, healthful and modern comfort” (ad, Cincinnati Enquirer, November 21, 1935). In addition, both the basement and first floor had “large, convenient and attractive luncheonettes and fountains, serving breakfast, lunches, afternoon refreshments, and delicious fountain goodies.” Further, the food was freshly made in “model kitchens,” including “pastries and baked goods.”
The basement sales floor included hardware, kitchenware, groceries, and pets. The first floor featured candy, stationery, jewelry, purses, belts, sewing supplies, and hair care/personal products. An Otis escalator carried shoppers to the second floor, with its clothing (men’s, women’s and children’s), toy, and gift departments.
I recall that we sometimes had a fountain drink, such as a cola, and perhaps a piece of pie as an afternoon snack at the luncheonette. The restaurant area featured a lunch counter, as well as tables and chairs.
In my memory, Woolworth stores were well-maintained, clean, and very inviting. Their sales staff, generally women, was friendly and helpful.
Woolworth sales counters seemed rather old-fashioned by 1960s standards, but were well-constructed of wood, with glass dividers to separate merchandise, and drawers below for storing items. Merchandise was lined up very neatly, and little signs attached to the glass dividers advertised prices and sales.
In 1988, Woolworth’s closed its Downtown Cincinnati store. It was demolished for the construction of Fountain Square West, now anchored by Tiffany’s and Macy’s.
We want to learn more about the history of your business, church, school, or organization in our region (Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky). If you would like to share your rich history with others, please contact the editor of “Our Rich History,” Paul A. Tenkotte, at tenkottep@nku.edu. Paul A. Tenkotte, PhD is Professor of History and Director of the Center for Public History at NKU.
Woolworth’s on West Fifth Street, June 1985. Photo by Paul A. Tenkotte
I enjoyed the story, but feel it lacked a little historical perspective. The dining areas and soda fountains might have been inviting if you were white. If you were African American, the friendly ladies probably would not serve you.
This is where our parents and grandparents and some of us who were young, but old enough to experience the divide in our time in these public places where we were treated differently. From the beginning way back before we were born, through the 50’d 60’s 70’s or later where ever, experienced differences in our race. Yes it happened and unfortunately it still rears it’s ugly head in places and at times we don’t expect it, but it still continues and has a habit of repeating itself today. A lot has changed down through the years but, it has a tendency to creep back in.
I don’t remember who started the posting about “What DonYou Remember About Living in
Cincinnati”. I have thoroughly been enjoying the postings which definitely bring back memories of times, places and experiences, where we grew up in the surrounding areas in Cincinnati. Although lots of the same postings are being repeated over and over again and again, I get past it because so many are being posted by different persons. Some still living in Cincinnati, those like myself who have relocated in other states or countries, but have the same lasting memories of places and activities which were experienced by many. Also some are just getting on FB for the first time and therefore are just being familiarized with these postings. I say enjoy them while they last and grow, there is always going to be something we have possibly forgotten or just want to drop a note or two every once in a while. Have a great weekend and a great life FB family and friends as we walk down memory lane. God bless all.
So glad you posted this article. My mother worked there and met my day at the Netherton. Hilton Hotel during the war which was an officers club. He was stationed in Ft Thomas which so many years later I worked and lived.
In 1960 my mother and grandmother took me to downtown Cincinnati on Good Friday. We ate at the Woolworth Lunch Room. When it was time for dessert, I was allowed to get a sundae served in a Jadite teacup, which I got to keep. In order to determine the price of my dessert, I popped a balloon which contained a slip of paper that told the waitress if I got a discount on my sundae, or if I got it for free. When we walked into Woolworth there were a group of young people picketing on the sidewalk. I when I got older, I learned the picketers were protesting the exclusion of black people from Woolworth lunch counters. That little Jadite teacup, and the whole day, took on greater significance.