My years as a merchandising buyer will always remind me, I was a part of an iconic company which help change the way Americans shopped. And, was the trendsetter in what became the retail shopping experience in the 40s-60s. It's an honor to have been a part an historic store. ( )

I was expecting this book to be about the main Wanamaker's store in Philadelphia; the one which featured the eagle, a central meeting place for people. It is actually both a history of what became the Wanamaker chain and a history of department stores in the Philadelphia region including adjacent New Jersey. Mr. Lisicky also discusses the competition such as Strawbridge & Clothier, Gimbels, and the Lit Brothers. Much of the text is devoted to the openings and closings of branch stores including those in other regions such as New York City, Wilmington, and other parts of Pennsylvania. The text does point out the general problems of a number of once prominent department stores, which have gone out of business, in major cities such as Philadelphia, Washington, New York, and Chicago.

The most enjoyable part of the book told the story of such features as the eagle, the Crystal Tea Room on the ninth floor, the organ concerts, and the Christmas events. Most of these I experienced as a child in the 1950s.

There was some repetition from one chapter to another, and Mr. Lisicky repeatedly quoted the same few people. A briefer version of this account would have made a very interesting journal or newspaper article. ( )