0:07

This is the Atlas Obscura podcast.

0:10

I'm Johanna Mayer. And right

0:12

now I'm in Brooklyn, at the

0:15

corner of Bedford Ave and Beverly Road in

0:17

the Flatbush neighborhood. It's a busy corner, right

0:19

along a bus route. And

0:22

I'm looking at this old Sears store.

0:25

It's closed now. And it's really big.

0:28

It's got all these art deco designs

0:30

on it, kind of like what you'd

0:32

see on the Empire State Building. And

0:35

there's this big tower that says Sears,

0:37

Roebuck & Company. Inside

0:40

this store, 50 years ago,

0:42

a group of teenagers went

0:44

to work. And inside

0:47

this store, their lives

0:49

changed forever. So

0:51

today, we're going to meet them. And

0:54

we're going to go inside. Come

0:56

for the deals. Stay for the love

0:58

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A couple generations. Of America and

2:49

Sears and Roebuck with the biggest

2:51

name and retail. Sears actually started

2:53

as a mail order catalogue back

2:55

in the late eighteen hundreds. The

2:58

business model. With that you

3:00

could buy any item that

3:02

you can possibly imagine all

3:04

in one place, vacuum close,

3:06

done, even entire. Houses people

3:08

could soft without ever leaving

3:10

their homes. Some like Amazon

3:12

before Amazon. The

3:14

first. Brick. And mortar store was built

3:17

in Nineteen Twenty Five and they expanded

3:19

quickly. It was back in

3:21

nineteen. Thirty Two said: Sears opens their

3:23

stores here in Brooklyn, New York.

3:25

Eleanor Roosevelt gave a speech at

3:28

the opening and see made the

3:30

first purchase a pair of baby

3:32

shoes. And decide. Opening

3:34

right smack in the middle of

3:36

the Depeche and this series and

3:38

Brooklyn became one of the top.

3:40

Stories in the country and it

3:42

was here where group of teenagers

3:44

went to work in the seventies

3:47

hi I'm rich major I worked

3:49

with see as fifty years ago

3:51

am So and substance and I

3:53

worked at Sea Assist years ago

3:55

or so I started in December

3:57

of seven. I was seventeen and.

4:00

The guess that I started in

4:02

seventy two? I just. Scenario.

4:04

Ah. nineteen. Eighty.

4:08

Eight Eighty Nine soon set for

4:11

life after Robots or Britain show

4:13

an both grew up in Brooklyn,

4:15

born and raised once college nearby,

4:17

lived at home, worked part time

4:19

at Sears, For. Retain.

4:21

It. Was kind of a family saying. His. Dad

4:24

brother. And sister all worked

4:26

at this year's. Every

4:28

item in their house was a

4:30

serious. Item every. Appliances A serious.

4:33

Every tool was a craftsman.

4:35

To the clothing that they wore a mean,

4:37

they were a serious family, they really were

4:39

his family and a with so many friends

4:41

from. Brooklyn store was mostly run and

4:43

staffed. By full timers like Richard

4:45

Dad. But. There was also a

4:48

small. Army of Part Timers intended

4:50

to be younger. Like. Rich

4:52

and Joanne. Typical Saturday would be

4:54

coming in after being drunk all night

4:56

long and we'd come in and we

4:59

all had to. Come to the.

5:01

Second floor out get your assignments or

5:03

to get your keys or whatever. And

5:06

punch and grab a quick breakfast. And they

5:09

employ a cafeteria. Eggs, bacon, toast,

5:11

and coffee for about twenty five. Now

5:13

banned. And. Then things.

5:16

Are pretty much what you'd expect from a

5:18

group of teenagers. They. Did their

5:20

job, But. They also did

5:22

a lot of says that was not

5:24

their jobs. you

5:27

know Tuesday nights Wednesday nights it's

5:29

stores over to nine o'clock was

5:31

dead and so he would just

5:33

go in the back room of

5:35

the stock room. so we just

5:37

went over the sporting to support

5:39

mood get hockey sticks and Sean

5:41

a hockey mask son. he's another

5:43

one of the kids who worked

5:45

at the store and he put

5:47

the the boxes the paint caymans

5:49

those were watches are hockey pads

5:51

and we were just shoot pox

5:53

Adam it was crazy we shouldn't

5:55

pops ago in March. Fifty miles

5:57

an hour is coming off his

5:59

face. Com animals more Who is working the

6:01

floor at that point? Well. Nobody

6:04

said okay well nobody if we

6:06

had any customers every once in

6:08

awhile was yeah is anybody back

6:10

there are hey hi we come

6:12

out with his sweaty and you

6:14

know I see the. Taken the day

6:17

off I hated it and we we were

6:19

at like. If. I didn't work on a

6:21

Saturday. I'd be very depressed because that was my. Social

6:23

Life. They. Worked together, they

6:25

took their breaks together. They prank

6:28

together. And after a long

6:30

hard day of playing hockey in the

6:32

backroom, They. Went out together.

