Miller's Department Store
Encyclopedia
Miller's Department Store was a chain of department store
s based in eastern Tennessee
.
of two related Tennessee-based department stores; Miller Brothers of Chattanooga and Miller, Inc. of Knoxville, Tennessee
. The original Miller Brothers Department Store, based in Chattanooga, was founded in the 1800s and had remained a privately held company until it was purchased in 1973. Miller, Inc. was based in Knoxville.
At formation the combined chain had 11 stores and two specialty shops in eastern Tennessee, Georgia
, Virginia
, and North Carolina
.
In 1981, with the acquisition of its parent conglomerate
, Miller's became a part of Allied Stores
. In 1986, the chain was acquired in a hostile takeover by Hess's
; then converted to Proffitt's
in 1992.
.
, erected in 1905, was a fixture of the shopping culture in the area, and a foundation of the downtown business district. The original location at 445 Gay Street
is still known as the Miller's Building. The building was constructed in the Edwardian style, and designed by Knoxville-based architect, R. F. Graf
. A 1911 addition to the north was in the same style as the original building, but an expansion in 1935 was in the Art Deco
style. In 1998, the building was restored, including the recreation of original details and return of the buildings to the earliest appearance of each of the three component sections. The building is currently home to the Knoxville Utilities Board.
Miller's later moved to a building a few blocks west at 600 Henley Street, constructed about 1954, which had housed a Rich's
store and eventually became a Hess's store. This mid-century modern
building received a design award from the American Institute of Architects
at the time it was built. It features structural glazed tile, polychrome glazed brick, undulating concrete canopies, and corner towers enclosed in glass. Like the Gay Street store it also had an underground tunnel which connected the store to its multi-level parking structure across Henley Street. The Henley Street building is currently used by the University of Tennessee
for a conference center. While the parking structure was modified for the 1982 World's Fair
and eventually leveled for the construction of the new Knoxville Convention Center
, the tunnel still exists and is used for storage and access to the conference center's garbage disposal area. Former Knoxville councilman Don Ferguson has recently petitioned the university to allow the public to use the tunnel again.
Like many department stores of the era, Miller's incorporated a restaurant, snack bar, and bakery counter. Miller's coconut
cakes were very popular with patrons, and the recipe is still a highly sought-after item.
(relocated from Village Mall), and Northgate Mall
in Hixson
, where Miller Bros. was one of the two anchors when the mall opened in 1972. The Northgate store is now a Belk.
Miller Inc. established one of the first stores in Oak Ridge
during the Manhattan Project
. The original Miller's store in Oak Ridge was established in 1944 on Broadway. The store later relocated to the Downtown Shopping Center, which was renovated into Oak Ridge Mall
between 1989 and 1991. Other Knoxville area branch locations included East Towne Mall
, West Town Mall
, and the Foothills Mall
in Maryville
.
Tri-Cities
locations included Fort Henry Mall in Kingsport
, Mall at Johnson City
in Johnson City
, and Bristol Mall
in Bristol, Virginia
.
Miller's had one Georgia location in Rome
, which began as a multi-level downtown store and then moved to Rome's Riverbend Mall
in 1975. The Walnut Square Mall location was not a Miller's, but Loveman's of Chattanooga.
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
s based in eastern Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
.
History
The company was formed August 1, 1973, from the consolidation by retail conglomerate Garfinckel, Brooks Brothers, Miller & Rhoads, Inc.Garfinckel, Brooks Brothers, Miller & Rhoads, Inc.
Garfinckel, Brooks Brothers, Miller & Rhoads, Inc. was a Washington, D.C.-based national retail conglomerate that existed from 1967 to 1981.-History:...
of two related Tennessee-based department stores; Miller Brothers of Chattanooga and Miller, Inc. of Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
. The original Miller Brothers Department Store, based in Chattanooga, was founded in the 1800s and had remained a privately held company until it was purchased in 1973. Miller, Inc. was based in Knoxville.
At formation the combined chain had 11 stores and two specialty shops in eastern Tennessee, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, and North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
In 1981, with the acquisition of its parent conglomerate
Conglomerate (company)
A conglomerate is a combination of two or more corporations engaged in entirely different businesses that fall under one corporate structure , usually involving a parent company and several subsidiaries. Often, a conglomerate is a multi-industry company...
, Miller's became a part of Allied Stores
Allied Stores
Allied Stores was a department store chain in the United States. It was founded in the 1930s as part of a general consolidation in the retail sector by B. E. Puckett. See also Associated Dry Goods. It was the successor to Hahn's Department Stores, a holding company founded in 1928...
