tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post849440536923784043..comments2023-12-16T10:24:55.915-08:00Comments on The Herp's - Herpolsheimer's Blog: The History of Herpolsheimer's / Herp'sRobert Ghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02579596706945775527noreply@blogger.comBlogger49125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-17854955769779508142023-12-16T10:24:55.915-08:002023-12-16T10:24:55.915-08:00Another location for Herps was at Southland Mall o...Another location for Herps was at Southland Mall on 28th St SW. I took Grandma and Grandpa there to buy a mattress years ago, I still have that mattress on the bed in the basement.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-12333771513346606932023-09-13T19:33:34.800-07:002023-09-13T19:33:34.800-07:00Yes I do remember the Taylor’s at Herp’s always wa...Yes I do remember the Taylor’s at Herp’s always walking around with a tape measure around their neck. My father was the buyer for the men’s clothing department for years. His office was up there in the same location as the Taylor’s.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-84040597863392552652021-12-12T14:49:54.721-08:002021-12-12T14:49:54.721-08:00I grew up in Grand Rapids and lived there from 194...I grew up in Grand Rapids and lived there from 1947 -1968. Going downtown to “window shop” at Wurzburgs, Herpolsheimers & Steketees was an event requiring wearing our Sunday best. Each of the stores seemed so grand & luxurious to a small child. The Christmas windows were magical! Eating was also an “event”. I never rode the train but my younger brother did - and loved it every time. When I was a young teenager shopping in these “grand emporiums” was exciting. I left the area in 1968 just after the first malls were beginning to draw shoppers away from downtown. We loved visiting the GR Public Library and the Public Museum. What wonders to behold by through the eyes of a young child! When the circus came to town it was scary to walk over the river across the old train trestle bridge & back to where the cars had to park. All these memories live on in the stories I share with my young grandchildren. They’ve never visited such magical places because almost none still exist! <br /><br />Thank you all for sharing your memories with the rest of us. I tell friends that I grew up “in a galaxy far far away”. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-33284925354380432021-10-30T07:09:36.455-07:002021-10-30T07:09:36.455-07:00I have what I believe is the "bench seating&q...I have what I believe is the "bench seating" from the tea room of herpolsheimers, located in my NW grand rapids home. Can someone confirm or have photos of the lunch area?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06845836408780577064noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-74649790858384410902021-05-26T14:58:18.811-07:002021-05-26T14:58:18.811-07:00Yes, there was another location...Lincoln, Nebrask...Yes, there was another location...Lincoln, Nebraska. I only know because I am a great great granddaughter to Henry and Caroline Herpolsheimer. They were my grandfather's grandparents.<br />Betsy Perez<br /><br />Betsy Pereznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-45628908836802666412017-11-16T11:34:47.370-08:002017-11-16T11:34:47.370-08:00Does anyone know if the Grand Rapids Herpolsheimer...Does anyone know if the Grand Rapids Herpolsheimer's was in any way related to the H. Herpolsheimer's Co. in Lincoln, Nebraska? I found an advertisement for H. Herpolsheimer's Co. dry goods store in a Lincoln, NE publication.Heidi Magesahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03013207149158263434noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-77161285402581722052017-11-06T11:42:59.659-08:002017-11-06T11:42:59.659-08:00is the name related to the last name Herbolsheimer...is the name related to the last name Herbolsheimer?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-78216364909810152152016-12-17T21:26:15.790-08:002016-12-17T21:26:15.790-08:00You have all touched my heart. My father, Joseph Z...You have all touched my heart. My father, Joseph Z was the Men's Clothing Tailor at Herpolsheimer's for numerous years until he retired. I was born in 1958 and I remember absolutely everything about the store. My mother take me shopping on Fridays, start at Wurzburgs, head to Steketees, and then we would meet my father for dinner at Herpolsheimer's. Remember the talking Reindeer downstairs? And everyone loved the train! What fabulous memories I have of it all! Just watched the movie the Polar Express! Couldn't believe it either! To Good Memories!!