6:37

Always always always. they went to

6:39

the same bar grandma's how many

6:41

people from your group of zero

6:43

sense of the actor and oh

6:45

god twenty or thirty million as

6:47

the East India and they bring.

6:49

Their friends from outside so we really

6:52

knew everybody. Their. Grandma

6:55

great name for a bar. There is

6:57

a special on Wednesday nights three shots

6:59

of tequila for a dollar and on

7:02

Fridays there was a live band in

7:04

the back. To

7:06

An and her friends again would dance

7:08

to Superstition by Stevie Wonder. it was

7:10

their songs and Richie and Joanne would

7:13

play this old school video game pong.

7:17

The palm machine you know I would

7:19

play to win would handguns when these

7:21

mice you know? letter. When so

7:23

hours? because. I

7:28

thought I was winning Jennifer She was

7:30

not women and was offers no the

7:32

Rathskeller Oh we yeah we did. We

7:34

go away to college but this was

7:36

our go your way the drop it's

7:38

We were literally every weekend for years

7:41

and I'm a with sis. It. I

7:46

had one job kind of like this.

7:48

In my early twenties, my coworkers and

7:50

I went out for lunch together when

7:52

out for drinks after work. We even

7:54

went on vacation together. It's a few

7:56

of us even lived in the same

7:58

apartment building. I think there's something about

8:00

that time and life. You're out in

8:02

the world for the first time in

8:04

the people you're with. During that time

8:06

the really farm and as they

8:08

stick with you. And.

8:10

Richie and Joanne. They.

8:13

Really stuck with each other. Well

8:16

I think we've first which was

8:19

worse than the area chair sheer

8:21

and she was very good looking,

8:23

very skewed. were in the mini

8:25

skirts and I've gone over there

8:27

and know you know have flirted

8:29

a little stele shudder at are

8:32

in the palm of my hair

8:34

s. They

8:38

were all flirting to see if this

8:40

is. Always. Making jokes, goofy jokes

8:42

and stuff like that. so not

8:44

lead flirty, so. Much. As silky.

8:47

right? Had a make up

8:49

for my looks so avenue where personality.

8:51

He said that the mop up here

8:54

is that he did have an afro

8:56

about out so there was as has

8:58

now. What has.

9:02

From was that indo and tell me. Their.

9:05

Wedding was a banger! There were

9:07

like three hundred people there then

9:09

him work at Sears anymore, but

9:11

the whole series crew was there.

9:13

the I lean. Ricky, Karen, All

9:15

of I'm. Rich.

9:19

And Joanne have been married. For forty

9:21

years. But. They weren't the. Only

9:23

match made and Sears. Not.

9:26

Even close. Okay, well we'll

9:28

solve mean Joanne. And

9:30

Chairman and Ceo is my sister and

9:32

my brother in law now Karen and

9:34

Ziggy mad at the Sears and Brooklyn.

9:36

My friend Sean who I've known since

9:38

the first grade, and his wife Linda.

9:40

They met their. That saw the guy

9:43

who put on the hockey. Mask and got

9:45

pelted with Pucks are friend John Ryan

9:47

and his wife Mary met their. We

9:51

had regained Sony Sony.

9:55

Maria and Marine. So many.

9:58

Ah of. Iranian, a

10:00

lean meal and lane run

10:02

Adler sell Us Sen Eddie

10:05

Eddie George Rise of the

10:07

Rich and How and counted

10:09

Twelve couples who met while

10:11

working at this series As

10:13

teenagers, twelve. Almost all

10:15

of them are still married to. that must

10:17

be something in the water. By

10:22

the F Fifty years ago. Wells. Crazy. Since.

10:31

Two years later, it Grandma's Bars

10:33

on Bon. It's a medical center

10:35

now and the Sears in Brooklyn is

10:37

heading down the same road. How the

10:40

end of an era of last Sears

10:42

department store in New York City is

10:44

shutting it stores at it's opening. Eleanor

10:46

Roosevelt. On a cold grey

10:48

day in November of last year. I

10:51

met up with Joanne and pretty. Good

10:55

celebrities ever Lane yellow signs and the

10:57

chain link fence that surrounds the parking

10:59

lot. Thank you for blowout

11:01

sales! Nothing held back. Everything

11:04

must go. Oh

11:07

my god it's like empty and you know all the

11:09

stuff as and moved up here. a lot of a

11:11

system that it's a couple weeks. before the official

11:13

closing day, but the kind of feels

11:16

like they my run out of merchandise

11:18

before than thirty even selling the store

11:20

sixers. Are

11:22

always sell easier though. he has

11:24

a little area over here to

11:27

fit headed zombies are some way

11:29

to that would go up to

11:31

the third floor and stasi being

11:33

first when soon hidden the some

11:36

waiters scared with it at a

11:38

similar salesmen and the hardware the

11:40

past and remember all the different

11:42

numbers are larger less reforms thirty

11:45

four the hardware was nine, paint

11:47

was thirty. it's useless information that

11:49

stays. In. Our brains for this long? right

11:51

in our system. years later, We still

11:53

remember that has I That's where

11:55

the area cancer cells. There was

11:58

a booth is my siblings. The

12:00

tickets for the big big to get

12:02

i write mess right over there and

12:04

right next to me was Sebastiao Believe

12:06

in Alaska. With a whole area they

12:09

say silver cigarettes and tobacco that was

12:11

catalogue retain I having the argument about

12:13

where catalogue was the answer. The border

12:15

no matter what sort of thing,

12:19

That I'm at work right over. There

12:23

is only a handful of item plus in the store.

