Black Friday and the missing retail amenity

“Black Friday”—the day after Thanksgiving when holiday shopping goes into high gear—promises to start even earlier this year on Thursday, the day previously known as Thanksgiving. Some retailers plan to open at 9pm thereby advancing the midnight rush by three hours. It is perhaps only a matter of time before retailers open even earlier, in a continuing scramble for any advantage, until there are no distinctions left between the days on the retail calendar.

Children’s souvenir booklet, Santa’s Own Story Book, Kresge Department Store, Newark, New Jersey, ca. 1926.

Once upon a time the nation’s retailers were attuned to the rhythm of the seasons. By the turn of the twentieth century it became apparent to most that more goods were sold in November and December than in all other months combined. Retailers planned accordingly and developed creative amenities to thaw hearts and jangle cash registers. The big idea was to make the big store a destination—shopping followed. The store that successfully associated itself with the holiday season became a leading retail institution.

Describing the strategy in 1894, Harry Harman, an “artistic decorator and window draper” from Louisville, Kentucky, noted the “jostling multitude” of sightseers that filled the streets “in front of the most attractive window and the building decorated and illuminated.” Directly addressing reluctant store owners who doubted the efficacy of such a strategy, Harmon explained: “the crowd, dazzled by the grand effect, will enter the store, and purchase, whereas, if your store was not made attractive, the crowd of people would pass by.” By 1913 The Show Window magazine regularly reported on the escalating practice of retail attraction, like the ever-popular Santa Claus parade, that delivered Santa through city streets to the store and installed him (and his helpers) at the back of a well-stocked toy department. The holiday window came into its own as an eagerly anticipated annual attraction in which nothing but the store’s institutional leadership was sold.

Reindeer relax in the kitchen of the Cozy Cloud Cottage, Marshall Field & Company, Chicago, 1948.

But that’s all changed now. By the late 1950s retail observers noted the rise of big box stores that largely abandoned holiday decor. Some characterized the bare-bones economy of display as dispiriting and soulless. At the same time the rise of the suburban shopping mall was changing life downtown, mostly for the worse. The consolidation of the retail industry soon left many towns without a department store and an austere holiday display scene absent of trimmings.

The main aisle, Marshall Field & Company, Chicago, ca. 1956.

With the certain exception of the walking precincts of New York’s Fifth Avenue and Chicago’s State Street, the over-the-top scale of imaginative display has diminished along with the retail amenities of yore. The lavishly-decorated store, the animated window, and other traditions are gone, given over to the big-box anomy of never-ending price markdowns, products on pallets, and shopping on Thanksgiving.

William L. Bird, Jr., is the author of Holidays on Display and curator at the National Museum of American History.

Comments

[Valerie]

This is very true.I do enjoy San Francisco during the holidays as it still retains its spirit as well as Honolulu,which tries hard to make up in decoration for lack of snow! Its super pretty and no one cries about the snow.

[epic music]

Great post, it still amazes me how little of the economy is online. I saw a stat, I think it was still only 5% of total market items are sold online. There is still so much more to come to the online world that will change retail so much.

Cheers and thanks for the insight.

[Simon]

I live in the UK and the phonoemon happens over here as well! It is crazy how everything just mental!

I agree with the above comment, 5% is really a minute number, BUT, things will change!

[Brustvergrösserung]

Well that's just great, everything to satisfy the customers right? Forget about the celebration of the Thanksgiving spirit, as it's all about the profits now. That's actually terrible to hear, as people had endured before on the same time doing their "Black Friday" shopping or whatnot.

Seeing your gallery, there really had been so many changes up until now.

[Sonia Giles]

I found this post very informative as to the origins of "Black Friday" and the evolution of marketing strategies to attract buyers. I actually am distraught at how earlier and earlier Christmas is marketed. I remember when each special event day was well defined by the selling adds - Valentines, Halloween, then Thanksgiving, and then Christmas. This year, our local stores already had Christmas decorations in October - before Halloween. I don't like it at all!!!

[yazili]

The stories are so heartfelt and moving... A day that has forever changed our beloved country.

[seslichat]

thank you good admin

[Charlie]

The retail behemouths have become more important than the spirit behind the celebration and its not just thanksgiving, Christmas has shifted its focus as well and consumerism has gone crackers.

It's a shame, but take a second now and think about what it means to you, it can redress the balance.