. In 1986, the chain was acquired in a hostile takeover by Hess's
Hess's
Hess's was a department store chain based in Allentown, Lehigh County, Pennsylvania in the United States.- History :The department store known as Hess Brothers was founded on February 19, 1897, by Charles and Max Hess. Max Hess came to Allentown in 1896 on a business trip and envisioned a...
; then converted to Proffitt's
Proffitt's
Proffitt's was a department store chain based in Alcoa, Tennessee. On March 8, 2006, the Proffitt's and McRae's stores were converted into Belk stores. Belk acquired the two chains in July 2005 from Saks Incorporated.-Beginnings:...
in 1992.
Chattanooga flagship store
The Miller Brothers of Chattanooga flagship store, at 629 Market Street (corner of Seventh St.) in Chattanooga, was known for having Chattanooga's only "subway," which consisted of an underground shopping area that tunneled beneath Broad Street to their home store at the corner of Seventh and Broad (as well as a connecting parking garage). The store boasted two snackbars and a Tea Room as well as many amenities that are not to be found in any current retail establishment. On September 17, 1987, it was listed in the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Knoxville flagship store
The original Miller, Inc. store in downtown KnoxvilleKnoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
, erected in 1905, was a fixture of the shopping culture in the area, and a foundation of the downtown business district. The original location at 445 Gay Street
Gay Street (Knoxville)
Gay Street is a street in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA, that traverses the heart of the city's downtown area. Since its development in the 1790s, Gay Street has served as the city's principal financial and commercial thoroughfare, and has played a primary role in the city's historical and cultural...
is still known as the Miller's Building. The building was constructed in the Edwardian style, and designed by Knoxville-based architect, R. F. Graf
R. F. Graf
Richard Franklin Graf was an American architect, active primarily in Knoxville, Tennessee, and the vicinity, in the early 20th century. His works include Stratford Mansion , Sterchi Lofts , St. John's Lutheran Church , and the Journal Arcade . His home, the Prairie School-inspired Graf-Cullum...
. A 1911 addition to the north was in the same style as the original building, but an expansion in 1935 was in the Art Deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
style. In 1998, the building was restored, including the recreation of original details and return of the buildings to the earliest appearance of each of the three component sections. The building is currently home to the Knoxville Utilities Board.
Miller's later moved to a building a few blocks west at 600 Henley Street, constructed about 1954, which had housed a Rich's
Rich's
Rich's was a department store retail chain, headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, that operated in the southern U.S. from 1867 until March 6, 2005 when the nameplate was eliminated and replaced by Macy's...
store and eventually became a Hess's store. This mid-century modern
Modern architecture
Modern architecture is generally characterized by simplification of form and creation of ornament from the structure and theme of the building. It is a term applied to an overarching movement, with its exact definition and scope varying widely...
building received a design award from the American Institute of Architects
American Institute of Architects
The American Institute of Architects is a professional organization for architects in the United States. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the AIA offers education, government advocacy, community redevelopment, and public outreach to support the architecture profession and improve its public image...
at the time it was built. It features structural glazed tile, polychrome glazed brick, undulating concrete canopies, and corner towers enclosed in glass. Like the Gay Street store it also had an underground tunnel which connected the store to its multi-level parking structure across Henley Street. The Henley Street building is currently used by the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
for a conference center. While the parking structure was modified for the 1982 World's Fair
1982 World's Fair
The 1982 World's Fair, formally known as the Knoxville International Energy Exposition, was held in Knoxville, Tennessee, in the United States. The theme of the exposition was "Energy Turns the World."...
and eventually leveled for the construction of the new Knoxville Convention Center
Knoxville Convention Center
The Knoxville Convention Center is a 500,000-square-foot convention center in Knoxville, Tennessee. It offers of exhibit space.- External links :http://www.knoxvilletennessee.com...
, the tunnel still exists and is used for storage and access to the conference center's garbage disposal area. Former Knoxville councilman Don Ferguson has recently petitioned the university to allow the public to use the tunnel again.
Like many department stores of the era, Miller's incorporated a restaurant, snack bar, and bakery counter. Miller's coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
cakes were very popular with patrons, and the recipe is still a highly sought-after item.
Branch stores
In addition to the Chattanooga flagship store, Miller's Chattanooga area locations included Eastgate Center, Bradley Square in ClevelandCleveland, Tennessee
Cleveland is a city in Bradley County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 41,285 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Bradley County...
