REMEMBERING 2: We have more on the A.J. Olsen Company, courtesy of Sam Sylvester.

“The left side of the store featured hosiery, millinery and a ‘fashion department.’ Various types of hosiery are displayed in the lighted wall cases and the store’s moderistic millinery department is done in orange and brown and located between the hosiery and ready-to-wear styles. The fashion department has been carpeted in taupe and its dressing rooms have been decorated in pale green.” the articles goes at great lengthy to describe the men’s and boys’ ready to wear, children’s shoes and bedroom slippers and a large domestic department featuring draperies, shades, towelings, muslins and an ‘oil cloth shop.’”

Sam said that while the elevator in the building, installed in 1938, was impressive for the time and place, the real showpiece of the store was its curved staircase leading to the second floor.

“Made of oak and carpeted in lush brown, it was truly elegant,” he said. “As soon as you entered the store, the staircase stood out and even if you didn’t need anything from the second floor, it was worth the walk up.

“That staircase was magnificent and its fate was a wrecking ball,” he said.

“Another interesting feature at Olsen’s was the pneumatic tube system. Still used today on a smaller scale at bank drive-ins, Olsen’s system was storewide and connected sales departments with the main office on the second floor. It was in constant use by sales staff to make changes, returns, layaways, check credit scores, etc. Often it was used as a ‘test’ run to amuse some child in the store.”

More in a future column.