Roundybout Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Just out of curiosity, I've been looking into the retail history of the region, possibly to get a story together for the news. A big one I have been focusing on is Ames Department store, which folded in 2002. The reason I seem to be drawn to it is the fact that I recall shopping there at a very early age with my grandmother. I also work at a store that stands where an Ames was. Anyone remember anything about this place? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Yes... Just Jack says that's where "Pulaski Lefts" were invented. ;-) I grew up in Cheektowaga/West Seneca. We had one @ SouthGate Plaza. What was it before? Grants then Hills I know was @ Gardenview Plaza. I think it was BrandNames @ SouthGate before Ames. I think Ames was more C(entral)NY... Like I said, Jack may know? It was like Kmart... And the other local types: TwoGuys, Grants, Hills, or Twin Fair. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Punching Bag Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Very much like Kmart. Believe there was one on Milestrip since it was near our church and my mother shopped there frequently. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KD in CA Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Sure, I remember when there were Ames all over the place; not exactly a high end store but it served it's purpose in the pre-Wal Mart days. I bet far fewer remember another CT-based discount (though higher quality) store chain: Caldor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2020 Our Year For Sure Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Sure, I remember when there were Ames all over the place; not exactly a high end store but it served it's purpose in the pre-Wal Mart days. I bet far fewer remember another CT-based discount (though higher quality) store chain: Caldor. I remember Caldor, we had em down here in Jersey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4merper4mer Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 I thought this would be an Eight is Enough thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jr1 Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 their wiki page is like a "what not to do" tutorial for businesses https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ames_(store) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cugalabanza Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 I worked at Ames as a teenager. It was a mess of an organization and was a ****ty place to work. I remember once getting a raise from $3.35/hr. to $3.40. The managers there were in a constant state of confused agitation and always treated the employees terribly. I quit on a Sunday so I could go home and watch the Bills on tv. Tangent: Who remembers Two Guys dept. store? I used to live right by one in Greece, NY in the 70’s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TSOL Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 (edited) Ames had some good values back in the day. I remember Two Guys as well, again, some great bargains. You could get a little area rug for .99¢ there. I was more of a Hills guy, though. We must not forget the rarely mentioned Gold Circle. Edited March 28, 2017 by Lex Lyon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GG Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Thank goodness Walmart killed the piece of garbage stores like Ames & Bradlees. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlimShady'sSpaceForce Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 I recall Ames stores in Rochester many years ago along with these former entitiesTopps, J.M. Fields, B. Forman Co., Gold Circle, Loehmann's and Two Guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shrader Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Yes... Just Jack says that's where "Pulaski Lefts" were invented. ;-) I grew up in Cheektowaga/West Seneca. We had one @ SouthGate Plaza. What was it before? Grants then Hills I know was @ Gardenview Plaza. I think it was BrandNames @ SouthGate before Ames. I think Ames was more C(entral)NY... Like I said, Jack may know? It was like Kmart... And the other local types: TwoGuys, Grants, Hills, or Twin Fair. That's Union Rd, right? My mom loved that place but I don't think I ever got out of the car while she was there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PastaJoe Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 I think there was a Two Guys near the Boulevard Mall. There were Ames in the Syracuse area. I thought they were more like Target. I remember one was a new building east of Syracuse near Chittenango. Now the building is the Yellow Brick Road Casino. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMCBillsFan Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 I remember Ames as a kid. But we shopped more at Hills and I can still smell the popcorn and pretzels in my mind when we'd walk in... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ExiledInIllinois Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 That's Union Rd, right? My mom loved that place but I don't think I ever got out of the car while she was there. Yep. SouthGate and Gardenview were both off Union, West Seneca. My mother worked @ Grants (Gardenview Plaza)... Then became Hills. I think there was a Two Guys near the Boulevard Mall. There were Ames in the Syracuse area. I thought they were more like Target. I remember one was a new building east of Syracuse near Chittenango. Now the building is the Yellow Brick Road Casino. Two Guys on Walden in Cheektowaga by BFLo Forge. No love for: Grants and Twin Fair? Twin Fair started it all with having groceries too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plenzmd1 Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Little OT, but how about our Buffalo-based stores? Twin Fair Hens and Kelly AM&As Jenss(big in Niagara Falls) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roundybout Posted March 28, 2017 Author Share Posted March 28, 2017 Little OT, but how about our Buffalo-based stores? Twin Fair Hens and Kelly AM&As Jenss(big in Niagara Falls) I never knew that the Rockys at the eastern hills mall used to be a Jenns. Looks like D and B sealed off the second floor when they moved in, so god knows what's left up there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Jack Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 I worked at Ames in Pulaski when I was off from college. They bought Zayre's, and went into bankruptcy, then once they got out of that, bought Hills, and went into bankruptcy again. It's where I learned to use a numeric keypad, because back then they didn't have barcode/upc scanners, everything had a sku that needed to be keyed in on the registers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnny Hammersticks Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 There was an Ames in Auburn, NY that closed down in the mid 80's. After that, it was a Nichols which was very similar. Both very similar to Kmart. We also had a store in auburn called Brand Names. There was some merchandise on the floor, but mostly you would stand at the counter and look through their catalog. Once you picked what you wanted, the worker would go in the back and get it for you. I remember my sister and I circling things we wanted for xmas in the Brand Names catalog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
K-9 Posted March 28, 2017 Share Posted March 28, 2017 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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