The Edw. Malley Company, or as it was known to the natives "Malley's" was the Premier Department store in downtown New Haven for over 100 years. Established as a small dry goods store in 1852, it quickly grew into a major shopping destination for both New Haven residents and the outskirts as well. Malley's up until the 1960's was perched on the corner of Chapel & Temple Streets directly across from the Green. Although the main intersection was a block down the street, "Meet me at the clock" only meant one thing to the city folk, and that was the corner of Chapel & Temple Streets, directly in front of the main entrance. This was until the redevelopment of the city and the destruction of this glorious store as we knew it. This current location now houses the Chapel Square apartments, retail stores, an office tower and the Omni Hotel.
Malley's facade circa 1945
Malley's interior Main Floor, Chapel Street
1953 Christmas Catalog, notice the Christmas tree above the awning.
Malley's 1954 Christmas catalog, showing its updated logo.
Remember when you purchased a suit or dress and the sales person would put it in one of these zippered vinyl garment bags and NOT cover it with a plastic garbage bag instead like today?
The new Malley's! After the city decided to re-develop its downtown area, the old Malley's was demolished to make way for the new Chapel Square Mall, an office tower and hotel as well as a new to the area Macy's department store. This photo was taken in 1963 just after the Christmas shopping season. The building was located in the block surrounded by Church, George & Temple Streets as well as having a direct exit off of Frontage Road. The store, having 3 above ground and 2 below ground levels was more modern but still had a certain charm.
Notice on the 3rd level the row of windows and the beginning of a walkway, eventually connecting Malley's to the future Macy's which will have been finished a year later. Like most other stores Malley's was purchased by another company (The Outlet Company in Providence, RI) and was forced to close down completely in 1982 because of troublesome times. The only memories now of the store are when you mention "The Malley's Lot" soon to be redeveloped into the new Gateway Community College.
This was the floor directory when the Macy's closed in 1993 and a memory of the department store Santa, long before the malls took over. Originally this store also housed a liquor shop, pharmacy, furniture and major appliance departments. The lower level was also home to Santa for many years and after a clearance center. This Macy's store was the first in CT and held that spot until a new branch opened in Stamford years later around 1981. It wasn't until the late 1980's that the store declined in sales and eventually shuttered. Most of the employees that closed the store were there the day it opened. The building is set for demolition soon, after it is rid of its asbestos and will along with the Malley's lot be the site of the new Gateway College.
These pictures are of the women's shoe and men's shirt departments
of Macy's New Haven during its' "Going out of business sale!"
The only bag I recall from the former Chapel Square Mall.
11 comments:
For anyone with an appreciation of New Havens past be it in any form should truly enjoy this site. New Haven has a great history. not just theatrically ans scholastically but in the world of retail as well. This site is a wonder homage to new Havens commerce past.
That Macy's logo looked so much better without that big red star.
I have a question how exactly did you get a bag with the malls name on it?
Did the smaller stores/vendors have the mall bag only,instead of their own?
Did each store have two separate bags one for their store and one for the malls,you put theirs in?
just curious.
i have been searching my entire life for any interior photos of malleys or macys in new haven. especially malleys since i was just six years old when they closed. it seemed like such a mystical place to me. to this day i still have dreams about both stores!! please,if you have any additional photos of these places,please contact me at orenn52@hotmail.com thank you sooo much for reading this.
Just looking at these brings back childhood memories. My mother was Malleys nurse
I was once the Display Director of the Macys New Haven store. I think it was around 1986-87
I loved that store and spent many happy years there.
Going through all my father's belongings, I came across a photograph probably from about 1945 with the following stamped on the back:
For your convenience, the negative of this photograph, will be kept on file. When Reordering, be sure you mention the letter and numbers that appear above.
If used for publication, please give credit line to
STUDIO OF THE EDW. MALLEY CO. NEW HAVEN, CONN.
Does anyone know if someone bought out Malley's collection of negatives and has them in a warehouse somewhere? It would be good to get a fresh print of this picture.
The Edward Malley Company sealed its doom when, in the early 1960s, it moved from a premium location directly on the New Haven Green to modern facilities a couple blocks behind. Customers thereafter had to walk from the Chapel Square Mall through Macy's to get to Malley's. As was undoubtedly predicted by shrewd Macy's executives, shoppers often went no further than Macy's to find what they needed. Consequently, Malley's withered and died. Eventually the same happened to Macy's New Haven, its customer base drawn to newer suburban malls. But the fate of naive Malley's demonstrates how critical location is in retail.
Edward Malley was my great grandfather. Would be most interested to know more about his store. Owen O'Malley, om216@hotmail.com
I worked at Malley's for five years. I began working as a packer in their shipping department. I think that was in 1975, when I was 15 1/2 years old. You could work after school hours if you were under 16. Back then Malley's had its own delivery system so that you purchases were delivered by truck. You wouldn't have to lug everything home with you!
As a young person working at Malley's it was a blast. All of us were "townies" and most of us were not bound for college. It would serve as our coming of age arena. We had great parties and more than a few romances bloomed. I remember when the first computerized cash registers were introduced. One grand old sales lady in the candy department quit rather than learn the new machine. One lady still used a "comptometer" (google it!) instead of a cash register.
Adam Richmond adambrichmond@yahoo.com
O’Malley, unfortunately, I think you’re mistaken.
First of all, Malley’s Dept. Store was founded by WALTER E. Malley and, secondly, Malley and O’Malley are two very different names in the historical context.
Other than that, though, W.E. Malley was very interesting character. He was said to have many political ties and funded the Strategic Services Unit (forerunner to the CIA) during WWII. He also founded a secret society at Seton Hall College in New Jersey called the Merry Few Society, or M.F.S., sometime in 1873 or 1874. He was a major benefactor of Yale University in New Haven. His mansion in New Haven was tied to two notable and mysterious murder case: the Cramer murder case in the late 19th century and the Jovin murder case at Yale in 1998.
Needless to say, he was a very mysterious fellow.
Anonymous, your slightly misinformed... The Edward Malley's company was founded by Edward and his mansion which the Jennie Cramer incident happened was on Derby Avenue in New Haven parts still survive on Battery Terrance. The older Malley is interimed at I believe St. Bernadines cemetary of the Blvd here in New haven. Walter, Edward's son, built the mansion on St. Ronan street where the Jovin incident took place. Walter and his father lived as a family but his father disapproved of what he did. New haveners actually stopped shopping at Malley's because of the fact that his father gave him money for his legal expense. His cousin James who they believed committed the murder left and disappeared off the face of the earth. Crammers mother committed suicide after the death of her daughter. This was a very sad snd unfortunate tell, but the book is a decent read for any New haven history buff.
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