Vigo County Historical Society

Downtown thriving in 1940s

Let’s go shopping on Wabash Avenue in the 1940s. These were the years our country was slowly coming out of the Great Depression, fighting in World War II and then recovering from that sobering struggle.

It was a decade of many changes in all segments of our American life. Our trip will be a mixture of pleasure and some disappointments but it will be interesting.

The only real shopping area at that time was composed of about six blocks extending from Third Street to just east of Seventh Street on both sides of the avenue. Three large department stores--Herz, Meis and Root’s--and three smaller ones--Montgomery-Ward, Sears and J.C. Penney--formed the nucleus for the shopping center.

Numerous home-owned specialty stores occupied the smaller buildings. A few of these were Berkowitz, Ben Becker, Levi’s, Carl Wolf, Hillman’s, Tune Brothers, Jane Wolf and the LaSalle Shop.

Several furniture stores were located in the outlying buildings. Three "Five and Ten" stores--Kresge’s, Woolworth’s and McCroy’s--were located on the south side of Wabash. They made a good place for the children to spend their nickels and dimes while the parents shopped. These stores often gave small favors and balloons to the children.

During the holiday season, Wabash Avenue took on a very festive look and atmosphere. Saturday night was almost like a huge block party with the beautifully decorated windows, the lights and live music. Different charities took their places on the sidewalk and the Salvation Arm bell ringers were all over. A few street vendors and newsboys were hawking their wares.

During the war years the festivities were more subdued as a feeling of quiet concern was expressed in prayer and song.

Wednesday was dollar day for shoppers and many small items were supposedly reduced. Silk flowers, linen handkerchiefs and lace collars and dickies were purchased by women to perk up their suits and dresses. The downstairs stores of Herz, Meis and Root’s offered house dresses at $1.33. Nelly Don’s, the aristocrat of house dresses, were sold for $6.50 in the upstairs department.

Many familiar items disappeared from the shelves during the war. Metal toys, baby strollers and carriages were nowhere to be found. Cloth diapers were scarce, but creative mothers found soft muslin dish towels were a good substitute.

In the women’s department, hosiery was a scarce item and an ad reporting a shipment of hose caused a door-breaking rush, with many shoppers being disappointed because there were not enough to go around. Leg makeup became a popular substitute.

Several good things happened in the industrial world during and after the war years. Manmade synthetics improved and soft and hard plastics were brought to a better standard. The purse, glove and shoe worlds were greatly improved and extended by the use of plastics. Many metal parts on major appliances were successfully replaced with plastic.