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In 1857, David M. Read and W. B. Hall opened a dry goods and carpet store on Main Street in
Bridgeport, Connecticut, with Read going solo in 1877. In 1885, the business expanded to two buildings on Main Street and Fairfield Avenue forming a "very popular and elegant place of business." Read's became
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Jewelry • Watch Repair • Cosmetics • Gloves • Small
Leather Goods • Belts • Handbags • Fashion Accessories • Neckwear • Hosiery • Casual Shoe Bar • Hat Bar • Umbrellas • Blouses • Street Floor Sportswear • Street Floor Lingerie • Fashion Shoes • Corner I • Notions • Stationery • Cameras • Luggage •
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and operated it in conjunction with Allied, subsequently declaring bankruptcy in 1990. As a result of the overall decline of
Bridgeport's downtown shopping area, the Lafayette Plaza store closed in 1989, and all but the Trumbull and Jefferson Valley stores were closed by 1992 under the
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cost $ 14.1 million, and created "61 spacious live/work units on the upper floors and arts-friendly commercial space on the ground floor". Construction was carried out by A.P. Construction, under a contract worth $ 10,500,000. The new
Sterling Market Lofts building opened in May 2005.
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In the late 1990s the former Read's
Building in downtown Bridgeport was converted into useful space for artists, run as a non-profit, called Artspace, also known as Read's Artspace, Sterling Market Lofts, and Artspace Read's. The conversion and complete restoration of the building by
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Sportswear • Dresses • Daytime
Dresses • Coats • Suits • Town and Country Shop • Fairfield Room • Millinery • Fur Salon • Bride's Shop • Uniforms • Maternity Shop • Lingerie • Foundations • At Ease Shop Jr. News Jr. Dresses • Jr. Coats • Jr. Sportswear
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323:(the state's first mall), 6.7 miles from downtown Bridgeport. The store had three floors, (220,000 sq ft (20,000 m)), and was located in the south section of the mall where Target stands today.
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373:, "Reads, Your Something Special Store". Read's operated in its hometown of Bridgeport until 1987 when Campeau Corp. of Canada, which had bought Allied Stores, merged it into Allied's sister division,
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merged with Jordan Marsh (as they were in the New York
Metropolitan media market, they could operate more efficiently regarding advertising under the A&S name). In 1995 after Federated acquired
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In 1981, Allied closed Read's landmark downtown store, leaving behind a boarded-up building as a reminder of
Bridgeport's brighter past. It moved the store into space recently vacated by
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The store had seven floors, five above ground and two below, and sold all sorts of items which according to the
Bridgeport store directory were:
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chains. Only the
Jefferson Valley Mall store that Read's opened in 1983 has continually operated as a department store to present day.
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The original Bridgeport store closed in 1981 when Read's moved to a new location, and was later extensively renovated and reopened as
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Infants' Shop • 2-to-6 Shop • Boys' Shop • Girls' Shop • Subteen Shop • Teen Shop • Young World Shoes • Children's Furniture
188:. It expanded to several other locations in the 1950s and 1960s, but these closed progressively through the 1980s and 1990s.
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ultimately had over 100,000 square feet (10,000 m) of selling area on five floors. D.M. Read Company became a unit of
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Clothing, footwear, sporting goods, toys, jewelry, beauty products, housewares, furniture, bedding and discount goods
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Allied expanded the store into a chain in the 1950s and 1960s. By then they were up to six stores in
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The former Read's Trumbull location was abandoned in 2006, when Macy's relocated into the former
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In 1993, these remaining two stores at Trumbull and Jefferson Valley were converted to the
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Bedding • Furniture • Rugs • Broadloom • Photo Studio • Trim-a-Home Shop • Beauty Salon
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A History of the Old Town of Stratford and City of Bridgeport Connecticut, Volume 2
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180:. Known for its classy, upscale merchandise, the flagship store was once hailed as
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Men's Furnishings • Men's Sportswear • Men's Clothing • Men's Shoes • Men's Hats
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Toyland • Bicycles • Outdoor Equipment • Books • Venetian Tea Room • Offices
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known for its classy, upscale merchandise and shopping environment, becoming
548:"The View From/Fairfield; A Fitting Place for Artists to Take Up Residence"
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shopping center upon the completion of the merger of the Federated and
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and renamed the two former Read's stores with the Macy's moniker.
