A fun, nostalgic look at the great American stores of yesteryear and
their rise and fall.
The wealthy and leisured lady of the 1920s shopped in a palatial
downtown department store with a restaurant, beauty parlor, movie
theater, and live orchestra--the harried suburban mom of today rushes
her purchases through the self-checkout at the big box store. The
Great American Shopping Experience explains how this transformation
happened in a fascinating and entertaining history of the growth and
decline of America's massive retail empires.
From the humble 19th century dry goods store to the majestic department
stores of the early 20th century to the shopping malls and outlet stores
of today, The Great American Shopping Experience tells the
romantic story of Americans' relentless pursuit of the better bargain,
surveying the changing fashions, social ideals, and marketing
innovations that created shopping as we know it.
The Great American Shopping Experience also takes a nostalgic look
back at the stores we loved, from the small regional stores that were
gobbled up to the big chains that still survive today. If you've ever
wondered what happened to your favorite store, The Great American
Shopping Experience has the answers.
A popular history that is both fun and compelling, The Great American
Shopping Experience tells an epic story of capitalism's powers of
creative destruction, the repeated transformation of American society,
fortunes made and unmade--and takes a fond look back at the great times
and amazing deals we had along the way.
