First Lazarus Department Store Closes in Columbus, OH Today

[lucky_bunni]

It's a sad day today for Columbus, OH. Lazarus department store in downtown Columbus closed today after being in operation in it's location for almost 100 years. Lagging sales and a buyout of the store by Macy's forced the store to close. I have so many memories of the store. My mom used to work at the store in the Coin and Stamp department when I was a child. Almost all of the childhood clothes came from the store. We always visited the awesome Christmas Village in the basement each year, where I would met Santa. I would also shop for my parents Christmas gifts in a special department set up for it.

It's sad that Columbus is losing it's treasures and history - making way for new malls and suburban developments. My mom, her sister, and mom, who all used to shop there when they were little girls, made one final visit there today. Farewell Lazarus, we'll miss you.

 

[DebbieB]

The City of Pittsburgh built Lazarus a brand new store downtown about 5 years ago, I think it was 5 stories. It was supposed to be the cornerstone of a big development. Lazarus had bought Hornes old store and wanted a better location midtown, so they got a new store. They had a clause in their lease if they did not reach certain profit levels, they could close after 5 years. The 5 year anniversary was in May....they closed. The city is bankrupt and the rest of the project never happened. So the beautiful new department store sits empty..... The fact is people do not want to shop downtown outside office hours. At 5:00pm they head home and the streets are deserted (except for people who you do not want to see). They would rather go to their nice suburban malls with lots of free parking.

 

[chager]

My best friend and I recently decided that the Santa Land job we had was the best job we have ever held!!! It was back when Santa Land was on the 6th floor. We were Santa Belles. It was way better then when they moved it to the basemant! (This was a really, really long time ago...lol)
I read your journal ...what's up with that Grove City remark? Are you a Grove City person?

 

[lucky_bunni]

Hey Chager - yeah, I am from Grove City.

 

[Laura]

I went in there on Wednesday; it was so depressing. Half the store was blocked off. Stuff being sold was mostly junk/overstock and fixtures. Almost everything was gone.

I registered there for my wedding, and I visited many times as a child to see Santa and the window displays and the Christmas lights downtown. Not to mention the billion times I went there just to shop, well before the City Center mall was attached. It was an institution. It's very sad to see it go.

 

[lucky_bunni]

Yeah, Laura I remember all that too. They actually decorated the Windows this past Christmas one last time along High Street. My mom and I went down one cold night and parked just to look at the eleborate windows and reminence...

 

[chager]

I took my son and nephew to see the windows last year. We made sure to go since it would be the last time. I wish they still had the Santa Land of my days to show my son. The basement set up never came close to the 6th floor set up!! I think I will have to go through my pictures and see if I have any of way back when. Of course it was nice to be in contact with Santa everyday..lol. Now I tell my son that I still have a direct line to Santa...after all I did use to work with him! (Josh, I think you are too young to have ever visited 6th floor. Ask your mom..she may have.) Oh the stories I could tell about Mr. Tree, Rudolph, Frosty, and Santa!! LOL
Well I better stop reminiscing and get to sleep. Oh yeah...josh are you still in the GC area? So many of us that grow up around here never move too far away. I have ran into alot of people I went to school with at my son's ball games and of course I am still nearby!!

 

[lucky_bunni]

Chager - Yep, still in the GC area until next year. I'm plannning on moving to DC when I graduate.

If you do find those 6th floor Christmas photos, or other of Lazarus' holidays, I'd love to see them if you can scan them in. The more I think about Lazarus downtown closing, the more these childhood memories are coming back to me.

I do remember breakfast with Santa on the 6th floor in the big restaurant. My mom worked in the Coin & Stamp department up there for quite a while, as well as the book section they used to have up there. Lazarus was a one-stop shopping destination in it's hayday.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Well I remember visiting my relatives every summer, we would take a big ride into columbus from somerset and my mom and aunt would do the school shopping for my sister and I. We loved going there. Our station wagon would be loaded with lots of lazarus bags. Sad.