McCurdy's
Encyclopedia
McCurdy's was a Rochester, New York
-based department store
. Founded in 1901, the company was acquired by May Department Stores
in 1994, but as a result of an antitrust
settlement due to both McCurdy's and May's Kaufmann's
stores being the predominant anchors
in the area shopping mall
s, its stores were divested
to The Bon-Ton
Department store chain.
McCurdy helped found Rochester's Midtown Plaza
, where its flagship store was located.
McCurdy's was a medium to high priced establishment, in direct competition
with Sibley, Lindsay and Curr (later just Sibley's
). To make themselves accessible to all, the Midtown, Long Ridge (now Greece Ridge), and Eastview Malls had "budget stores" which ran seconds, closeout
s, and special merchandise at prices just above the discount houses- with McCurdy's service and cachet.
The Midtown Plaza location and Sibley's main store were directly across the street from each other on East Main Street in downtown Rochester, although McCurdy's was a bit more conservative in merchandising.
McCurdy and Co owned Midtown Plaza in downtown Rochester NY, which was the site of the home store of the McCurdy chain. It was torn down in 2010.
Midtown's most striking feature was the mechanical "Clock of Nations" in the main floor atrium. Rising through two stories, the clock featured mechanical dolls that would circle the main clock on the hour with a country highlighted each hour. The dolls were housed in capsules that featured a door that would open and close to reveal the dolls. The highlighted country's capsule would be illuminated and an melody appropriate to the country would play. Generations of children (and adults) sat in the atrium in eager anticipation each hour. When Midtown's patronage dwindled, stores closed and the future was obvious, the clock became a cause celebré all across the region. The clock has been temporarily moved to the Greater Rochester International Airport terminal, before it moves to a permanent home at Golisano Children's Hospital at Strong Memorial Hospital following completion of that facility's expansion.
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
-based department store
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
. Founded in 1901, the company was acquired by May Department Stores
May Department Stores
The May Department Stores Company was a national department store chain in the United States, founded in 1877 by David May. The company ceased to exist in 2005 when it was merged with Federated Department Stores, Inc . Prior to the merger it was headquartered in Downtown St. Louis, Missouri...
in 1994, but as a result of an antitrust
Antitrust
The United States antitrust law is a body of laws that prohibits anti-competitive behavior and unfair business practices. Antitrust laws are intended to encourage competition in the marketplace. These competition laws make illegal certain practices deemed to hurt businesses or consumers or both,...
settlement due to both McCurdy's and May's Kaufmann's
Kaufmann's
Kaufmann's was a department store that originated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was owned in the early 20th century by Edgar J. Kaufmann, patron of 'Fallingwater' and the Kaufmann's Desert House. In the post-war years the store became a regional chain in the eastern United States, and was last...
stores being the predominant anchors
Anchor store
In retail, an anchor store, draw tenant, anchor tenant, or key tenant is one of the larger stores in a shopping mall, usually a department store or a major retail chain....
in the area shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
s, its stores were divested
Divestment
In finance and economics, divestment or divestiture is the reduction of some kind of asset for either financial or ethical objectives or sale of an existing business by a firm...
to The Bon-Ton
The Bon-Ton
The Bon-Ton Stores, Inc. is a regional department store company based in York, Pennsylvania, chiefly operating 275 stores, including 11 furniture galleries, in 23 states throughout the northern United States. Stores carrying its namesake nameplate serve the Mid-Atlantic and New England regions of...
Department store chain.
McCurdy helped found Rochester's Midtown Plaza
Midtown Plaza (Rochester)
Midtown Plaza was an indoor shopping mall in downtown Rochester, New York, the first urban indoor mall in the United States.-History:...
, where its flagship store was located.
McCurdy's was a medium to high priced establishment, in direct competition
Competition
Competition is a contest between individuals, groups, animals, etc. for territory, a niche, or a location of resources. It arises whenever two and only two strive for a goal which cannot be shared. Competition occurs naturally between living organisms which co-exist in the same environment. For...
with Sibley, Lindsay and Curr (later just Sibley's
Sibley's
Sibley, Lindsay & Curr Company, known informally as Sibley's, was a Rochester, New York-based department store chain with stores located exclusively in the state of New York...
). To make themselves accessible to all, the Midtown, Long Ridge (now Greece Ridge), and Eastview Malls had "budget stores" which ran seconds, closeout
Closeout
A closeout or clearance is the final sale of an item or items to zero inventory. It may be a given model of item that is not selling well, or in the case of the final closure of a retailer because of a relocation, a fire , or especially because of a bankruptcy. In the latter case, it is usually...
s, and special merchandise at prices just above the discount houses- with McCurdy's service and cachet.
The Midtown Plaza location and Sibley's main store were directly across the street from each other on East Main Street in downtown Rochester, although McCurdy's was a bit more conservative in merchandising.
McCurdy and Co owned Midtown Plaza in downtown Rochester NY, which was the site of the home store of the McCurdy chain. It was torn down in 2010.
Midtown's most striking feature was the mechanical "Clock of Nations" in the main floor atrium. Rising through two stories, the clock featured mechanical dolls that would circle the main clock on the hour with a country highlighted each hour. The dolls were housed in capsules that featured a door that would open and close to reveal the dolls. The highlighted country's capsule would be illuminated and an melody appropriate to the country would play. Generations of children (and adults) sat in the atrium in eager anticipation each hour. When Midtown's patronage dwindled, stores closed and the future was obvious, the clock became a cause celebré all across the region. The clock has been temporarily moved to the Greater Rochester International Airport terminal, before it moves to a permanent home at Golisano Children's Hospital at Strong Memorial Hospital following completion of that facility's expansion.