Thursday, January 17, 2008

Defunct Chicago Area Businesses

I made a couple of changes. I removed Lord & Taylor (I was informed they are still around). I also removed Orange Julius, since they are making a comeback in Chicago in 2008. Anyone have any to add?


Wiebolts
Main Street (now Kohl's)
Jack In The Box (still in other states and southern Illinois)
Chicken Delight ("Don't cook tonight, call Chicken Delight", still in other states)
Robert Hall
Winchell Donuts
Silo Electronics
Sounds Good Music
Flipside Records
Pacific Stereo
Mayflower Supermarket
Kohls Supermarket
Standard Gas Stations
Handy Andy Home Improvments
Service Merchandise
McDades
United Audio
Fotomat
Montgomery Wards
M&R Movie Theaters
Plitt Movie Theathers
Wags Restaurants (they had the best Patty-Melts)
Woolworths
Kresges
Ames Dept. Stores
JoJo's Restaurants
Venture
Turnstyle
Polk Brothers (who remembers the Polk-A-Lay-Lee, a huge sitar looking ukelalee)
Poppin' Fresh Pies (now Baker's Square)
Morrie Mages Sporting Goods
Bosa Donuts
Franks Nursery and Crafts
A&P Foods
Kroch and Brentanos Bookstore
Crown Books
National Tea
Jewel Tea (now just Jewel)
Madigans Clothing
Bargin Town (now Toys 'R Us)
Dog N' Suds Drive-Ins
Sinclair Gas Stations
Yankee Doodle Dandy Fast Food
Chas. A Stevens Clothing
Highland Electronics
Big Boy Restaurants
Amoco Gas Stations
Community Discount
Kroger Foods
Playback Electronics (I used to buy all my car stereos and 8 tracks there)
Cock Robin Ice Cream
BJ's Warehouse Club
Pacific Stereo
Shakey's Pizza (sing along pizza place, follow the bouncing ball)
Ponderosa Steak House
Bonnanza Steak House
Ground Round
Chicken Unlimited
Goldblatts
Thom Mcann Shoes
Zayre
Lee Wards Crafts
Arthur Treachers Fish & Chips
Sizzlers
Texaco Gas Stations
Purple Martin Gas Stations
Ground Round Restaurants (throw your peanut shells on the floor)
Saxons Paint and Wallpaper
Mr Donut
Hot Sam Pretzels (only in malls)
Docktor's Pet Stores
Merry-Go-Round Clothing Stores
Amy Joy Donuts
Stuart Anderson's Cattle Company
Eggheads Software
Herman's Sporting goods
Builders Square (thanks for this one, I was going crazy trying to think of the name of this place. This was owned by KMart)
PharMor
Golden Bear Restaurants
Peppers Waterbeds
Thompson's
Wanzer Dairy
Steinberg Baum
Shoppers World
Omni Food Store
Highland Appliances
Galyans
Child World
Eagle Food
W.T. Grants E.J.Korvettes
HomeBase
Italian U-Boat Submarines
Topps
Marshall Fields (now Macy's)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Go to http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/news_columnists_ezorn/2005/09/gone_but_not_qu.html

Many more listed there

Unknown said...

Mark,

What a great list although there could be some consolidation:
Standard Oil -> Amoco -> BP
United Audio -> Twitter
Sinclair Oil -> Arco

Are you interested in more ? I know of others but I'm sure with an effort from other readers there are many more.