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| Burdines 1973 Florida State Archives/Florida Memory |
By Jane Feehan
Burdine’s merged with Federated Department Stores, which owned Macy's, in 1956. That helped fund much of its growth throughout Florida, including additional SOFLA stores. The downtown Fort Lauderdale store was shuttered in 1980. In 2003, Burdine’s transitioned to the Macy’s brand. According to the Miami Herald, the Burdine's name officially met its end in 2005.
The ad above is from the Miami News, May 25, 1928. Ahhh, those prices: Women's hats $4; men's neckties $1; boys' fine shirts ...79 cents.
Retired Confederate army officer William Burdine and his partner, Henry Payne, opened their store in Bartow, FL in 1897 as a dry goods establishment. Some accounts indicate the store opened its doors in downtown Miami in 1898.; it operated as W.M. Burdine & Sons. By 1912 it became a department store and grew in synch with Florida's development in the decades to follow.
Burdine's expanded its South Florida presence with a Fort Lauderdale store in 1947. It was the retailer's third branch and was known by that time as Burdine’s Department Store. According to the Miami News, it was one of the first new department stores completed in the United States after the end of World War II.
Located at South Andrews and S.W. 2nd Street (site of the old city hall) The four-story building occupied eight lots with a build out of 48,775 square feet. It was constructed on a foundation suitable for eight floors but opened with three sales floors and another of mixed use. The new Burdine's was completely air conditioned.
Local news reported other features that were sure to appeal to shoppers:
Atop the building was a 25-bell carillon which plays music at frequent intervals and strikes the time each half hour. Prominent carilloneurs will be invited to play during the Christmas season.
More than 80 percent of the store’s 150 employees are residents of Fort Lauderdale or vicinity. ‘We believe home-town men and women can do a better job selling,’ said Manager Russell Jones.
All employees have completed an intensive two-week course of instruction in Burdine’s sales methods and customer relations, with a particular indoctrination in their departments.
Burdine’s merged with Federated Department Stores, which owned Macy's, in 1956. That helped fund much of its growth throughout Florida, including additional SOFLA stores. The downtown Fort Lauderdale store was shuttered in 1980. In 2003, Burdine’s transitioned to the Macy’s brand. According to the Miami Herald, the Burdine's name officially met its end in 2005. The ad above is from the Miami News, May 25, 1928. Ahhh, those prices: Women's hats $4; men's neckties $1; boys' fine shirts ...79 cents.
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| Burdines 1926 Miami downtown Florida State Archives/Florida Memory |
Sources:
Miami News, May 25, 1928
Miami News, Oct. 31, 1947
https://flashbackmiami.com/2016/05/24/burdines-the-florida-store/
Tags: Fort Lauderdale history, Florida retail history, Fort Lauderdale in the 1940s, history of Fort Lauderdale
Tags: Fort Lauderdale history, Florida retail history, Fort Lauderdale in the 1940s, history of Fort Lauderdale
