The American Department Store Transformed, 1920-1960

Abstract

The American Department Store Transformed, 1920-1960 By Richard Longstreth New Haven: Yale University Press, 2010. xi + 323 pp. 243 b/w + 15 color illustrations, notes, bibliography, and index. $65.00 (Cloth), ISBN 978-0-3001-4938-8.The American Department Store Transformed, a remarkably detailed architectural and material history of one of the principal institutions of twentieth-century American consumerism, explores the physical (and to a lesser extent, ideological) changes that department stores underwent over a 40-year period While several other histories focus on the formative years of the department store - starting in the 1880s and ending around 1920 - Longstreth identifies a later period of major transformation: 1920 to 1960 For him, the guiding force behind the transformation of the department store is the never-ending quest for profit, or at least, economic solvencyLongstreth is not the first to investigate these institutions, and his book "aims to complement existing studies in its focus as well as in the time framed covered..." (p 3) He builds on previous social and cultural histories written about department stores In particular, he notes William Leach's ideas about the use of light, air, and glass to stir devotion and desire But Longstreth is less concerned with the cultural, religious, or emotive aspects of this manufactured desire than the rational, economic, and efficient aspects of selling He also downplays the importance of interpersonal and gendered relationships - between salespeople and customers, managers and employees - that are the focus of Susan Benson Porter's book Counter Cultures When Longstreth speaks of the salesperson and customers, his focus is on the ways that their relationships were guided by notions of efficiency and expertise The threat of competition from chain stores, dry goods houses, drug stores, and high-end specialty shops is a constant theme throughout the book Longstreth expertly illustrates which display methods the department store adapted from its competition, as well as where it failed to adaptEach chapter discusses a different technological and physical alteration that took place over the course of the mid-twentieth century Beginning with a description of the expansion in size of early department stores and modernizing techniques that became particularly important in the 1930s, Longstreth extends his study to the physical implications, both for landscapes and transportation He examines parking, branch stores, shopping centers, and malls Then he returns again to the city to close the book In this way, Longstreth takes into account the impact of suburbanization and city politics in changing the American landscape during this periodLongstreth works from an impressive list of resources, illustrating the benefits of interdisciplinary research He researched a wide array of stores in towns and cities across America, and he does not privilege the Northeast as many academic studies do While tracing his themes, Longstreth cites particular examples and admirably avoids over-generalizing his discussion about department storesSome of the information highlighted may seem obvious to an architect, but it's likely to be overlooked by consumers or cultural historians The book identifies important aspects of physical characteristics of the stores that we take for granted today, such as escalators, lighting, and air conditioning The escalator, for example, allowed not only for speedier transportation between floors, but for a reduction in staff costs, since fewer operators were needed to run the manually operated escalatorThe book comes filled with helpful illustrations and well-composed images that illustrate Longstreth's points However, the extent of the architectural and physical details may leave some readers longing for more of an account of the social circumstances and cultural history Importantly, class plays a role in several parts of Longstreth's analysis The target consumers for department stores changed with the country's political circumstances, the state of store competition, and the physical landscape Longstreth notes, "Like the movie palace, the new department store exuded an aura of snob appeal at a time of widespread aspirations, yet it did not require extravagance to enjoy" (p 8) Although he does not expand on the importance of changing class relations in the department store's development, they inevitably pop up throughout the bookLongstreth points out that, at a time when "most museums ignored contemporary work, the grand emporium stood out as the foremost. …