Wieboldt Stores, Inc., also known as Wieboldt's, did business as a Chicago general retailer between 1883 and 1987. It was founded in 1883 by storekeeper William A. Wieboldt. The flagship location was at One North State Street Store in Chicago.
History Wieboldt's operated its flagship store at State Street and Madison Street in Downtown Chicago. In 1961, Wieboldt's acquired the failed Mandel Brothers store on State Street as well as a smaller branch store in Lincoln Village shopping center. By the 1970s Wieboldt's operated more than 15 stores in the Chicago metropolitan area.
Wieboldt's celebrated 100 years in business in April 1983. An advertisement in the Chicago Sun-Times stated "Building for a New Tomorrow". "An important part of Chicago's past, we look to the future with confidence and enthusiasm. The dream of yesterday is the promise of tomorrow. Chicago, Wieboldt's. Tomorrow begins today."Chicago Sun-Times. March 13, 1983.
During the 1980s, the chain had trouble staying profitable, eventually leading the company into bankruptcy in 1986. The chain never recovered and all the stores closed.
Stores Stores closed on March 10, 1987: Jefferson Square Mall, Joliet Lakeview (3239 N. Lincoln Ave. near Belmont) - now XSport Fitness Lincoln Mall, Matteson, Illinois Lincoln Village, Chicago Orland Park Place (across 151st Street from Orland Square Mall) - now de-malled, with multiple out-facing stores River Forest near Lake St and Harlem Ave Stratford Square Mall, Bloomingdale, Illinois Yorktown Mall, Lombard, Illinois
Four stores remained open longer: 1 N. State Street at Madison Street in Downtown Chicago's Loop - former Mandel Brothers store. 9 stories, reduced to 5 floors in 1985. Closed July 18, 1987. Ford City Mall, West Lawn, Chicago - closed before or by Nov. 1987 - became Carson Pirie Scott Randhurst Village in Mt. Prospect, Illinois - closed Dec. 1987, , became Bergner's Harlem Irving Plaza in Norridge, 3 floors
Other stores in Chicago: Original four locations and merger with Mandel Bros. Store Ashland Avenue and Madison Street, Chicago 1279 Milwaukee Avenue near Paulina Street, Wicker Park, Chicago 63rd Street and Halsted Street Evanston, Illinois (Church and Oak) Meadowdale Shopping Center, Carpentersville, Illinois Waukegan (Lakehurst Mall) Oak Park, Illinois (Lake and Harlem)
Promotions Wieboldt's was known for giving S&H Green Stamps with purchases, and there were redemption centers located in their stores. The State Street location included a particularly large redemption center. Customers would choose items based on the number of stamps redeemed. In the 1940s and 1950s, and then again in the mid-1980s, they sponsored a broadcast program featuring The Cinnamon Bear: stories of how Cinnamon Bear takes his young friends on a trip to maybe land in search of the Silver Star. A stuffed teddy bear version could be purchased from the stores for $2.98 in the 1950s, and Santa would give out free Cinnamon Bear buttons to children visiting Santa. The program was first produced by Glen Heisch and Elizabeth Heisch in 1937 in Hollywood and syndicated around the country. Wieboldt's had a number of memorable radio ads on radio during Chicago Cubs games in the early 1960s, featuring announcers Jack Quinlan and Lou Boudreau. Some of them can be heard at Wieboldt's Commercials Quinlan & Boudreau.
Slogans "Where You Buy With Confidence" "The Values Speak For Themselves"
References
External links
1986 Annual Report Wieboldt Stores Inc., Encyclopedia of Chicago article Jazz Age Chicago – W.A. Wieboldt Co. Photos of a Wieboldt's store at Lakehurst Mall