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07763451271054314313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-41393492512570091432016-11-11T17:23:00.853-08:002016-11-11T17:23:00.853-08:00My grandfather was Donald Herpolsheimer, I was tol...My grandfather was Donald Herpolsheimer, I was told stories in my younger years when he was still alive about the family department store. My jaw dropped seeing it in the movie Polar Express so many years later..Very neat! thanks for the article.Travis541https://www.blogger.com/profile/12704314213946360656noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-58863806752786022922015-12-22T15:10:13.366-08:002015-12-22T15:10:13.366-08:00My aunt, Miss Sylvia DeKok, worked at Herp's f...My aunt, Miss Sylvia DeKok, worked at Herp's for a number of years in the Post Office Dept. She passed away on December 21, at the ripe old age of 96. I vaguely remember going to visit her at the store.Gretchen DeKoknoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-30957686058960046522015-12-04T08:49:00.357-08:002015-12-04T08:49:00.357-08:00Here is an interesting link for several independen...Here is an interesting link for several independent department stares.<br /><br />http://www.thedepartmentstoremuseum.org/2010/11/herpolsheimer-co-grand-rapids-michigan.html Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-77843179568133981322015-11-05T00:06:22.443-08:002015-11-05T00:06:22.443-08:00Do you have any more information about your sewing...Do you have any more information about your sewing machine. I have one myself that has the Herpolsheimer's name on it as well. It also has a sewing machine shop name stickered to it that probably fixed it at one time in Michigan. Im in Orlando so this machine must have been a big traveler as it has an enclosed carrying case to it. I have no manual or anything. would love to exchange photos and maybe get a copy of a couple of pages from the manual if thats possible. Please get back with me and I will exchange photos. davidmartin3336@yahoo.comDavid Martinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-13604257050043174312015-08-23T20:08:53.968-07:002015-08-23T20:08:53.968-07:00To Linda Cadreau,
My name is Robert O'Brien, h...To Linda Cadreau,<br />My name is Robert O'Brien, however I also am a <i>Herpolsheimer Kid</i>. My mother was Caroline Brandt Herpolsheimer who passed away in 1964 under the name of Caroline Brandt O'Brien, whose surname I and my younger brother Tom still carry to this day.<br /><br /><b>----------------------------------------------------</b><br /><br />To all who may read this,<br /><br />I am in search of any information about my mother as I was only 6 when she died. Any pictures of the Herpolsheimers, and especially of my mom, would be greatly appreciated.<br /><br />Thank you and God bless.<br /><br />- Robert O'BrienViragoBobhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12443002590124197306noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-68968061300570969742014-09-30T09:38:49.346-07:002014-09-30T09:38:49.346-07:00My son was very young in the late 1990's when ...My son was very young in the late 1990's when the short-lived children's themed mall was located there called Mackie's World. We visited the mall shortly before it closed. There was a dinosaur sculpture in the center near the elevator and a restaurant on the upper floor that had a chalkboard that ran the entire length of one wall. It also seems as though there was a sports complex in the basement.Lisa Mnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-38813422661672306552013-08-08T09:27:56.356-07:002013-08-08T09:27:56.356-07:00Linda Cadreau and Sarah Durrand and any other desc...Linda Cadreau and Sarah Durrand and any other descendants: Please contact me at your convenience by email at vblanken5@yahoo.com. My name is Vicki Herpolsheimer Blankenship. My grandfather, Ralph Hensch Herpolsheimer, just passed away and it has given me a renewed desire to complete my genealogy project on the family. I believe it was his grandfather that started Herpolsheimer's with a partner. Thank you!!!Vicki Blankenshipnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-71474201523658794262012-12-13T10:07:40.494-08:002012-12-13T10:07:40.494-08:00This is a great blog! My company is Fubble Entert...This is a great blog! My company is Fubble Entertainment and we are located across the street from what used to be Herpolsheimer's on the corner of Fulton and Division. We started a Facebook page for people to share their memories of the holidays in downtown Grand Rapids. Check it out! https://www.facebook.com/HolidayMemoriesOfDowntownGrandRapidsMiFubble Entertainmenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02424887489904146353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-39026024085435896242012-12-13T10:03:00.478-08:002012-12-13T10:03:00.478-08:00This is a great blog! My company is Fubble Entert...This is a great blog! My company is Fubble Entertainment and we are located in downtown Grand Rapids right across the street from where Herpolsheimer's was on Division and Fulton. We created this Facebook page for people to share their memories of the Holidays in Downtown Grand Rapids. Take a look! https://www.facebook.com/HolidayMemoriesOfDowntownGrandRapidsMiFubble Entertainmenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02424887489904146353noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-49434299207222255962012-09-25T02:58:08.667-07:002012-09-25T02:58:08.667-07:00I remember the Hardy's in downtown Muskegon. ...I remember the Hardy's in downtown Muskegon. On winter days when the snow was falling softly, my dad would drop my mom and I and my two sisters downtown, and we'd all trapse over to Hardy's. While the girls would be trying on clothing, I'd scurry up the ramp to the next floor and rummage through the record bins. It was there that I was first introduced to Alvin and the Chipmunks (with David Seville). I bought my first Chipmunks Lp at Hardy's: "The Chipmunk Songbook", sporting a beautiful golden foil jacket. I still have that very record album. My mom and sisters could shop all day long, as long as I was scoring cool stuff like this. After a couple of hours at Hardy's, we'd hurry next door to Kresges for a cup of hot soup in their little cafe. These memories are as vivid as if they happened yesterday. Beautiful! (Posted by Steve, who now lives in Oregon.)