This location was across the hall from one of the original anchor stores, Wasson's. In 1972, Block's opened their second Bloomington store in College Mall in the space currently occupied (in 2013) by Abercrombie & Fitch, Christopher & Banks, and five other stores. through the last of these expansions.Īfter College Mall opened on the east side of Bloomington in 1965, business gradually began to move away from downtown Bloomington to the mall or nearby areas. By 1955, the store's street address had become 100 S. It was so successful that it eventually expanded into adjacent store fronts when those properties became available. It was called as the Block's College Shop. In 1942, during the Second World War, Block's constructed its first branch store outside of Indianapolis in the city of Bloomington, just across the street from the campus of Indiana University at 104 S. After several name changes and bank mergers, this financial institution is still in operation at the same location as a branch of the Huntington National Bank. Broad Ripple Avenue and remained there until late 1960, when it was replaced by a branch of Union Federal Savings & Loan. In 1954, a small branch store was opened in the Indianapolis neighborhood of Broad Ripple at 724 E. The net result of the interurban system to Block's and its competitors was a customer base that rivaled that of much larger Midwestern and eastern cities, such as Detroit, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Interurbans from Indianapolis reached as far as Dayton, Ohio, and Fort Wayne, Indiana. Most small towns were either on the system or a station was located nearby. Central Indiana was networked with the most extensive interurban system in the United States. Block's main competitors were located at least a block away on Washington Street. Block's, being directly across the street from the traction terminal, was the first department store shoppers would visit. The availability of cheap mass transit to downtown Indianapolis greatly increased the customer base from which the Indianapolis department stores were able to draw. From 1900 to the 1930s, the Indiana interurban system brought shoppers by the thousands from smaller central Indiana towns to shop in downtown Indianapolis. The Block's store was located on Market Street across from the Indianapolis Traction Terminal (the largest traction terminal in the United States). Block's was the second largest retail company in Indiana, its primary competitor L. A company publication identified the store as, "one of the country's most beautiful department stores." Restaurants located within the Illinois Street store included the Fountain Luncheonette, the Terrace Tea Room, the Men's Grille, and the James Whitcomb Riley Room. Architectural drawings of the entrances became the trademark logo for the store on gift boxes, print advertisements, and company stationery. During the expansion the building's interior and exterior was redesigned in a moderne style, including furnishings, stainless steel escalators, and two-story polished black marble and stainless steel facade entrances. The architect for the 1934 expansion was Kurt Vonnegut, Sr. The store was expanded to nearly double in size in 1934. Dedication announcement to the opening of the new Block's store in 1911 īlock was active in the business until his death in 1928, at which time the management of the company was passed to his three sons: M.
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