Shopping at the Great G. Fox & Co.
As a child growing up in Connecticut, nothing compared to trips with my mother to the department store, G. Fox & Company at 960 Main St. in Hartford. This grand institution was a family-owned, first-class department store, established in 1847. It was a cornerstone of the Connecticut economy when we shopped there in the late 60’s and early 70’s. I was unaware at the time that this store, which had once been the largest in New England, was soon to begin its decline. The original Fox family had sold the store to the May Department Stores Co. in 1965.
But in its heyday, before the invasion of malls, G. Fox was THE store to shop in. Within its 11 floors (plus a basement, sub-basement and mezzanine), you could find whatever you needed. And the service was exceptional. There were clothing departments for men, women and children, books, music, makeup, jewelry, art supplies, housewares, a fur salon and a stamp department for collector stamps.
A highlight of any shopping trip with my mother was stopping for lunch at the 1950’s lunch counter, which I believe was on the 6th floor. The restaurant was done in a classic diner style and had been preserved through renovations mostly in tact. There were booths to sit at, but I liked to sit on the chrome and leather stools that were fastened to the floor. I remember getting the best egg salad sandwiches there. It’s funny. I don’t remember the dessert, but I do remember the egg salad sandwiches.
My mother and I would make all of our usual stops at all of our favorite departments. The store was so beautiful to shop in, with its Art Deco design. The main floor was especially beautiful, with its high ceilings and marble floor. There were 8 passenger elevators. I remember taking one from the main lobby that was driven by a male uniformed elevator operator. There were also female attendants in the immaculate, black and white tiled ladies’ room.
You were so pampered at G. Fox that you didn’t even have to carry your purchases. You could have them delivered to your home the next day on the G. Fox truck, free of charge. I also remember my mother calling the store and having things delivered on approval. If it didn’t fit, or she just didn’t like the item, the truck would come out and pick it up, again, free of charge. We lived in a suburb of Hartford approximately 11 miles from the store.
The most spectacular time to visit G. Fox was during the Christmas season. The main floor was filled with poinsettias and there were old fashioned (yes—religious!) Christmas carols playing. The excitement and joy of the season made the air electric, as display cases brimmed with stylish and quality merchandise. But the real excitement began when Santa took up residence on the 11th floor. Every year, while we were young enough to appreciate it, my 3 brothers and me were taken up to the 11th floor where the Toy Department was. We would admire all of the unique toys and compile our Christmas wish lists. (As I recall, we would be allowed one expensive item from G. Fox to complement the stack of more standard games and toys selected from some place like Sears or later, ToysRUs.) I generally picked out a beautiful doll, but one year it was a stuffed white angora cat. I don’t ever remember being disappointed by not receiving this special item on Christmas morning.
Once we perused the toys, we got on the line to enter Toyland with its winter scenery, to wind our way up to where Santa was seated. Once there, we met Santa and asked him for something special and got our picture taken with him. Things usually went quite well, except for the year my youngest brother, about 4 years old, decided to tell Santa he had bad breath. My poor mother!
The day after Christmas, we returned to G. Fox. It had become a tradition to take advantage of the half price sale on Christmas wrapping paper and cards. The whole family spent a couple of hours among the crowds, selecting cards, paper and bows at 50% off for the following year. All of the shopping loot would be packed into a large box to be delivered to our home. When the box arrived, my mother and father packed it away for next Christmas.
So many of my memories of the time are tied in to that wonderful store. Going with my father to help him pick out diamond studs to surprise my mother on their 25th wedding anniversary. Buying my first real lipstick (not the cheaper version from the drugstore or 5 and dime). My older brother being old enough to drive me to purchase leather gloves for my mother, with money I had saved up. But the family sold the store in 1965, and there were so many changes made that the store lost touch with the core values it was founded on. The store closed for good in 1993.
The building at 960 Main St. in Hartford now houses both retail and professional tenants. I understand the Main St. lobby has been restored to its former Art Deco glory. But the store is gone, and I miss it and all the times we enjoyed there. I especially miss the days when a salesperson actually thanked you for spending money in their establishment.
I read your short piece on G. Fox and was delighted by the fact that I recall taking the train in from Windsor Locks to Hartford just to shop at G. Fox, Brown Thompson, and Sage Allen’s. As a family we made use of the entire day and of course my brother and I were awed by the cavernous size of the store. Looking up was a marvel to see how everything was so arranged and well organized. I remember the lunch counter, too. I was wondering if you know of anyone who may have photos of the inside of the store taken during the 50s or 60s? I would like to add it to my collection of memories I’ve been compiling for several years. I did google but it showed only the outside of the building. I would appreciate any help.
Thank You,
Scott
Scott,
Thank-you for sharing your memories of G. Fox. Yes, Sage-Allen was also a gem. They had the best sour cream sticks at their bakery! I did come across some interior shots of G. Fox while writing this blog and here is the link:
http://news.webshots.com/album/557323275ccbjAk
Best of luck to you with your compilation of memories!
Ann
Let me add another response to your write-up on G.Fox & Co. It was absolutely one of the highlights of my childhood and teen years. My mother would take my sister and me downtown for our back-to-school clothes and we always went to the sixth floor for our shoes. Mom wanted to be sure we had something that would last the year and not fall apart after just a couple of wearings.
I also remember Fox’s at Christmas. Their front windows gave Macy’s a run for their money. Their front roof top displays were waited for with great anticipation.
My sister worked at Fox’s in the early seventies in their card department I also remember luggage and a travel agency on the mezzanine.
I also remember Sage-Allen and absolutely the very best butterscotch cookies under the sun.(Sure wish I could find that recipe.)
I worked at Casual Corner for over six years and at Society for Savings for another six years before getting married. Both are now gone.
It was fun walking down memory lane. Thanks.
I have vivid memories of my frequent visits to G. Fox. We would customarily go there to get our suits and, if I was well-behaved, end our visits with a stop at the store’s toy department on the 11th floor. That department rivaled the famous FAO Schwarz toy store of New York; a toy from Fox’s was a special treat.
The store’s main restaurants were on the second floor; one was a cafeteria and the other was the more formal Connecticut Room, which featured lovely murals of episodes in Connecticut’s history. That restaurant always featured the famous Fox’s (chicken) pot pie.
As I grew older and was finally given the privilege to roam the store on my own, I tended to hang out at the 9th floor, which featured a superb record department. That floor also had the Connecticut House, a mock up of a suburban house that contained the latest collections of furniture and furnishings that were considered appropriate for an average home. At the appointed time, I would meet my parents at the staircase to the mezzanine on the main floor. I lament the passing of those days. Happily the building has been given a new life as headquarters for a community college and many of its fixtures, notably the marble work and several Art Deco display cases on the main floor, have been retained and restored.
Brilliant! I loved that you shared this story… I grew up loving going downtown to shop — especially G.Fox
I remember G Fox quite well, we used to go there for back to school shopping at the end of the summer. I remember in either 4th or 5th grade getting separated from my mother and sisters and getting lost there. I went to a store employee and was brought to the lost and found dept. My mother and sisters looked frantically for me, in fact, my older sister had to ride in a police car around the blocks looking for me. My mother had been told that there wasn’t a lost and found dept. so I was there for at least an hour. I remember someone handed me the instant insanity block puzzle to work on to keep me occupied while I was waiting.
Im looking for my father he was a G. Fox & Co. elevator operators 1960 His name is leon mckinney do you know him