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-64153146547989812652012-05-27T13:22:13.282-07:002012-05-27T13:22:13.282-07:00Herpolsheimer's built a new store on Division ...Herpolsheimer's built a new store on Division in 1948. Betty Ford married Gerald Ford in 1948. The only photo I've seen of Betty Ford was in the old Herpolsheimer's when it was on Ottawa and Monroe.<br /><br />Do you know from personal knowledge that she actually modeled at the new Herpolsheimer's on Division? Did they have a Kent Room at the old Herp's?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-80369097617449031032012-05-27T13:02:04.638-07:002012-05-27T13:02:04.638-07:00I was a kid in the late 60's – early 70's ...I was a kid in the late 60's – early 70's and a trip to Herpolsheimer's was a big deal. It was really cool driving down the sharp pitched curve into the sub-basement parking garage (where someone else parked the car) and then taking one of the two elevators up to the bargain basement level. In addition to the aforementioned train there was a small snack bar with colored lights (blue and yellow almost like a carnival) that always smelled of popcorn and hot dogs - hard to imagine that small little food outlet made any money (I remember it was closed in later years). We'd take the escalators to the first floor (only one set ran the entire store in a crisscross pattern so you’d get off turn around and go up on the next one) the set in the back of the store only ran from 1-3 and ran parallel to each other so the up & down were right next to each other and then you’d walk loop around and take the next set up to the third floor. I guess they did this because from the first floor the back escalators brought you right up to the entrance of The Kent Room. Yes this is where Betty Ford modeled, but that was before I was a child excited to go into this rather elegant restaurant. The entrance had oversized brass lanterns on either side of the lettering with a faux planter underneath (were you suppose to feel like you were outside?) inside the rather dimly lit room (and the darker “lounge” on one side which was filled with smoke and where I was not allowed to go) white table clothes, heavy industrial china, and waitresses in black dresses with white aprons (like old fashioned maid uniforms). I think a few times I was allowed to get a kiddy cocktail of 7-up with grenadine and a cherry. I was given my own children’s menu and then sat quietly for the informal modeling – I just remember women walking around and there clothes still had price tags on them. The room looked to be very “Dorothy Draper” mid-century décor (I figured this out after seeing a Draper Retrospective show in NYC – and the timing would have been right for this project to fall her way in the late 40’s when the store opened). Any more information on the Kent Room would be appreciated. There was also an enormous lunch counter on the 1st floor – directly below the Kent Room. The counters were like a maze going back and forth and in and out so that the waitresses were on one side, and the patrons on the other sitting on stools (I wasn’t an over weight kid so I have no idea why I was so fascinated with the food outlets). And then there was also the Candy Counter – I don’t remember exactly where this was on the 1st floor – does anyone know was it relocated as I kind of remember it in more than one spot of the main floor. Anyway the typical glass front cases that “showcased” a couple layers or candies, gummies, chocolates, bridge mix and jelly beans. A separately lit case was just for displaying nuts on a turn table so they would always be turning around under warm light bulbs (I wondered what that did for the nuts?). Anyway – I loved the store and as a child I also enjoyed looking up through the louvered ceiling! It was quite an innovation in it’s day – all the mechanicals, and a set of fluorescent lights hidden above metal grid ceiling panels. Incandescent eyeball spots pierced the grid to highlight displays but the ventilation and mechanicals were all hidden away above the grid. The third floor was slightly different and somehow much darker than the other floors. I recall mattresses for sale, and a “fur-vault” where my mom’s coat would go during the summer – I didn’t really understand but just went with it. I think the third floor was the designer gowns and the like – any more information would be appreciated. I loved the record department in the basement – and the boys and men’s jeans store on the first floor near the Monroe Street entrance. Well it was a great store – the train and Rudolph were my favorites at Christmas! Please share or correct me – it was a long time ago!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-89158513446884806912011-11-09T19:17:19.313-08:002011-11-09T19:17:19.313-08:00Hi all, Kathy Here....
