A look at any picture book of old Brooklyn will show you that Fulton Street from about 1850 all the way to about 1950 was the pre-eminent street of the borough, and featured such edifices as the Mechanics Municipal Hall, the Arbuckle Building (formerly Dieter’s Hotel), the Park Theater, and the Kings County Elevated Railroad (later a part of the BMT), which covered Fulton Street from the ferry landing all the way to East New York from 1887 to the early 1940s. Brooklyn Borough Hall (formerly Brooklyn City Hall until consolidation with New York City in 1898), Gage and Tollner’s Restaurant and the Dime Savings Bank at Fulton and DeKalb Avenues are reminders of the pre-1950 days. Theaters, printers, insurance companies, and innumerable businesses lined Washington, Tillary, Concord and Nassau Streets east of the twisting path of Fulton Street; all were eventually wiped out.
Our family made a monthly, or perhaps once every two months, pilgrimage to Abraham and Straus (A&S) in the Swinging Sixties when I was a kid, using the B37 bus, which ran down 3rd Avenue and then Fulton, where it stopped right in front of the store. I remember the elevators staffed with operators (are the elevators at that Macy’s still personally operated?) and the formal restaurant on the top floor, where I would have the Salisbury steak (actually meat loaf) and mashed potatoes. In any case I have not been inside that old A&S in what must be 40 years, though I’ve passed it often; my feeling is, I shouldn’t be stalking around inside a store with my camera unless I’m buying something.
The only survivor of Fulton Street’s golden age of shopping is Macy’s, which until about two decades ago (as of 2022) was still Abraham and Straus. A&S was begun in 1865 as a partnership between dry-goods salesmen Joseph Wechsler and Abraham Abraham and, after they moved to Fulton Street, by then under an elevated train, in 1885, Wechsler & Abraham was believed to be the largest dry-goods store in New York State. Between 1893 and 1920, Abraham was in partnership with the Strauss family of Macy’s fame, which bequeathed the store a new moniker. In the 1990s, A&S was folded into Macy’s under the Federated Department Stores banner. An art Deco addition, on the left in this photo, was added in the 1930s.
Through the decades A&S gradually took over a total of eight buildings along Fulton Street (which can be easily discerned when looking skyward at its multiform facades). The complex is now a Frankenstein’s monster of buildings that have been annexed over the decades. A plaque denoting the present Macy’s A&S heritage can be found by the entrances on Fulton and Livingston Streets.
A side note: the glass-paneled building above the cast iron facade, #181 Livingston Street (The Wheeler Building) became the new home of my alma mater, St. Francis College, in September 2022.
As always, “comment…as you see fit.” I earn a small payment when you click on any ad on the site.
7/22/23
37 comments
The elevators are automatic now, although they saved the art deco facades on the first floor. Only half the elevators, one side, are active. The other side is blocked off. The elevator lobby is filled with store displays. Only five of the eight floors are still active. There is no toy department on the 8th floor. The green building, the right half, was known as the annex back in the ’60s. My understanding is that that was the original A&S. When I was there in 2018, I was unable to find my way from the main store, the left hand side, over to what had been the annex. They don’t seem to use it anymore. You can no longer enter the basement from the subway. In fact I don’t even know if there is a public area in the basement. We lived in crown heights. We used to walk up to the IRT on Eastern Parkway and take it to Hoyt Street. One station east is Nevins Street. That led to Martin’s. Back in the day, Martin’s did not have interesting elevators, nor did it have a toy department, so I didn’t much care. Somewhere in my grandmother’s things I have a little key tag from A&S with an engraved number on it that was her charge account number. She used to work her way through the store making purchases, including clothing for me and the visit to that self same toy department on the 8th floor, charging everything and having it all delivered. Retail sure has changed.
What Macy’s has been doing is contracting with the company that owns the Toys R Us trademark to put TRU-branded stores-within-a-store inside Macy’s stores. These carry a wide selection of toys though not comparable to the old standalone TRU stores. Macy’s hasn’t completely phased out the normal toy departments but I believe that is the intention. At least for the time being Macy’s also sell toys in its Backstage closeout departments.
