Crescent memories (Part 3): Readers share memories of the downtown department store
In October, The Spokesman-Review wrote about how “The Strange Beautiful” author Carla Crujido is seeking stories from the Crescent and is calling on readers to submit their tales of the shopping mecca.
And boy did readers respond. Nearly 50 subscribers wrote or emailed letters sharing their favorite and most interesting memories.
Beginning Dec. 7, The Spokesman-Review printed a handful of these Crescent letters so that the entire city can share this history. We will run them through Dec. 29.
Changing times
I loved working for the Crescent!
I worked there from 1957 to 1976 in several departments as a sales person and as assistant buyer.
Because of my dark tan, the store received a complaint that a person of color was working the sales floor.
By the early 1960s, the Crescent did help to change that attitude.
–Margaret Shields, Liberty Lake
Focal point of downtown
In the 1950s, traveling from our small town to Spokane over the years, downtown was always a special treat, and the Crescent was always the focal point. As a youngster, the simplest things like the revolving door and the elevators with uniformed operators made the Crescent something really special. It was in this store that I saw a TV set for the first time, and what an exciting moment in time it was.
The Crescent was all things Boy Scout central. Uniforms, caps, kerchiefs, troop numbers, and emblems were all available, as well as soap box derby kits, jack knives, packs, Scout manuals, and a wide assortment of camping gear. Most of these items could have been ordered through a catalog, but it wouldn’t have been the same.
Back-to-school shopping was always a big event in the fall. New clothing included two pairs of white corduroy trousers and at least three new shirts. One of my favorites was a bright red and black shirt with two V-8 emblems on the chest. Later, in my teens, the shirts would all have three buttons on the collars. Shoes were Hush Puppies and white bucks.
While in college at EWU (EWSC back then), the Crescent was the place to go to meet with friends, to pick up something special to wear, share a sundae, and get a new LP record. Of course, meeting under the clock goes without saying. Something unheard of today, to charge an item to my parents’ account was as simple as stating their names and address. Sometimes I wasn’t even asked to present my ID.
When our children were small, something special they always looked forward to was when we drove downtown Thanksgiving afternoon to see the new Christmas window display. I looked forward to it as much as they, as I remembered the same excitement there when I was a child.
The toy department was without equal in town. If there was something new on the market, it could be found at the Crescent. Too many choices to be had. It was here that our kids got to pick out a special ornament for the tree. We said at the time that one day there would be enough of their ornaments on the tree that it would require no others. That day would come far too soon.
Breakfast with Santa! What a joy to attend breakfast with loved ones in the Apple Tree Room. Along with the meal, Santa made the rounds to ask what the kids would like for Christmas and gave each a candy cane. Singing Christmas songs with weatherman Ira Joe Fisher added to make it a memorable tradition. Breakfast with the Easter Bunny, and songs by Cliff Carl, was another fun family event there.
My wife and her two best friends shopped downtown at least once a month. They always had West Texas Burgers for lunch in the Apple Tree Room, something they always looked forward to. The servers got to know them, helping to make for good times.
The Crescent was such a special place to us. It was a huge loss to the city and a big disappointment to us when the doors were closed. Goodbye old friend. Downtown would never be the same without you.
–Bill Bussard, Spokane Valley
Visiting store was highlight
of the day
I moved to Spokane with my family from a little town called Republic in 1961 and attended Lewis and Clark High School graduating in 1964. Most days after school we would walk downtown to the Crescent and catch our bus home. The Clock is where a lot of family members and/or friends would meet for various reasons. But visiting the Crescent was a highlight of our day, browsing the beautiful displays and shopping in the Bargain Basement where many of those items were priced at what one could better afford.
I married my husband shortly after graduating from high school on July 18, 1964 (married 61 years) and we couldn’t afford a lot! And I have always loved shoes!!! One day I was shopping with my mother in that Bargain Basement (can’t remember what it was really called, but that’s what we always called it). I saw a pair of shoes that I dearly wanted (not that I needed) and my mother said: “Can I buy those for you?” I said “No, Mom, thanks but I will wait until payday!” An older gentleman nearby overheard our conversation and looked me in the eye and said: “I am an older gentleman and like our mother have earned our right to buy something for our kids if we want to … so young lady, if your mother wants to buy you those pair of shoes, please let her!!!” He was very stern when he said that, and felt like I had been disciplined on the spot by my boss?” I did let her after she agreed with him! However, it was a lesson I have taken with me to this day, and now at age 79, if I want to buy a family member or friends something … I remember that the gift of being a good receiver is sometimes more important that being the one that is the giver! And to be in that position in life is so special. Thanks to the Crescent experiences!
And last but NOT least, the special memories at Christmas time going down to see there beautiful, moving displays! SUCH SPECIAL MEMORIES OF THE CRESCENT!
