Freedlander's Store Directory

Store Directory

There were 4 floors that sold merchandise.

Basement Level

Herman Freedlander not only ran the entire store, but also the Bargain Basement which was his favorite. Ann Freedlander Hunt worked in Bargain Basement during high school

Basement Excavation Project

The basement floor had to be lowered by two feet to accommodate room for a sales floor for women's and children's clothing.

Subway

According to Peter Bogner, the "subway" was a walkway beneath the alley that was dug by hand in 1927.

Budget Department

The Budget department remained a popular favorite with shoppers until it closed after the store was sold.

• also renamed Economy Department" when it moved to the 2nd floor for a short time during remodeling; however, due to public demand it was moved to it's original location in the basement.

Manager

• 1929- - Mrs. Fern Bell, started as an extra during Dollar Days, substitute for elevator girl, stock girl, hosiery, basement, Buyer and Manager of Basement store
• Maxine Elliott taught Lydia Stahl the art of selling women's clothing.

Main Level

A water elevator was added with a platform designed by Elisha Graves Otis. A safety device was added that would stop the elevator if the cable would ever break. In 1919, the water elevator was replaced with a more efficient electric elevator by Otis

Cosmetics Department & Accessories Department

• Candy Zimmerman, worked as a Christmas extra
• Becky (Chamberlin) Gilkison, assumed the position of Cosmetics and Accessories buyer
• Marni Jankowski

Boy's Store

• Jim Butzer

Crow's Nest/ Buyer's Desk

• Lydia Stahl was promoted to Ladies' accessory buyer. She shared the office with the merchandise manager Steve Stangelo. Patty Huff bought domestics, including yard goods, sheets, towels, and bedding. Her desk was next to Lydia Stahl's.

Men's Furnishings

• Merchandise sold: pipes, lighter, bookends and anything that would be in a study/office.

Men's Department

Manager

• Harry Newman, Manager (Harry married Jennie Freedlander)
• 1929- - Al Burger Sr., Work Clothes Shop, Men's Furnishings, Buyer, Merchandise Manager of Men's Furnishings, Men's Clothing and Boy's Store, Fishing Tackle and Sport Shop. He could accurately measure where a man's suit cuff should fall by shaking hands with the gentleman and marking the spot where the end of his thumb fell on the coat sleeve.
• Don Rehm
  • Tom Green (1964-1969)
• Al Burger Sr. - Supervisor
  • 1958-1976 - John Fleming worked in Men's Department and later became a suit buyer.

Tuxedo Rental Service

• Dennis Kryder (1982- ), began as a Christmas extra, but soon hired to work full time in the Men's department. Each employee had specific job duties. One of his duties was to learn how to measure and order the tuxedo's.

Green Tag Sale

A popular men's sale held twice a year throughout the history of being owned by Freedlander's.

Shoe Department

• Shan Koch, Manager (approx. 1980's)

The Young Moderns' Shop (Opened 1960s)

Helen Franks convinced Harold Freedlander to create a junior department to compete with other stores.

Second Level

Gift Wrap

• Ruth Tieche, wrapped packages on Saturdays while she was in high school.
• Donna Gasser Hughes
• Joan Green (1964-1969)
• Mrs. Odenkirk (surname)|Odenkirk]][[Category:Individuals with Surname]]
• Nancy Mackey worked part-time during Christmas

Bridge

Beauty Parlor

• Hair washing used water softer than rainwater. The beauty parlor also had a chiropodist on staff.

• October 22, 1925: "A Trip through the Freedlander Store cont." by H. F. Freedlander, The Daily Record, p. 3.

Credit Department

Manager

• 1943-1978 - Welden Lehman, head of credit department
• 1978- Jerry Kountz, head of credit department
• Weldon Lehman
  • Twenty-two ladies worked in the Credit Department, under Mr. Lehman, for dealing specifically with credit sorting, auditing, billing, mailing, and receiving payments.

Credit terms

• Credit terms were 1/2 percent interest; although well-known people were not charged the 1/2 percent.
• Credit card was design by Jerry Kountz, patterned after the Sears card

Home Furnishings Department

Glen Carlisle (1950-1967) - worked in Home Furnishings Department, selling and installing curtains and draperies. Betty Ebody, an interior decorator and coworkers was employed.

Home Delivery Services

Home delivery was a service that began in the infancy of the company. This service was overseen by this department and initially delivered only to the citizens of Wooster, Ohio.

• Dennis Kryder was instrumental in expanding the delivery service to Orrville, Ohio once a week.

Economy Department

• The Budget basement moved to the 2nd floor for a short time during remodeling; however, due to public demand it was moved to it's original location in the basement.

Santa Claus (1890- )

• Paul Snyder served as Santa for a number of years.
• 1970s - Bill McMillan - hired as a stock boy and Santa Claus (located at top of steps on Second floor
• 1974 - Chuck Moyer
• 1979 - Gordon Tait
• Dr. Morris Dixon

Office

• Ruth Tieche, (life long career, 1917-1984)
• Weldon Lehman
  • Jane Green (1964-1969)

Advertising

• Leo Crites
• Golda Bowman

Displays

• Marni Jankowki
• Alison Clouse

Women's Rest Room

You could enter the women's rest room from either the main store or new adjoining store.

Third Level

Children's Department

• Ann Freedlander Hunt worked in the Children's Department during Dollar Days in Wooster, Ohio, Saturdays, and summers during college.

Women's Department

• 

Manager

• Isadore Freedlander, department manager
• Maybelle Walmer buyer who purchased dresses and coast for the Ladies' Department on the third floor.

Ladies' Sportwear Department

Manager

• Clara Gerber was in charge of buying Ladies' Ready-to-Wear. She worked at Freedlander's over 25 years.
• 1950s - Leila Gimbel, sportswear buyer
• 1960s - Helen Franks, sportswear buyer. Helen Franks was aware that the store was missing out on a lot of business due to women shopping at other store to buy smaller sizes. She convinced Harold Freedlander to add The Young Moderns' Shop.

Toyland (1920-til store sold)

1920

• Originally located on the main floor in 1920 as a permanent department. During the early years, it was only open during the Christmas season. The department had over 4,000 square feet of floor space.

1930s

• Department opened all year.
• As Toyland increased it needed a larger space. It moved into the leased space of Frick/Amster Building just beyond the Ladies Sportwear Department.
• Department manager & buyer: Leo Crites
• 4th Floor, Originally located in the Amster building... the double-faced brick wall was removed, replaced the wall approximately 20 ft inside the Amster building. The customers would go down a few steps into Toyland
• Freedlander's stopped leasing space in the Amster building and put a wall up on the fourth floor on the original property line between the Amster building and the Memorial Block
• Department buyer: Aaron Small, retired after 24 years
• Attic above Toyland
  • This area was used to assemble toys and then were sent down to the counter on the dumwaiter. Jim Kirchhofer, Danny Snow and Ken Blum

Alterations Department

• Located to the right before you go down to Toyland

Seamstress

• 1915 - Helen Keister, first corsetiere
• Eve Ette Shaffer and Reba Snyder
• Clara Gerber would help sew Freedlander's labeld inside the linings of coats. She also fitted dresses and skirts and pinned hems.

Display Department

Located in the West building (a large portion). Also there was a very large storage area that was planned to be used for selling merchandise, but it was never implemented.

Maintenance

• Albert Treece worked more than 50 yrs. to Freedlander's and truly retired. Albert's job was to create furniture pieces and building fixtures as the store grew.
• Earl Stipe
• Dick Lemon

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