12:26

Sells. Joanne. Find something to

12:28

buy. A box of hair

12:30

dye? Yeah, I'm in three dollars. I

12:33

mean, I could. Definitely a cast. Campus

12:35

of. Of.

12:38

Se tax out Richie can't help

12:40

himself. He's. The kind of guy who

12:43

talks everyone. Including the teenage

12:45

cashiers bringing a sob. We

12:47

were here fifty years ago,

12:49

missing the mine was saying

12:51

dividers for fifty years ago

12:53

and met her second marriage.

12:57

He didn't hear that. One of

12:59

the cashiers said. My parents

13:01

to your parents met here. We'll.

13:05

See this on. You know what? I'm going to. the one

13:07

sense with a hammer. I

13:09

can fully repaired said of did your parents made

13:12

here so. They

13:15

mounted on some assistance. For.

13:22

Written: Joanne. Sears.

13:24

Was so many beginnings. The.

13:27

Beginning of their careers. Richie.

13:29

Went on to work for the Navy doing

13:31

inventory. Logistics says he'd learned

13:33

how to do at Sears

13:35

and Joanne. Censored, she decided

13:37

to get her phd in psychology

13:40

after dealing. With so many

13:42

interesting people and the customer

13:44

service department. Today's is

13:46

the Psychologists. Sears. With

13:49

the beginning of some of their deepest friendships.

13:51

The weekend before I spoke with Rich and

13:53

Joanne. A. Bunch of the Sears friends got together

13:56

at. Sea of house. they gonna

13:58

dress and drank line. Such

14:00

a good time that they ended up spending

14:02

the night instead of driving home. And

14:05

of course, it was the beginning

14:07

of Rotundo and forty year marriage.

14:10

Where would we be if it wasn't for Sears? Where.

14:12

The hell would we be would be like not knowing each other.

14:14

We wouldn't be know when. You assists and we

14:17

be really. Nice. If

14:20

not for Sears, they wouldn't know me.

14:22

Because. Richie and Joanne or

14:25

my boyfriends parents. So.

14:28

In an alternate universe. If.

14:30

There's no series. There's.

14:32

No Rich and Joanne. And.

14:34

If there's no Rich and Joanne. They.

14:36

Never have a son. Might. And.

14:39

If there's no, might. I'm.

14:41

Single. I

14:44

guess I owe the Sears. A lot

14:46

to. The. Store may

14:48

be. Closed by and Richie and

14:50

Joanne still carry a part of

14:52

series with them. And I mean

14:54

that literally. Back. When

14:56

they first got engaged, Joanne was kind

14:58

of a hippie than one an engagement

15:01

ring. And how often did I

15:03

say he always said i'll get you on

15:05

to sell me i'll buy you engagement ring.

15:08

You. Know what a what a frivolous waste of

15:10

money. I don't need this Now you know whatever?

15:12

we went back to. See years when it

15:14

was closing is a. Years later we went

15:16

to the jewelry department which with one and

15:18

the department's I used to work and so

15:20

and I'm. They. Have like two

15:23

or three engagement rings in the Us

15:25

in the I'm display case and. I

15:27

tried one on innocent be perfectly and

15:29

I said summer it's yeah I think

15:31

that we gotta do this now I

15:34

have a diamond ring with from seer

15:36

sits at this target Pro lives that

15:38

is book a with say would be

15:40

put off going out of business sale

15:42

so they the process for make show

15:45

him happier than a leper spread over.

15:50

The. Last Sears and Brooklyn close in

15:52

November of Twenty Twenty One. It's

15:54

unclear what will happen that the

15:57

buildings, but the Art deco facade

15:59

is landmarks. How that not going

16:01

anywhere? Special.

16:04

Thanks to Richie and Joanne for

16:06

sharing! Their story. Our

16:09

podcast as the co production of

16:11

Atlas Obscura and Witness Off. The

16:13

production team includes. Go Embarrass

16:15

Doug Bollinger Chris Naco to

16:18

meals family Will us Writer

16:20

or know Sarah Wyman Manolo

16:22

Morale is Mckinnon Smith Tiana

16:25

Palmer, Tracy Samuelson John to

16:27

Lord Peter Clowney are technical

16:29

director is Casey Holford. This

16:32

episode was sound design and. Mixed by

16:34

loose Fleming. I'm

16:37

Johan a Mayor wishing you all the wonder

16:39

in the world. I'll see you next time.

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