–Susan S. “Sue” Walker, Spokane
‘Mad vomiter’
My Crescent story starts at the corner of Havana and Sprague, in the Valley. Located there was an Albertsons, Scarpelli’s Barber Shop, and a laundromat. West on Sprague a block was the soon to be built, spectacular, never before seen superstore: K-Mart. It was built in 1966. Blue light special, anyone: This year was 1958 or 1959, making me 3 or 4 at the time.
Ma and I were catching a bus to go downtown to shop, the bus was the 9-E Sprague. We were last off at the corner of Howard and Riverside, to the side of a Rexall Drugs, I especially remember this store. Eight years later or so, my friend Kevin Dupus and I returned to this bus stop after seeing a movie at the Fox Theater. I had a nickel left, so I bought a tube of Neccos. Never fond of that.
Mom and I did our shopping and ended up at the Crescent. We came down from the second floor on the main escalator. Maybe it was the same one Ms. Crujido described in her wonderful story. Our trip down, a lady led to the front doors on Riverside. Because as soon as we exited the escalator, I threw up on that beautiful marble floor. Mom saw what I did, grabbed my hand, and off we ran. She must have been in shock. I couldn’t help but laugh. I’d never seen her run before. After that, I got pretty good at vomiting. Not that I wanted to. Probably the 3-foot-by-8-inch bag of popcorn from the Kress 5 and Dime was the cause that day. Who knows? We got to the bus stop quickly and streamlined home. Back to our shag carpet and linoleum. What a day, and what a memory.
–John M. Boline, Spokane
An important place at Christmas
As a child, the Crescent was always a magical place. It was beautiful, and I thought the ladies who ran the elevators must have the best job! Of course, Christmas at the Crescent was magical. The toys, seeing Santa and the Christmas windows were a must-see each year.
If you were meeting someone downtown, it was always “under the clock.” Next to that was a lunch counter, where you could get a large, best ever, hot fudge sundae that didn’t cost a lot. It was also a special treat to eat at the Apple Tree restaurant upstairs.
When I met my husband, also raised in Spokane, he agreed the Crescent was an important place, especially at Christmas. I discovered he didn’t have a Christmas stocking like everyone in our family did. I knew the Crescent had them and would write your name on it. Only problem, it was almost Christmas and the only one left was a sample with some guys name on it! No problem! Turn it over and write his name on it! It’s been used for 50-plus years! When our kids were old enough to read, they asked “who’s this guy on the back of dad’s sock?” I joked, he was my former boyfriend. I can’t remember, but I think they just gave it to me!
However, one of my husband’s memories was not so fond! He had his senior pictures taken there, and they made a mistake and his picture was not included in his senior year book! I’m not sure if they were actually owned by the Crescent. They apologized and gave him a free portrait package. What 18 year old man wants that? However, nine years later they honored it and we had pictures taken of our infant daughter! Amazing! We did get some cute ones, even though she pooped her pants! That’s customer service!
So the Crescent now became a special place for our children, too, especially at Christmas. Well, there is one of our son when he is one years old, crying and trying to get off of Santa’s lap!
When my kids were born, I decided to be a stay-at-home mom, and the budget was tight. It was still fun to shop at the Crescent. At that time, there was a “bargain basement.” I don’t think it was always there. You could find children’s clothes at reasonable prices, and things you couldn’t find elsewhere, like corduroy pants and corduroy TV booties for toddlers, that tied and had threads on the bottom!
But now, my favorite and/or most hilarious, or embarrassing story. I was in college, and my best friend and I were downtown to do our Christmas shopping. As always, when you needed to go to the bathroom, you always went to the Crescent’s ladies lounge. It was spacious with an outer room with couches. It was always filled with elderly ladies (like me now!) nicely dressed, smoking and using the gold ornate tall pedestal ashtrays. Well, I gathered up all my packages. I couldn’t see my feet or too far in front of me and walked into one of those ashtrays! I am straddling it and none of those ladies would help me or say anything and just looked at me in disgust as it and my packages crashed to the floor! I’m not sure if I remained upright! My friend and I still laugh so hard about that! And yes, we have a few other embarrassing moments and some other stories too!
In closing, the Crescent was a place for everyone, no matter your budget. The clerks were always helpful and courteous, no matter if your purchase was small or large. The customer service was excellent and made you feel valuable as a customer.
–Bev Filzen, Spokane
Crescent meet-cute
My grandparents met at the Crescent in 1920.
My grandpa, Arthur Norton began working for the Crescent as a bicycle delivery boy. I do not know the date, but in his box of treasures, I found a 1913 program of the third annual picnic of the Crescent management staff. I included a copy. Please read the information section, they were a family; it’s great to read how everyone was included. He was on the Yell Committee, whatever that was!
