The Vandever's Dry Goods later Vandever's Department Store was the first big department store in Tulsa. Established in 1912 sold in 1970, and closed several years later. The last surviving Vandever brother "Bill" died January 2, 2010. See the article in the Tulsa World.
Like the old sign, but it is still a handsome building, isn't it.
ReplyDeleteSharing both the old photo and the more recent one really adds to this. I enjoyed comparing the two pictures. Sad, though, that a piece of the past has been lost to a degree.
ReplyDeleteI do hate to see the original, decorative covering over the entrances missing. I have spent a few hours in that building as a kid. Vandiver's was the upscale store, to J.C. Penny, of it's day. There was another store in the original Southroads mall as well.
ReplyDeleteI really wish that I had seen downtown Tulsa in its prime. When i started working downtown in 1992, there was still a MedX pharmacy and Renbergs and lots more restaurants plus my doctor's office was downtown.
ReplyDeleteThe restaurants are making a resurgence but there are still not any retail options.
Great pic!
I really miss the downtown retail stores. We always did all our shopping at the stores there. I would definitely shop downtown if they had more retail stores in the iconic bulidings from Boston to Main along 5th St. Bring back the old shopping district!
ReplyDeleteWonderful seeing these photos and a bit of history about Vandever's. When I was a kid (1960s), I thought downtown was kind of a scary place. Now, I love the old buildings and wish the old stores were still there.
ReplyDeleteThe only Vandever's I knew was the one at Southroad's Mall, and I loved it. It was such a beautiful store.