Sears was built between 1st and 2nd Streets at South Grand Ave. in 1950-51 to replace the downtown location at 621-23 E. Adams. The store operated at that location until April of 1977 when Sears became one of the first anchor stores at the new White Oaks Mall. In the early 1980’s, the building was renovated and became the home for the Illinois Department of Public Aid. Then in the late 1990’s the Department of Human Services was split off from DPA and began sharing the space. Now, the building is exclusively DHS offices.
I lived across the street on 1st from 1966 to 1970 in an old Victorian house last lived in by two old maid sisters. We had lived in the country for several years before and so desired to move into the city and when we saw Sears right across the street, well we knew we had arrived! The old house was torn down after we moved and replaced with I believe a blueprint company…
Giuseppe | Dec 12, 2007 | Reply
Right inside the parking lot entrance in the lobby on the south side of the building was a snack shop that had the BEST hot dogs I’ve ever enjoyed – the buns were steamed and cost 25 cents – I think you could get cheese on it for an extra 10 cents. A small paper cup of soda was 15 cents. Just inside this lobby was one of the biggest candy counters I’ve ever seen in a department store.
Craig | Dec 12, 2007 | Reply
OMG Craig you are right! Wow what a candy counter it was! I remember just wishing I could be locked in there over night and of course the toy dept was just right there too! Sears was the first place that I ever sat on Santa’s lap and took candy from a stranger! LoL! But Mom it was Santa… LoL
Giuseppe | Dec 12, 2007 | Reply
Was a frequent visitor to this sears before it moved to the mall. I remember the several years the building was vacant then had the opportunity to work there when it was state offices. Glad it wasnt torn down.
Anybody comes up with pics of the sears downtown I’d love to see them. Same goes for the Penneys downtown also.
Jay | Jan 20, 2008 | Reply
My mother worked in this building in the 90′s and I didn’t know that this building was a Sears building also.
Connor McNamara | Oct 30, 2009 | Reply
Yes Connor, it was so cool there…. I have so many wonderful memories….had a hot dog deli stand inside the big doors……..hot dogs were 10cents and went up to 25 cents ( the smell was incredible)…..root beers were 5 cents and went up to 10 cents….that was in the 1960′s when I was a child. We used to take our Barbie dolls there and play in the funiture department….like make believe land.
Patty Jannesse | Nov 1, 2009 | Reply
The old Sears has a ton of memories for me as I worked there from December ’72 to when they moved in ’77 and beyond. Who remembers the garden center at the other south entrance by automotive? And the way they filled it with toys and Christmas decorations and trees after Thanksgiving. Talk about get you in the holiday spirit! Of course they had a real Santa, too. How many people have photos of themselves with him taken there? I could go on and on.
Dave Houston | Nov 4, 2009 | Reply
Patty,were you in the Falcons drum and bugle corps?
http://launch.groups.yahoo.com/group/SpringfieldIllinoisDrumCorps/
Hpoe to see you there…Jheri
Jherald Grisham | Nov 8, 2009 | Reply
My dad worked evenings at Sears on 2nd street in the Automotive department.
Anyone who visited this store remembers the hot dogs!
Chuck | Dec 1, 2009 | Reply
I went to dancing school at Betty Jo Macks at Spring and So Grand and would go down to Sears for the best hot dogs in the world. I remember thinking how much better those tasted over any others. They also have popcorn and caramel corn.
Marcia Pehlman Ramsey | Dec 2, 2009 | Reply
I can also remember the best smelling hot dogs as you walked through the rear doors that lead to the parking lot. We bought our shoes (those suckers hurt so bad) from Sears, along with all of our back to school clothes. All of Christmas came from here or the Sears catalog, as well. Sears was quality.
Mike | Jul 1, 2010 | Reply
We moved to Spfld at the start of my junior year of high school from a little farm town, Carlinville.It was a terrible move for me BUT I turned 16 in Feb and started to work at Sears in March, 1959. I worked mostly in the drapery/shutter/awning dept. My boss was Mr. Netzke. One great guy. The workers were Marge Ryan, Rose ?, Floyd Daily?, They treated me like I was a family member. I loved it. When I left for college two years later, I could always find work during summer or holidays when home. I went to college with the idea of becoming a Sears mgr but the desire to teach overcame Sears. One time I was assinged to the stocking room and spent a whole day pricing bras. Quite an experience for a 19 year old boy.
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Clark Mefford | Jul 10, 2010 | Reply
Wow…..those hot dogs at Sears were wonderful and yes, they did have cheese. I think it was cheese wiz and it was real good and gooey, my favorite….
Bonnie Pritchard | Aug 2, 2010 | Reply
Does anyone remember the xray machines in the shoe dept at this Sears? This would have been late 50s or 60-61. We moved out of Ill in 1962. Funny to see a bus stop bench in same spot in both pictures. Springfield had good bus service when I lived there. Not used to any bus service where I live now. And I remember a small movie theater nearby on So Grand but can’t remember the name – Gem?
