Mention the topic of the glory years of shopping downtown to half-centenarians and their elders, and many will tell of Loveman’s, The Leader, Miller Brothers, and T.H. Payne. All were locally-based stores that had grown up with Chattanooga. One could mix in a few stops at Jack’s Records, the Martin or Rogers movie theaters, the Orange Julius, and Planters Peanuts, and have a fun day in downtown.
There is one store which I recently learned of that was also locally-based, and also around for years – Davidson’s.
The retail clothier was founded in 1881 by Charles A. Davidson, who had earlier moved to Chattanooga to work at the Roane Iron Company. Two sons, Robert and Edward, helped their father with the store at 811 Market Street. Their slogan was “the best goods obtainable at a reasonable profit and one price to all.”
Upon the passing of the elder Davidson in 1899, the Davidson brothers became managing partners of Davidson’s. Edward became the store’s president in 1912, when Robert relocated to Boise, Idaho. That same year, the store was extended through to Broad Street. Typical of many downtown retailers, the building’s second story was used for storage of merchandise.
In 1946, control of Davidson’s passed to new out-of-town ownership under Louis Kunlan and Robert M. Stein. The September 12, 1946 Chattanooga Times reported that a formal grand opening of the new Davidson’s would be held that day. Models from various sororities at the University of Chattanooga participated in a fashion show. The store had been remodeled, and was now air-conditioned. Neon signage displayed “Finer Clothes” above the name “Davidson’s.”
The cash registers of Davidson’s eventually opened nevermore (Had to work in that word, since the Ravens are in the Super Bowl). On March 29, 1966, the Chattanooga Times reported that Davidson’s would be having a going-out-of-business sale. The lease on the building had expired, and would not be renewed. Discounts of up to fifty per cent were offered on familiar brands of clothing - Gant, Hathaway, Jantzen, and Manhattan among them.
If you have memories of Davidson’s, please send me an e-mail at jolleyh@bellsouth.net. I’ll update this article with some of your feedback.
Advertisement from Chattanooga Weekly Commercial of 1-1-1882