The Vanquished Splinter, #5

While sorting through things at my parents house (I still can't get around to calling it my house, and I own only half of it), I came across several boxes from the vanished or vanquished department stores of Kansas City and Oklahoma City's past. Rothschild's and John A. Brown's. What I recall about he former is the shoe salesman who would appear on the Foreman Scotty Show afternoons on the local NBC affiliate. He had little cartoons about how your feet need to have a good house and encouraging you to have your parents bring you to Rotschild's for a proper fit. And when you walked into their Penn Square Store, there he was ready to fit you. I always loved that he was a TV personality you could actually meet and serve you. John A. Brown's had a number of branches, but its old flagship store downtown was the absolute best. I remember a glassed in second store skywalk that connected its two buildings. I also recall its blue-haired clerks, many of whom were likely hired during the Hoover Administration. The women in my family bought many hats there, evidenced by these relics that I doubt will be going to Goodwill any time soon.