John Shearer: Remembering Holiday Shopping In Chattanooga 50 Years Ago

Like many younger baby boomers, the Christmas and holiday season of 1969 — a half century ago — was definitely fun for me. Being 10 years old at the time, I found it a magical period in my life to anticipate Christmas morning and what I was going to find under the tree.

I wish I could say I had the spirit of giving maturely on my mind as well, but I was pretty much focused more on receiving at that time. Although, I do remember my mother taking us grocery shopping for some needy family around that time as part of some charity program she supported. Remembering the woman’s appreciative look on her face as we dropped off the groceries has stayed with me.

On the other hand, other than a Hot Wheels racetrack set with cars, I can’t remember what else I might have received about that time — which shows you how long the joy of receiving lasts compared to giving.

But thinking about that time period, I thought it might  be neat to look in a 1969 city directory and see which stores and other businesses might have been the primary shopping places at that time for those getting gifts for loved ones and others.

Of course, Amazon was still thought of first and only as a river and rainforest in South America, not a giant online seller, and about the only computer most people were aware of was Hal on the 1968 movie, “2001: A Space Odyssey.” 

Credit cards were also still in the early stages with more limited use than today, although BankAmericard — the forerunner of Visa — was being advertised in the Chattanooga newspapers. MasterCharge, the predecessor of MasterCard, was also just getting started.

Also, delivery giant FedEx was two years from starting and UPS had not come to Tennessee.

So, to do some shopping in Chattanooga, you had to get in your car — or maybe catch a bus — and bring either plenty of cash or your checkbook to most places..

The main places to do some holiday shopping in 1969 were Eastgate and downtown. In fact, they were both probably about equal draws for shoppers, and would remain that way until Northgate Mall opened in 1972 and began pulling customers away from both places, particularly downtown. Brainerd Village on Brainerd Road and Highland Plaza on Hixson Pike were also popular in 1969, as were places in East Ridge, Red Bank and elsewhere.

Among the places listed at Eastgate in the 1969 city directory on file at the Chattanooga Public Library downtown were, among others, Miller Bros., Lovemans and JC Penney department stores; Morrison’s Cafeteria; Gateway Book & Card Shop; Eastgate Toyland; Fin & Feather pet store; Eastgate TV and Stereo; Eastgate Magnavox Home Entertainment; The Palace Ice Cream Shoppe; G.C. Murphy and Woolworth’s dime stores; Ira Trivers men’s clothing stores; and Winn-Dixie and Giant Foods grocery stores.

There were the usual shoe and clothing and jewelry chains found in large shopping centers and malls for decades, including Zale’s and Kay’s jewelers, Lerner Shops, and Jarman and Butler’s shoe stores. And Eastgate Theatre was also there for those who needed a break from shopping.

At that time, Eastgate was still an outdoor shopping center but would become a mall not long after Northgate opened.

For those who preferred the romance of downtown and the old multi-floor department stores over the sleek and modernity of a modern suburban shopping center, plenty of places could be found. That is, even though by 1969 a few downtown stores had put metallic coverings on their buildings to give them an updated look.

A glance at at the downtown blocks of Market Street in the 1969 city directory reveals such shopping places as Jack’s Army Store at 424 Market St., Clark Bros. Furniture at 432-434, Dixie Army Surplus Store at 433, Dollar General at 505-09, The Leader clothing store at 511-13, Sterchi Bros. furniture at 532-34, Sears, Roebuck and Co. at 537, Pathway Bookstore at 615B, Haverty Furniture at 617-19, Myers Camera and Hi Fi shop at 620, Hub Furniture at 621, the Young Men’s Shop at 622, Miller Bros. at 629, the Holly Shop women’s clothier at 636, McCrory, McClellan and Green dime store at 711, Woolworth’s at 729, Lovemans at 800, Fischer Evans at  801, Pickett’s at 814-16, Burchay’s Furriers at 817, T.H. Payne at 821, S.H. Kress dime store at 822, the S&W Cafeteria at 823, and Gateway Books at 832.

One could also watch movies at the Martin Theatre at 628 and the Rogers at 915 over the holidays. And if you needed a dining break, you could eat at S&W cafeteria at 823, the numerous luncheonettes and dining rooms in the department stores, or the several Krystals scattered through downtown.

On Broad Street, there were shopping places like Hardie & Caudle clothing store and Fowler’s furniture. In the Golden Gateway was the popular Zayre’s, while on Cherry Street were Lookout and Martin-Thompson sporting goods stores.

Downtown was still for other services as well at that time, including buying a car, getting a car repaired and even buying liquor. And there were countless other smaller businesses and restaurants that also catered to the holiday shopper.

Both downtown and Eastgate in 1969 had somewhat different feels from each other, but they both brought an air of excitement to a shopper. And many people might say the feeling of ordering an item over your smart phone or laptop today and waiting for a FedEx or UPS truck to bring them does not compare!