Who can forget the soft ice cream in the basement near the escalater? My mom worked there for over 35 years, first as an Elf for Santa Clause, then as a check writer in both the main store and then the annex! Riding the elevator was better than any ride in Luna Park/Coney Island?. My mom, being an employee and the family members were allowed a 35% discount on any item in the store! A&S also sponsored a fishing contest in Prospect Park and a Tops Contest near the bandstand. The memories are burned into my head forever. I can still remember the windows decorated for Xmas? It was an incredibly exciting time to be alive.
If I’m not mistaken, those A&S staffed elevators were either bronze or plated on the ground floor. I was fascinated by them as a kid.
They were still bronze in the 80s. I worked there then.
Photographing or taking videos of the inside of a store is fine. There is a big You Tube community of people who specialize in that.
Here’s a fine example, a recent video tour of a nearly customer-less Macy’s in Arizona.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3CzGvg8fds
I arrived here in AZ 18 years ago (to the day almost). At that time the place where I live was named Queen Creek although it was outside the Queen Creek city limits. The area was newly developed & growing; a Walmart opened in 2006. For our first several years, if you couldn’t find what you wanted in Walmart, it was time to “go to town” which meant the Superstition Springs section of Mesa, reminiscent of Northern Blvd. in Bayside. As time passed the Superstition Springs Mall began to wither as Amazon became more popular. The last time I went there my wife visited the optician to order new reading glasses. I ended up shopping for long sleeve dress shirts (winter only). I had trouble finding what I wanted but finally, I found three. It was so long ago I can’t recall whether I bought them at Macy’s or Sears. Sears disappeared years later; I thought Macy’s had met the same fate, but there it is in your video, on life support. As a footnote, eventually, my area became San Tan Valley & it’s thriving. Queen Creek also grew by leaps & bounds & the Ellsworth Loop Mall anchors it. Therefore, no need to “go to town” in Superstition Springs unless you’re furniture or car shopping. BTW: Winters here are so short that those same three shirts still hang in my closet looking like new due to infrequent use.
My deceased husband worked in the woman’s shoe Department of the Brooklyn A&S, when he was in college during the late 60’s/early 70’s.
Once a year, my mother would take me there for school clothes. There was also a Ticketron in the basement.
I worked in the credit office in the 1960s. A&S had their own credit card and we authorized larger sales on credit cards. Remember the great Christmas decorations and
The soft serve ice cream in the basement.
Can someone confirm my A&S memories as an 8 year old (circa 1967): Indoor parking garage across Hoyt St with overhead skybridge to the store; wooden escalators, some extremely narrow; delicious parfait-like ice cream that you eat with a spoon from the snack bar right under the lower level escalator.
Your memories are correct!
I worked at the Bond Clothing store on Fulton St.in the mid 60’s. It was right down the road from A&S and Howard’s Clothes. Does anyone here know what became of it?
I’ll answer my own query. Bond Clothing was at the corner of Fulton St and Gallatin Place. It’s now a Gap Clothing store. I don’t know when it went out of business.
I worked at 57 Willoughby st one year, 1969/70. At the
Industrial Home for the Blind. Across the street from A&S. I knew the map of the store quite well!
I remember that at the base of the escalator in the basement was a custard stand that sold tall glasses of frozen vanilla custard for 10c! Was my treat if I was good while my mother shopped!
I went to LIU 1966-1970 and somehow got great p/t job IN A&S, but not an employee of A&S. I worked as a merchandiser for POPLAR HOSIERY keeping their lines of mens socks fully stocked.It was during the Vietnam War and families were buying socks like crazy and sending them to their soldiers. It was such a great place to be. Tremendous energy. And I especially enjoyed the custard with either chocolate or strawberry toppings.
My mom worked at A&S for years. First selling retail and later working the phones for customer support. I recall the annex being on Hoyt and Livingston Streets across from the main building. I remember the displays of color TVs in the annex.
Great memories of going to A&S with Mom back in the ’60s. The Elevator operators were kind and courteous. I remember the spectacular Christmas village display you walk through to see Santa. The 8th-floor toy (and record shop) had a simple but excellent train layout. I also remember the Garden Restaurant, great food, great ambiance; just what you needed after eight floors of shopping!