(relocated from Village Mall), and Northgate Mall
Northgate Mall
Northgate Mall may refer to:*Northgate Mall in Durham, North Carolina*Northgate Mall in Hixson, Tennessee*Northgate Mall in Seattle, Washington*Northgate Mall in Cincinnati, Ohio...
in Hixson
Hixson, Tennessee
Hixson is an unincorporated community in Hamilton County, Tennessee, United States. It is a northern suburb of Chattanooga and is part of the Chattanooga, TN–GA Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, where Miller Bros. was one of the two anchors when the mall opened in 1972. The Northgate store is now a Belk.
Miller Inc. established one of the first stores in Oak Ridge
Oak Ridge, Tennessee
Oak Ridge is a city in Anderson and Roane counties in the eastern part of the U.S. state of Tennessee, about west of Knoxville. Oak Ridge's population was 27,387 at the 2000 census...
during the Manhattan Project
Manhattan Project
The Manhattan Project was a research and development program, led by the United States with participation from the United Kingdom and Canada, that produced the first atomic bomb during World War II. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the US Army...
. The original Miller's store in Oak Ridge was established in 1944 on Broadway. The store later relocated to the Downtown Shopping Center, which was renovated into Oak Ridge Mall
Oak Ridge City Center
Oak Ridge City Center, formerly known as Oak Ridge Mall, is a shopping mall in Oak Ridge, Tennessee.The site currently occupied by Oak Ridge City Center was selected by the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission to establish a permanent shopping center in the years following World War II. In 1951 the AEC...
between 1989 and 1991. Other Knoxville area branch locations included East Towne Mall
Knoxville Center
Knoxville Center, formerly East Towne Mall; located in Knoxville, Tennessee, is a super-regional shopping mall serving the Knoxville metropolitan area. The mall opened in 1984, and is located at Exit 8 on Interstate 640...
, West Town Mall
West Town Mall
West Town Mall is an upscale shopping mall located in Knoxville, Tennessee, United States. Opened in August 1972, this one-level mall is located in the western portion of Knoxville in the West Hills community. West Town Mall is located along Interstates 40/75 and Kingston Pike...
, and the Foothills Mall
Foothills Mall (Tennessee)
Foothills Mall is an indoor regional shopping mall located in Maryville, Tennessee. Foothills Mall features approximately 70 stores and restaurants...
in Maryville
Maryville, Tennessee
Maryville is the county seat of Blount County, Tennessee, in the Southeastern United States. The city is located south of Knoxville. Maryville's population was 27,258 at the 2010 census. It is included in the Knoxville Metropolitan Area. Maryville has received a number of accolades for its...
.
Tri-Cities
Tri-Cities, Tennessee
In Tennessee and Virginia the name "Tri-Cities" refers to the region comprising the cities of Kingsport, Johnson City and Bristol and the surrounding smaller towns and communities in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia...
locations included Fort Henry Mall in Kingsport
Kingsport, Tennessee
Kingsport is a city located mainly in Sullivan County with some western portions in Hawkins County in the US state of Tennessee. The majority of the city lies in Sullivan County...
, Mall at Johnson City
Mall at Johnson City
The Mall at Johnson City is an enclosed shopping mall in Johnson City, Tennessee, United States. The mall features over 70 stores and a food court. It is managed by Glimcher Realty Trust...
in Johnson City
Johnson City, Tennessee
Johnson City is a city in Carter, Sullivan, and Washington counties in the U.S. state of Tennessee, with most of the city being in Washington County...
, and Bristol Mall
Bristol Mall
Bristol Mall is the only regional shopping mall serving Bristol, Virginia. The mall was built in the early to mid 1970s. The mall is notable to the area because it was at one time the largest enclosed indoor mall in the Upper East Tennessee/Southwest Virginia area. Anchor stores of the mall...
in Bristol, Virginia
Bristol, Virginia
Bristol is an independent city in Virginia, United States, bounded by Washington County, Virginia, Bristol, Tennessee, and Sullivan County, Tennessee....
.
Miller's had one Georgia location in Rome
Rome, Georgia
Located in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, Rome is the largest city and the county seat of Floyd County, Georgia, United States. It is the principal city of the Rome, Georgia Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Floyd County...
, which began as a multi-level downtown store and then moved to Rome's Riverbend Mall
Riverbend Mall
Riverbend Mall was a shopping mall located in Rome, Georgia. It was open from 1975 to 2002, when it was demolished and replaced with a strip mall...
in 1975. The Walnut Square Mall location was not a Miller's, but Loveman's of Chattanooga.