It's a subject of inexhaustible interest to me, and it seems every time I turn around, I learn new, incredible things about the people who made up this incredible organization. Only today -- about an hour ago, in fact -- I learned that Famous-Barr was the first department store in the nation (the world, I guess!) to offer Black Santas in Santaland so families could choose inclusion in their kids' pictures with the Old Man. And this was in the 1960s. The 1960s!!!

It's honestly enough to bring a tear to my eye, and incredible to know that this was launched at a time when stores like Marshall Field's in Chicago and Macy's in New York were still not even hiring African Americans, and barely even letting them in the doors.

So, in celebration of the amazing folks who made Famous so wonderful for all, here are some recent photos uploaded to the store's Facebook page by Terry Lay, and a catalog cover from my personal collection.

 

     

1971 Famous-Barr Christmas gift catalog

 

1971 Famous-Barr holiday windows and entry on 7th Street

 

1971 Famous-Barr holiday window

 

1971 Famous-Barr third floor decorations. All the main floors -- as this was the principal ladies' apparel department -- were decorated to this extent

 

1971 Famous-Barr holiday gift shop 01. I believe this was on the 8th floor. The central cabinet (here painted red) I recognize as one of the many, many pieces of display millwork originally produced for the store's opening in the Railroad Exchange building in 1913. I have seen the originals, and they were all stained a delicate shade of olive green -- the store's original accent color, which appeared in floor tiling, on boxes, accent paint, you name it

 

1971 Famous-Barr holiday gift shop 01, 8th floor I believe

 

1973 Famous-Barr Santaland bears 01. The store hosted three, live bear cubs for the kids to see in Santaland in 1973. It was the first time Famous and bears became associated for the holiday season, but the theme became a regular feature later on

 

1973 Famous-Barr Santaland bears 02

 

1973 Famous-Barr holiday window. See the giant bear in the background? There were also many teddy bears in all the displays that year

 

1977 Famous-Barr entry to Santaland. Paddington Bear was the store's holiday theme for both 1976 and 1977

 

1977 Famous-Barr Paddington Bear themed Santaland

 

1978 Famous-Barr Santaland under construction. The store featured Mickey Mouse for the holiday season of 1978. It was the character's 50th birthday, and Famous went all out! The Santa seen in Mickey's lap holding a birthday cake is life-sized