Stewart's (department store)
Encyclopedia
Stewart's Department Store in Baltimore, Maryland, took its name in 1901 when Louis Stewart acquired the building of Posner's Department Store on the northeast corner of Howard
and Lexington Streets. The chain was a founding member of Associated Dry Goods
or ADG. It opened its first suburban store in 1953. The downtown store was closed in 1978 and suburban stores were converted to ADG's Caldor
discount chain in 1983. The flagship store
was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1999.
The 110000 square feet (10,219.3 m²) store on York Road was located at the city/county line. Built on two levels and surrounded by parking, the store was designed to “blend into the suburban area around it.” The design included broad expanses of glass from floor to ceiling, “screened by Fiberglas curtains containing 600 square yards of materials.” Elaborate murals of Homewood House, the Washington Monument and the Federal Hill skyline decorated walls in the store, and a restaurant with a Chesapeake Bay theme became a destination for northern shoppers.
Four other stores followed in the 1960s and 1970s. They included Reisterstown Road Plaza
in 1962, Timonium Mall in 1969, Westview Shopping Center
(an addition to a 1958 Mall) in 1969, and the store's final branch at Golden Ring Mall in Rosedale, Maryland
, in 1974.
Howard Street (Baltimore)
Howard Street is a major street that runs north-south through the central part of the city of Baltimore, Maryland. The street, which is approximately 2½ miles in length, begins at the north end of I-395 near Oriole Park at Camden Yards and ends near Johns Hopkins University. At this point, this...
and Lexington Streets. The chain was a founding member of Associated Dry Goods
Associated Dry Goods
Associated Dry Goods was a chain of department stores that merged with May Department Stores in 1986. It was founded in 1916 as an association of independent stores called American Dry Goods, based in New York City.-History:...
or ADG. It opened its first suburban store in 1953. The downtown store was closed in 1978 and suburban stores were converted to ADG's Caldor
Caldor
Caldor was a chain of American discount department stores headquartered in Norwalk, Connecticut, operating throughout the northeastern United States. At one time, the company was a subsidiary of May Department Stores; Caldor was among the country's largest discount retailers.Despite being a popular...
discount chain in 1983. The flagship store
Stewart's Department Store
Stewart's Department Store, also known as the Posner Building, is a historic department store building located at Baltimore, Maryland, United States.-Architecture:...
was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National 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...
in 1999.
The 110000 square feet (10,219.3 m²) store on York Road was located at the city/county line. Built on two levels and surrounded by parking, the store was designed to “blend into the suburban area around it.” The design included broad expanses of glass from floor to ceiling, “screened by Fiberglas curtains containing 600 square yards of materials.” Elaborate murals of Homewood House, the Washington Monument and the Federal Hill skyline decorated walls in the store, and a restaurant with a Chesapeake Bay theme became a destination for northern shoppers.
Four other stores followed in the 1960s and 1970s. They included Reisterstown Road Plaza
Reisterstown Road Plaza
The Reisterstown Road Plaza, usually known since its inception simply as "The Plaza," is a shopping center and mall located near the Reisterstown Plaza Metro Subway Station...
in 1962, Timonium Mall in 1969, Westview Shopping Center
Westview Mall
Westview Mall was an indoor mall located in Catonsville, Maryland. The mall originally opened in 1958 as an outdoor strip mall, but was later converted into an indoor shopping center . The original anchors were Hutzler's and Stewart's although Stewart's became Caldor in 1983...
(an addition to a 1958 Mall) in 1969, and the store's final branch at Golden Ring Mall in Rosedale, Maryland
Rosedale, Maryland
Rosedale is an unincorporated community and a census-designated place in Baltimore County, Maryland, United States. The population was 19,199 at the 2000 census.- History :...
, in 1974.
External links
- "Downtown Department Stores, and other Retail Goodies" Baltimore
- "Photo of Reisterstown Road store interior
- Photo of Resisterstown Road store exterior
- "Camellia Room" at Stewart & Co. Reisterstown Road
- "Chesapeake Room" restaurant at Stewart & Co. Reisterstown Road Plaza
- Article about department stores in Baltimore