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In 1926, Read's moved to the corner of Broad and John Streets in
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Domestics • Curtains • Draperies • Slipcovers • Portrait Studio
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416:, it consolidated its A&S/Jordan Marsh division into
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China • Glassware • Silver • Gifts • Lamps • Housewares
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Companies that filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1990
790:"Finally, Progress in Restoring Bridgeport's Grandeur"
518:"Centennial of Read's Progress Reflects City's Growth"
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List of defunct department stores of the United States
505:. Fairfield County Historical Society. p. 752.
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601:"Read's Marks 100 Years of Progress in Bridgeport"
357:In 1983, Read's opened a New York location in the
843:Defunct department stores based in Connecticut
575:"Handsomely Tailored Garments (advertisement)"
315:The second store was built as one of the two
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868:Companies based in Bridgeport, Connecticut
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627:"D. M. Read Co., Bridgeport, Connecticut"
683:"Jordan Marsh Co. acquires D.H. Read Co"
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858:Retail companies disestablished in 1993
656:"Old Department Store May Get New Life"
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365:. Around 1985 its television and radio
848:Defunct companies based in Connecticut
820:Read's Department Store Souvenir Plate
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853:Retail companies established in 1857
93:in 1987, which in 1992 merged with
22:D.M. Read's Department Stores, Inc.
873:1857 establishments in Connecticut
788:Chamberlain, Lisa (May 29, 2005).
715:. December 8, 2009. Archived from
654:Nancy Doniger (January 21, 2001).
475:History of Bridgeport, Connecticut
16:Now-defunct department store chain
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408:nameplate when that division of
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764:"Sterling Market Lofts/Read's"
546:Kenneth Best (July 21, 2002).
197:Sterling Market Lofts building
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829:- Bridgeport Public Library
439:Artspace Read's, Bridgeport
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410:Federated Department Stores
386:Federated Department Stores
95:Federated Department Stores
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825:December 26, 2010, at the
384:In 1988, Campeau acquired
266:Confections • Snack Shop
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605:Bridgeport Sunday Herald
579:Bridgeport Sunday Herald
522:Bridgeport Sunday Herald
354:in downtown Bridgeport.
166:Read's Department Stores
321:Trumbull Shopping Park
170:Bridgeport, Connecticut
106:Bridgeport, Connecticut
499:Samuel Orcutt (1886).
235:Bridgeport, where its
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53:Department store chain
433:May Department Stores
379:Boston, Massachusetts
359:Jefferson Valley Mall
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719:on December 17, 2012
406:Abraham & Straus
352:Lafayette Plaza Mall
195:, also known as the
134:D. M. Read, Founder
689:. February 27, 1987
641:"Mall Hall of Fame"
401:bankruptcy filing.
278:Arcade Casual Shop
203:Founding and growth
176:founded in 1857 by
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795:The New York Times
581:. October 14, 1896
467:Connecticut portal
429:Westfield Trumbull
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122:Westchester County
768:A.P. Construction
739:"Artspace Read's"
607:. January 6, 1957
524:. January 6, 1957
446:Artspace Projects
286:Young World Shops
274:Appliance Center
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350:at the nearby
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87:Parent company
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801:December 21,
799:. Retrieved
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773:December 21,
771:. Retrieved
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748:December 21,
746:. Retrieved
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723:December 21,
721:. Retrieved
717:the original
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515:Photo essay.
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375:Jordan Marsh
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334:Counties in
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299:Fourth Floor
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282:Second Floor
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276:Post Office
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268:John Street
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263:Street Floor
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174:retail chain
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159:, since 1954
102:Headquarters
91:Jordan Marsh
49:Retail chain
18:
687:PR Newswire
418:Macy's East
367:commercials
336:Connecticut
319:in the new
305:Fifth Floor
292:Third Floor
219:'s largest
217:New England
184:'s largest
182:New England
118:Connecticut
113:Area served
837:Categories
486:References
342:Transition
257:Downstairs
178:D. M. Read
130:Key people
124:, New York
395:Federated
332:New Haven
328:Fairfield
243:in 1954.
83:Successor
823:Archived
743:Artspace
611:July 11,
528:July 11,
453:See also
425:Filene's
348:Gimbel's
233:downtown
143:Products
78:Acquired
45:Industry
693:July 7,
667:July 7,
585:July 7,
559:July 7,
317:anchors
172:-based
67:Defunct
59:Founded
414:Macy's
371:jingle
168:was a
152:Parent
803:2022
775:2022
750:2022
725:2022
695:2010
669:2010
613:2010
587:2010
561:2010
530:2010
330:and
75:Fate
70:1993
62:1857
388:of
377:of
361:in
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