RARE 1882 Victorian Trade Card GIMBEL BROTHERS Store History Danville, Illinois

Description: This is a neat and rare heavy stock antique/vintage VICTORIAN TRADE ADVERTISING CARD. It has: Compliments Of GIMBEL & CO. Cor. Main And Walnut Sts DANVILLE, ILL. on it. The back talks about its 1882 Fall Opening And Anniversary Celebration; and lists some of the products they carry. Here is some history of the company that I got off the internet: Gimbel Brothers (known simply as Gimbels) was an American department store corporation that operated for over a century, from 1842 until 1987. Gimbel patriarch Adam Gimbel opened his first store in Vincennes, Indiana, in 1842. In 1887, the company moved its operations to the Gimbel Brothers Department Store in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It became a chain when it opened a second, larger store in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1894, moving its headquarters there. At the urging of future company president Bernard Gimbel, grandson of the founder, the company expanded to New York City in 1910.The company is known for creating the oldest Thanksgiving parade, the Gimbels Thanksgiving Day Parade, originating in 1920 in Philadelphia. Gimbels was also considered the chief rival of Macy's with their feud popularized in American culture. As of 1930, Gimbels had grown to 20 stores, whose sales revenue made it the largest department store chain in the world. The company expanded to a peak of 53 stores by 1965, and closed in 1987 with 35 stores in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Wisconsin, and Connecticut.The company was founded by a young Bavarian Jewish immigrant, Adam Gimbel, who opened a general store in Vincennes, Indiana. After a brief stay in Danville, Illinois, Gimbel relocated in 1887 to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which was then a boomtown heavily populated by German immigrants. The new store quickly became the leading department store there. However, with seven sons, Adam Gimbel saw the opportunity to expand elsewhere.In 1894, Gimbels—then led by the founder's son, Isaac Gimbel—acquired the Granville Haines store (originally built and operated by Cooper and Conard) in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and in 1910, opened another branch in New York City. With its arrival in New York, Gimbels prospered, and soon became the primary rival to the leading Herald Square retailer, Macy's, whose flagship store was located a block north. This rivalry entered into the American popular argot as "Does Macy's tell Gimbels?", an idiom used to brush off any query about matters the speaker didn't wish to divulge. To distinguish itself from Herald Square neighbors, Gimbels' advertising promised more: "Select, don't settle."Gimbels became so successful that in 1922 the chain went public, offering shares on the New York Stock Exchange (though the family retained a controlling interest). The stock sales provided capital for expansion, starting with the 1923 purchase of across-the-street rival Saks & Co., which operated under the name Saks-34th Street; with ownership of Saks, Gimbel created an uptown branch called Saks Fifth Avenue. Moving into radio, Gimbels purchased WGBS in New York and WIP in Philadelphia. In 1925, Gimbels entered the Pittsburgh market with the purchase of Kaufmann & Baer's, acquiring WCAE in the deal. Although expansion spurred talk of the stores becoming a nationwide chain, the Great Depression ended that prospect. Gimbel did increase the number of more upscale (and enormously profitable) Saks Fifth Avenue stores in the 1930s, opening branches in Chicago, Boston and San Francisco. In fairly good condition for its age of 144 years old with surface wear and blemishes; soiling/staining; nicks/dings/scratches; creases/tears; wear from being removed from scrapbook; other blemishes and damage; etc. "godislove2" watermark is NOT on actual card. Please study pictures above to determine condition of item. By bidding on the auction; you are accepting the condition shown and described in the auction. Payment with $4.00 shipping is requested in the U.S. please within 3 days of auction ending; or item will be offered to next highest bidder. The only exceptions are if you email me in advance and I give an OK for a longer payment time. If you have any questions about shipping charges, please ask before bidding! Good luck bidding!!

Price: 49.99 USD

Location: Oakwood, Illinois

End Time: 2024-11-24T02:06:47.000Z

Shipping Cost: 4 USD