Nancy | Sep 5, 2010 | Reply
I continued on to other photos and realize the theater I remember was probably the Esquire.
Nancy | Sep 5, 2010 | Reply
nancy
hi i remember. we got to use it just a couple of times before they removed them due to radiation problems. yes the esquire thats where my sister took me to see from the front row the wizard of oz scared the pants right of me.
alex | Jan 30, 2011 | Reply
My mother worked at the hotdog stand and also the candy counter. I alwlays tried to get her to sneak me some ‘free’ candy. I purchased my first suit at Sears, a 3-piece and man was I cool.
J. Cioni | Jan 31, 2011 | Reply
Just reading these comments and I can even smell those hotdogs. It was such a treat to get one when we went to Sears and it had to have cheese.
Connie (Kalb) Sebok | Feb 8, 2011 | Reply
The hot dogs, of course, but the things that always fascinated me at Sears & Roebucks were the little building in the parking lot where you had keys made, and the fact that you could actually see, touch and smell a real leather saddle along with all the other tools. Now all you can smell upon entering Sears sans Roebuck at the Mall is tires. Somehow not the same…
Becky | Feb 9, 2011 | Reply
I remember the smell of the cashews and other nuts…You could get a small bag of HOT cashews for little money. Oh wow.
Tom Watts | Feb 12, 2011 | Reply
I came to Springfield in the early 50′s and we spent a lot of time at this store. I remember you could just not pass the hot dog stand and you had to have some popcorn. What a great place. Sears was never the same after they moved.
Mike Keafer | Feb 13, 2011 | Reply
Giuseppe;
The two old maid sisters were Sadie and Mary. A visit to them always produced some lemonade and cookies. My grandfather built the house next door in 1905 and added a second floor later. It is now a blueprint company. We brought the house from Grandpa Weaver in the early 40′s and lived there 10 years, thru the construction of Sears. We moved because of the Sears traffic. Before Sears there was an old stone house that had a Children’s museum on a hugh lot. Does any one remember the name of the Museum and who built the structure?
Edna Skoog
Edna | Feb 14, 2011 | Reply
Loved those Hot Dogs with cheez whiz. Only thing is My mom would not let me eat them often. She told me I could get one at Steak and Shake. Not back then!
Lou | Feb 15, 2011 | Reply
The hotdogs and rootbeer and the escalator !!!!!
M Nation | Mar 8, 2011 | Reply
If I remember correctly, the hot dog stand also sold Smithfield Barbeque sandwiches as well.
chas | Apr 8, 2011 | Reply
Our next doorBetty Staley worked at the hot dog stand . dont remember barbque but loved the hot dogs mustard only cheese whiz wrapped in wax paper with a little stand up counter in the starwell I was to short to reach, think they finally did start keeping som ketchup for people
R Burton | May 28, 2011 | Reply
My dad used to work Friday nights at Marine Bank, so we went to Sears every Friday night for those hot dogs with cheese whiz. Remember sitting on the stairs eating them because we were too short for the counters!
Sharon | Aug 14, 2011 | Reply
What about the square dances in the Sears lot . I believe they were saturday evening.
Harold | Aug 26, 2011 | Reply
Wow! What a treat the hot dogs and popcorn were. I remember we would get really excited when my dad needed to make a trip there. He always treated us to a hot dog on the way in and popcorn on the way out.
great memories of growing up in Springfield.
Gail | Sep 7, 2011 | Reply
I googled sears cashew because as a kid I always begged a quarter off dad to get a bag of those great hot cashews! Nothing quite so memorable any more.
Wes | Oct 17, 2011 | Reply
Remembering how good the chocolate covered carmel squares were from Sears candy dept. Does anyone know the name of the co. that made candy for Sears?
Martha H | Nov 3, 2011 | Reply
Oh man, I was just thinking about Sears and those hotdogs the other day! The aroma of the hotdogs and popcorn was other worldly to a9 yr old kid! the rootbeer was awesome too! I always had a difficult time getting on the escalator too. It was a little scary til I got the hang of it, thenit became a challenge to get on and off it.
My mom was always sweet enuff to buy me a hot dog and root beer on the way out. Paradise!
Joe Gutierrez | Nov 23, 2011 | Reply
Nancy, saw your post of 9/2010 about the Sears’ shoe dept. x-ray machines. Have wondered over the years about those machines that we played with. You could see your bare feet thru your shoes. Radiation?? I’d love to know more about those machines.
Pat | Jan 24, 2012 | Reply
I still use baking pans my mother bought at the South Grand Sears for my bridal shower in 1961. Live in Louisiana now and the pans came with me.
Always a treat to go to Sears when we went to Springfield from Jacksonville.
Anne Buker | Jan 28, 2012 | Reply