I had a Great Uncle who had a print shop at 584 Fulton Street, from some time the 1920s or ’30s into the ’60s.
My great grandfather, Alfred Samisch was in the printing business in Brooklyn for about 50 years.
A&S stores were re-named Macy’s in 1995 when Federated Dept. Stores (A&S) took over bankrupt Macy’s, but decided to use the Macy’s name because it was more well-known. Federated eventually changed its corporate name to Macy’s Inc. In malls where there had been both a Macy’s and an A&S, only one building was kept (e.g., Huntington, Smith Haven, White Plains).
i was so proud to be the exec training program and then a ddress buyer at A&S! loved it spend about 7 years there- was recruited to Lord and Taylor and stayed there for years. so many fond memories.
I grew up nearby and remember shopping for school clothes with my parents at A&S. Saw Santa there every xmas too, they had a great holiday village set up to walk through to see “Saint Nick”, they also used to hang an awesome xmas tree from the first floor ceiling in the middle of the elevator bank.
I used to shop there in the 1970s, but no more. But I still have my A&S credit card!
I remember shopping there and at Martin’s with my mother in the mid to late 60s. Sometimes we drove or took a bus from our apartment on the corner of Clinton and Lafayette. There
used to be a hot dog shop/soda fountain type restaurant not too far from there named Coral something or other. The dogs were 40 cents in 1969 if memory serves, and they snapped when you bit into them. The guy behind the counter would call out “Forty, Forty, don’t be naughty! ” occasionally when handed you your dog. Never have had a better once since.
My first job after college in the 70’s. Great executive training program and assistant buyer. Paved my way for other opportunities within retail just having that on your resume.
Amazing architecture, the best peers and execs.
I remember when LBJ(who he?)came down Fulton st. in 1966.Our neighbors at 40 Clinton st.
Paco and Mildred shook his hand.Paco was 8,Mildred was 10.Wall to wall cops everwhere.
Must have been ever man for hisself and no quarter given.
Didnt they have a water pressure operarated freight elevator or do I have my stores mixed up?. We had to jump on and off as it got to floors because the piston seals leaked . I DO however have a black and white picture of me turning the commutator of a 230 volt D C 15 hp 600 rpm fan motor in 1971 before it was closed .
https://www.ny1920.com/jan-4
Automated Elevators? Sure but they are new units that operate in another area of the store. The central bank of ornate and at one time operator manned elevators were ripped out some years ago during a modernization/renovation of the store and replaced with escalators. The beautiful brass and glass doors we remember are long gone.
Does anyone remember the Robert Hall clothing store locatd on a sideblock near A&S? The nationwide chain went bankrupt in 1972 but after all these years I still can’t get the catchy Robert Hall jingles out of my mind: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfLfl_HtG8U
I loved A&S. My mother would only go there for the ice-cream and the sales in the basement. Her go to store was Mays. When I starting workin in 1973 I would then shop at A&S. Felt so special!!! The shoe department was to die for! Before then I would shop for shoes at Thom McCann…. Love love love that time and its memory….
Robert Hall’s?Were they any good?I always associated them with cheapo but what do I know
never having been in one.Supposedly”Low Overhead” meant they passed the savings on to the
customer.We used to make fun of their radio ads no end.”And dont forget Robert Hall’s is having
their semi-annual clearance sale!Choose from a wide variety of men’s and women’s…..”
The undeground cartoonist Jim Osborne drew a picture of a flasher holding his coat wide open
and exposing himself.I think it was in Yellow Dog Comix.The label on the inside of his coat?
Robert Hall’s!
Fond memories of taking the subway with my mom to “A and Esses” when I was a child (before Kings Plaza was built). I remember the beautiful elevators with the operators announcing each floor’s merchandise, the wooden elevators and the magnificent Christmas tree they would set up. Somewhere I have a postcard with a photo of that tree.
*That’s wooden ESCALATORS!
I worked at A&S as a buyer’s assistant for Ladies Swimwear. It was a great part time gig. Loved the 25% employee discount!