He then worked at the “new” Crescent building in 1919 as a clerk and then a department supervisor. He met my grandma, Majel Maynard, who was a clerk in his department and they married in 1921. At that time they lived in Hillyard. I remember hearing stories about them going to Nat park, Mount Spokane, and dancing at the Davenport. In 1928 they built a home at 28th Avenue and Post and my mom was born in 1929.
In the mid-1940s they bought a tiny five and dime soda fountain variety shop in Kellogg. In the ’50s they moved to Coeur d’Alene, Clarkston, and then retired in Lewiston. I grew up visiting Spokane to see the Crescent Christmas windows and later buying Frederick & Nelson (we always called it the Crescent) Frango Chocolates.
–Gay Waldman, Spokane
Annual trip
to Santa
I am writing about working at the Crescent the year 1957 through 1966. A fun job, I loved it.
May Triplett and I, Irma Neil at that time, took Santa pictures at the Crescent and the Bon Marché (which was across the street). One day, Santa’s wife came to sit on Santa’s knee. It was their 50th anniversary. I had my picture taken on Santa’s knee every year and I have my picture in an album I look at every Christmas. The photoman we worked for is Walt Richtor. The Crescent window on the street was filled with Christmas pictures and I loved looking at them. My aunt Hatty worked at the Crescent many years ago selling hats. I don’t know the year, but it was a long time ago.
I am sorry the writing is not so good but I hope it will help you. I am 101½ years old now and blessed with good health and I keep busy, about ready to decorate for Christmas and make the trip to see Santa.
–Irma Almond, Spokane
Customer is
always right
Everyone loved the Crescent and with good reason – No. 1 – the customer was always right! I was a buyer for the store for most of the 1970s and proud of it.
Before I tell my story, I must correct you. There were six floors, not four. The famous Apple Tree restaurant was on the sixth floor and appliances and store rooms on the fifth.
Anyway, when I was an assistant buyer, a customer attempted to return a top for full price. The shirt came into stock on a promotion and sold for $14.99, not for $19.99 on the tag. She had no receipt, so I happily returned it for the price she actually paid – $5 less. She promptly departed for fourth floor management to complain and received an apology, the $5, and flowers and candy were delivered to their home. And I was reprimanded!
As you can plainly see, the Crescent stood by its policy: “The customer is always right, no matter what!”
–Nancy Bell, Spokane
Better than Saks
My earliest memories, between 1936 and 1942, were the wonderful Crescent Christmas Windows. When I was 5 years old, my family moved to Seattle for the duration of WWII. When we returned to Spokane, I could hardly wait to see the holiday windows – and there they were, Christmas 1945. The merchandise was still a bit skimpy from war rationing, but the windows were wonderful.
After the war, the Crescent was still downtown central. You could get your hose or socks professionally darned, get a haircut or permanent or watch your father be fitted by a tailor to purchase his new “after the war” suit. You could sit in a velvet chair in the women’s glove department to be shown how to properly put on and take off a good leather glove – so as not to stretch the leather. You could get a martini in the sixth-floor restaurants or milk shakes in the first-floor luncheonette – right by the clock, where everyone met everyone.
You could find fabrics for your Home Economics project, have your senior picture taken in the photography shop or buy shoes for the entire family. New furniture and appliances could be purchased and delivered. And of course, there were multiple women and girls clothing areas. I still have two lace camisoles bought on sale during the Crescent’s last days, still beautiful and wearable. My high school, and 20 years later, college graduation suits were both Crescent finds. Most of my old but still used Christmas decorations are still stored in sturdy Crescent boxes.
If you couldn’t find what you wanted upstairs, there was always the Crescent basement. Goods that were a bit cheaper in price but not in quality – another entire store to choose from, or you could get a nutritious snack at the basement lunch counter.
The Crescent was a whole city shopping experience in one building. Once experienced, never forgotten. Customer service was real. In the 1950s and ’60s, when women were still wearing hats and gloves, my mother bought and exchanged so many hats her friends teased her about buying and trying out every hat in the store.
In my teens I had the opportunity to shop at Saks 5th Avenue in New York and Marshall Fields in Chicago. The Crescent more than held its own. I opened the first credit card I ever had in my own name at the Crescent, when I was working a full-time job after high school. I’m 89 years old now and I still miss the Crescent – its convenience and customer service, and the bygone manner of living it represented.
