Boston Area Memories

Click the above pictures to view more memories from these stores.

Filene's and Jordan Marsh, the names conjure up memories of the New England "Macy's and Gimbel's" rivalry. Two prominent department stores with deep roots in the Boston area.

Filene's, one of the founding companies to what we know today as Federated Department Stores began in 1881. Joining Federated in 1929, Filene's was the first department store to offer a 20% discount to employees, it formed the first credit union, the first to use "cycle billing" and the first to initiate the charge-plate. It was operated by the FDS company until its run in with Campeau in the late 1980's when it was sold to May Company. After its' sale to May, the company was merged with the Hartford based G.Fox and the Filene's name stood.

What I remember being odd though is that the G.Fox company was a FULL line department store, while the Filene's division only sold soft line merchandise. So, within a few years after the merger, Filene's stores needed to be remodeled to accept the hard lines G.Fox carried. In 2005, Federated purchased May and the Filene's banner was again added to its roster, only to be eliminated in 2006 when the name was changed to Macy's.

Jordan Marsh, founded in 1841 sat directly across the street from its rival Filene's. Once considered "New England's Store" it was the head of the Allied Department Stores and had divisions in both New England and in Florida. Famous for its Blueberry Muffins (recipe follows). Jordan Marsh (Allied Stores) was absorbed into the FDS chain, and became a Macy's in 1994 and not to huge fanfare by the Boston market area.

Filene's Basement, originally part of the Filene's chain, famous for its "Running of the Brides" sales, was sold off during the Federated reorganization prior to the May Company purchase of its namesake. Sadly, the main store above the basement, not becoming a Macy's after the Federated merger with May Company was shuttered and is scheduled for remodeling. So the fate of the original basement store is now in the hands of the current owners.

Jordan Marsh's Blueberry Muffins

1/2 cup margarine/butter
2 eggs
2 cups of flour
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 Tablespoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon of salt
2-1/2 cups blueberries
2 Tablespoons of sugar to sprinkle on top

Cream butter/margarine and sugar at low speed. Add eggs, one at a time. Sift dry ingredients and add alternating with milk. Toss blueberries in flour to coat and add to batter stirring by hand. Pour into prepared muffin tins and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.