The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
Former Sears employees mark store closing
Doors shut 50 years ago on May 31, 1968
Former employees of the old Sears department store, at 409 Broadway in Lorain, gathered May 31 on the 50th reunion of the closing of the store.
The group decided to have the reunion at Moosehead Grill, 7660 Leavitt Road in Amherst, to catch up on things and reminisce on great moments from the past.
“The store closed on this day, May 31, 1968,” said Allan Murphy, the former assistant manager of the Lorain Sears. “I figured it would be a good idea to get
a hold of everyone and see if we could all get together.
“Unfortunately, our numbers are dwindling, but there are still a few of us who will be here today.”
Murphy said the Sears in Lorain was home to 125 employees.
“We had the store and warehouse section downtown,” he said. “The warehouse was right there off of Fourth Street, and of course, the store was right at the heart of the city on Broadway.
Murphy said Sears brought in a lot of businesses to downtown Lorain.
“They were our competitors, but we all kind of helped each other out,” he said. “It was built in 1929, so there was nearly 40 years of the Sears Department Store
on Broadway.”
Murphy said patrons started to leave downtown when the shopping center on Sheffield Center, where the Marc’s currently is located, was created with various stores.
“Our numbers started to dwindle and Lorain started to lose its downtown appeal,” he said. “The store was on its final days when Midway Mall was built in 1967 and a Sears was built inside.
“Sears initially said they would keep the Broadway location, but they changed their minds a few months later, and the employees either went to the Midway Mall location, or found work elsewhere.”
Murphy said the Lorain Sears had a certain charm you won’t see today.
“It was more of a personal experience back then,” he said. “There were employees at the door who
greeted you as you came in.
“They knew your name and recommended different things based on what had recently come in and knowing your interests. It was a family atmosphere amongst the workers and customers. We all got along when we worked together, and it is always a good time when I get to see these guys again.”
Bill Parker, who worked in the sporting goods and appliances sections, and a former mayor of Lorain, said it was tough to see the Broadway location close.
“I guess you could see the writing on the wall, but it was still a shame to see it go,” Parker said. “I was fortunate because a spot at the Midway Mall location opened up because a man was called to serve in the Korean War.
“I then went to Cleveland to work in the warehouse for a few years there before serving as Lorain’s mayor from 1980 to 1984. I owe a lot to Lorain; a lot of good memories.”
Mary Suhy, who worked as a cashier for the Sears in Lorain before doing the same job at Midway Mall, said she enjoyed all 40 years of her Sears experience.
“I joke that I closed all the places down,” Suhy said. “I was at a Sears in Elyria until it closed, then Lorain until it closed.
“These people are like family. Coming in and talking with these people everyday is something I will never forget.
“It was a sad moment when the building closed, but I’m glad the relationships were not affected because of it.”