–Isabell Green, Spokane
Charmed
I grew up on the South Hill in Spokane, so I would have been a student in the eighth grade at Sacajawea Junior High when this took place: My well-intentioned mother, hoping to create a sorority-sister-wife-material-looks-focused daughter like herself, enrolled me (I’m sure without my OK) in an etiquette/charm course being offered at the Crescent on several Saturdays. I still remember having to (painfully) learn how to prance down a runway in bell-bottoms, a top and a white patent-leather belt (if memory serves). I recall just hating it but kinda enjoyed the vibe with the other girls. The reason this is memorable is because our teacher was MRS. RUTH COE, mother of rapist Kevin/Fred Coe! For those who don’t remember or are too young, she was arrested after her son’s trial when she tried to have the prosecutor and judge killed. I remember her bossy ways, bouffant black ‘do, and ultra-stylish clothing. Man, was I glad when those sessions ended, and no, I didn’t end up being anything close to what my mom wanted. OH WELL!
–Amy (Dinnison) McDonald, Wapato
Fancy eating
For sure, when we went to Spokane and family were shopping separately, we went up under the large clock on the main floor. Great excitement!
Across from the clock at the Crescent was a cafe that had a counter, had my first club sandwich there. A little bit for me, a lot fancier than what the had in Moscow, Idaho.
For my Dad John Sterner who just turned 80. He grew up in Moscow, and I was born and raised in Spokane. Doing this over my phone with his approval and excitement!
–Erin (and John) Sterner
Teen hangout turned job
Lemme start when I was a little kid. My mom or grandmother might take me down to the coffee shop counter (I can’t exactly remember) for some sort of treat. And riding in the elevator was very exciting. I believe that there was actually an elevator operator who would ask you what floor or department.
As a teenager I would meet with friends and hang out, often at the Crescent. When I was a senior the store started a program in which each high school would have a student salesperson, probably a male and a female in co-ed schools. I applied and was chosen (probably because of my father’s connections) and went to work in Men’s Furnishings, which was dress shirts, ties, cuff links. I often worked with the older sister of a classmate; she taught me a lot and I revered her. I wore a shirt and tie, blazer and slacks to work.
The Crescent was very understanding about other activities that I might have and worked my schedule accordingly.
The summer after I graduated I worked in a lumber mill and enjoyed it, but in my freshman year in college I suffered a severe injury that prohibited heavy work. So I applied to the Crescent and was hired, this time in Men’s Sportswear and Sporting Goods. Again, it was a good job (though not as well as well paying as the mill); I believe that we made minimum wage, which might have been $1.25/hour.
Obviously things were much different in those days. Financial transactions were likely cash, check, or a Crescent charge account. The Crescent was considered more of an upscale store, and the clientele probably more affluent. I generally liked the people that I worked with; nice folks.
I went back to school that fall for my sophomore year but eventually had to drop out for a major operation due to my injury. I was unable to work the following summer (1965, the year that “Satisfaction” and “Like a Rolling Stone” came out; how many times did I play those 45s), and the next summer I went back to the mill until I blew my knee in a pickup basketball game. Went back to work with a cast on my knee; they provided me with a job on a cut saw where I didn’t have to move.
So that was my Crescent experience. As I mentioned before, Howard Schneider was in charge of windows displays, and his second son was a grade school and high school classmate and very good friend. I later became a teacher and had the older son’s two boys as students. So I was pretty connected to the Schneider family.
–Ted (no full name provided)
Smell of leather
In the mid- to late ’50s, when I was a young child, my parents would take me down to the Crescent every week because they loved everything about the store, with Mom shopping in different departments every week, then we had lunch on the first floor “by the clock.”
My fondest memories were definitely at Christmas, where the corner window was a magical setting every year and I sat on Santas lap from when I was born until I turned 10 years old. The toy department was huge and I gave my parents about 100 things I wanted for Christmas from there.
I started snow skiing when I was 6 and would love to go up to the ski department on Floor 4 (?) and smell the leather ski boots and marvel at the beautiful Bogner ski clothes they carried. In fact, starting when I was 10, my parents would let me take the bus, by myself, from the South Hill and ride downtown just so I could go to the Crescent and see what was new in the ski shop there … They probably got tired of seeing me, but it added to the love I had for everything associated with skiing. So much, in fact, that when I was 25 years old, in 1976, I opened a ski shop on the South Hill and it is still there serving the mountain adventurers every year since.
I was so unhappy when the Crescent sold to Frederick & Nelson, and then closed for good a few years later … gone was the store that meant so much to the people of Spokane and fond memories to cherish.
–Vince Zimmer
Wishes for Santa
In this 1944 photograph (attached), I’m perched on Santa’s lap at the Crescent in Spokane, whispering my Christmas wishes.
At the time, all I hoped for was to become a model in the Tea Room someday – and to enjoy as much Frango ice cream as a little girl could dream of.
Decades later, in the 1970s, that childhood wish came true when I proudly modeled in the very same Tea Room where my family gathered for every special celebration. Each visit held a kind of magic, but none quite like the moment captured here.
–Carol (McCrary) West