I grew up "in" He...Hi all, Kathy Here....<br />I grew up "in" Herpolsheimer's!. Back in the 1950's and 1960's my Grandmother was the Clothing Buyer for the Women's Department in Grand Rapids. Her name - Kathryn Bunde.<br />Her office was in the Glass window area of the building overlooking Division St. (3rd or 4th floor). <br />I had so much fun behind the scenes with my Grandmother. In the stock room, helping her set up special displays, crawling around behind window displays, so many stories.<br /> I have very fond memories of shopping for school clothes, riding down the circular ramp to the parking garage, riding the escalators, riding the elevators - with an elevator operator!, having lunch in the Tea Room (Chocolate Cigarettes), Christmas train rides with my three brothers.<br />Her employee discount helped my parents insure that our Christmas was always Merry. She bought me my first (one of the first) Barbie Dolls from the toy department. <br />I have an old Hat Box from Herp's. <br />Ah, so many many memories....Corneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09577901739381578270noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-91225654021350686112011-10-20T17:11:44.732-07:002011-10-20T17:11:44.732-07:00In 1985 my boss asked me if I would be interested ...In 1985 my boss asked me if I would be interested in running the Maint, Dept. at the new City Centre Mall in the old Herps/Gantos building and I said yes. We spent many days cleaning the floors, stairways & basement getting ready for the Grand Opening. Herps was already gone and Lazarus was setting up on the 1st & 2nd floors. The Food Court was rapidly filling up and it seemed to be the beginning of a great Downtown revitalization. Things went along quite well for a time, but after a year or so Lazarus pulled out and the general decline began. I could see the handwriting on the wall. The homeless began to spend more time in the mall and the food merchants, including McDonald's began leaving one after the other. I really enjoyed the great fountain that shot up three stories and running the train on the basement level, except when the motor brushes gave out and the train stopped in mid track. We would then have to get the ladders out and bring the children out one at a time. They probably enjoyed that more than the train ride itself! After 2 years, it was evident that the Mall was doomed to fail and I left for a more permanent position with the Grandville Public Schools where I have spent the last 24 years. Looking back though, I really enjoyed the sense of history working at the historic Herpolshimer's site. My boss now was manager at the Steketee's Dept. Store just down the walk at the time. Downtown seems to be coming back except for the shopping.martyveldmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-74170879885295947842011-09-15T00:40:52.130-07:002011-09-15T00:40:52.130-07:00Looked up Herpelsheimer's Grand Rapids today a...Looked up Herpelsheimer's Grand Rapids today after speaking with my Mom. Seems that the china I inherited was purchased on layaway by my Grandmother who was an employee there before she got married in 1936. I vaguely remember visiting there on a trip to Michigan about 1968. Will definitely research more!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-38002397716750029672011-08-30T11:01:58.401-07:002011-08-30T11:01:58.401-07:00I'd like to announce that my book - Jacobson&#...I'd like to announce that my book - Jacobson's: I miss it so! - will be available in September. It is listed on bn.com, amazon.com, and historypress.net.<br /><br />Readers of this blog may be interested to see pictures of the Grand Rapids Jacobson's, which was located near Herp's, as well as pictures and information about L.H. Field's, Jacobson's main competitor in downtown Jackson.<br /><br />It was exciting to research this long-lost store, and I would hope that readers get the same sense of discovery I had when I learned of the fascinating history behind this important part of Michigan (and Florida's) lost past.BAKhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00279830033473558147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6273837069122799646.post-27671782630583799012011-08-26T20:23:50.123-07:002011-08-26T20:23:50.123-07:00Hello! I have enjoyed reading all the stories abo...Hello! I have enjoyed reading all the stories about Herpolsheimers Department Store. I recently purchased a white Arabian (almost full size) horse, and I was told that she came from Herpolsheimers. I would love to get more information about this horse. I can be reached at my Antique Store "The Intersection" in Six Lakes. Mi @ 989-365-3506... My hours are: M-F 10-5and Sat. 11-3. Any information would be welcome....THANK YOU, inge sturminge weber sturmhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11405234866394565091noreply@blogger.com