Mattress Firm: 40 Years On

Future deWitt store on this Erie Blvd E

Future store in Rome on that Erie Blvd E

    With Metro Mattress, Resnicks, and Sleepys all put to bed, if you like, Mattress Firm are the next chain that are late to the party in CNY, since they're in WNY in Cheektowaga for a start. The first chain based in Liverpool had just gone out of business, so the one from Houston are perfect for the empty stores, as well as others around the region. We'll sleep on it. This makes the Sleepys post obsolete.

deWitt - NY 5 (pictured above)*

Liverpool - CR 57, Bayberry Plaza (pictured below)*

Lakeland - John Glenn Blvd & Farrell Rd*

Syracuse (Fairmount) - W Genesee St*

Cicero - US 11*

Fulton - NY 481 & CR 57, former kmart; River Glen Plaza

Oswego - NY 104, former Big Lots

Watertown - NY 3, former Sears or Christmas Tree Shops; Salmon Run Mall

Cortland - NY 13, former flea market; Riverside Mall

Rome - NY 46 & 49, former rue21; Freedom Plaza (pictured above)

New Hartford - former Herb Phillipsons; New Hartford Shopping Center

Binghamton - US 11, former Grand Union/Giant/Weis

Big Flats - CR 35, former Sears; Arnot Mall

Ithaca - NY 13/34/96, former Hobby Lobby

Auburn - NY 5 & US 20, former JCPenney; Fingerlakes Mall

Colonie - Wolf Rd, former Barnes & Noble

Canastota - NY 5 & 13 and CR 25, former Family Dollar or Rite Aid/Walgreens

*former Metro Mattress

Logo used to edit on the phone and free use with just text

Can't really be in Shop City with Factory Direct next door

Mattress Firm in Bayberry Plaza in Liverpool

Mystery Bins

Fantasy location in Sangertown Square in New Hartford

 It seems bin stores with Amazon and chain store surplus are growing, and a new chain has come to New York. The downstate location at Palisades Centre is the flagship, so I based the post there, and half of the old JCPenney at Destiny USA in Syracuse back Upstate is the first one here. Now we can just connect the dots. Just starting with ones I know since I haven't done this kind of post in a period due to lack of new material.

New Hartford - Sangertown Square, NY 5 & 5A; former Hess's/Kaufmanns/Macys, although smaller bin store is in the former Sears/current Boscovs wing (pictured)

Auburn - Fingerlakes Mall, NY 5 & US 20; former Rex

Watertown - Salmon Run Mall, NY 3; former Christmas Tree Shops

Albany - Colonie Centre, NY 5; same as Watertown

Greece - Greece Ridge Mall, NY 104, former Sibleys/Kaufmanns/Macys

Williamsville - NY 78; former Best Buy

Binghamton - US 11; former Giant/Weis Markets

Ithaca - NY 13/34/96; former Hobby Lobby

Big Flats - Arnot Mall, off NY 17/I-86; former Sears

Service Merchandise

If Service Merchandise were open now. Courtesy Meta AI.

 I've been meaning to write about Service Merchandise for several months, but I needed to find more locations since I only know the two that were in my area. They were a chain of catalogue showrooms, and my generation can remember the print edition, competing with Sears, JCPenney and Spiegel, before the internet (Amazon in particular) made it obsolete by 2002. There were subsidiaries like Mr How (previously HomeOwners), The Lingerie Store, The Toy Store, and Zims Jewellers, all of which I have only just learned about or just didn't notice in the old days. Due to having to deal with the here and now, and how long ago this all was, despite being from living memory, most downstate locations are more vague, and Upstate ones are less so if I know the area enough, but I will update as I know more and can commit to finding out where they all are and what is there today. Any input is always appreciated. TBD unless indicated (which is why I can't cover every chain, and even a wild guess can be disproven).

deWitt/Fayetteville - Wegmans Plaza, NY 5 & 92; demolished for current Wegmans in 1994 and/or later Chase-Pitkin, American Signature Furniture, and Value City Furniture; now Hobby Lobby

Cicero - Marketplace Plaza/Mall, US 11 & E Circle Dr; demolished by 2002 for current plaza

Huntington

Massapequa - Sunrise Mall

Montgomery - NY 208; now Staples

Lawrence

Nanuet

Woodhaven

Lake Grove

Albany - Northway Mall, NY 5 (most likely; demolished by 2004; now Target et al)

Schenectady - NY 5

Wilton - Saratoga Mall, NY 50 & CR 102

Yorktown Heights - Jefferson Valley Mall, US 6 & NY 6N; now H&M

Henrietta - NY 252

Irondequoit - US/NY 104

Greece - US/NY 104

Kenmore - NY 384

Plattsburgh - Champlain Centre, CR 26

Fishkill - Dutchess Mall, US 9; closed 1995; now vacant

Kingston - US 9W

Poughkeepsie - South Hills Mall, US 9

New Hartford - NY 5A

Zara

Zara in Los Angeles County. Mike Mozart made the trip for us so we don't have to!

 Someone on Facebook suggested Spanish chain Zara for Destiny USA. Makes sense since it's the sort you'd find there, and sister sites Walden Galleria in Cheektowaga (Buffalo) and Crossgates Mall in Guilderland (Albany) have the only Upstate ones right now, and downstate is a given. A rival from that country opened several years ago back in CNY. While this isn't my sort of place, I may be able to work this in quickly since it's so-called fast fashion and I get carried away doing these posts, you know.

Syracuse - Destiny USA; former Forever 21/Bonwit Teller, Nordstrom Rack, Bon-Ton or Victorias Secret Pink Store (there are also other hallway vacancies, but those are always hard to keep up with)

New Hartford - Sangertown Square, NY 5 & 5A; former Hess's/Kaufmanns/Macys

Johnson City - Oakdale Commons; CR 56, 65 & 85 off NY 17/I-86; former Burlington?

Greece - Greece Ridge Mall, NY 104; former Sibleys/Kaufmanns/Macys

Poughkeepsie - Poughkeepsie Galleria, US 9; former Montgomery Ward

Big Flats - Arnot Mall; former McCurdys/Iszards/The Bon-Ton

Watertown - Salmon Run Mall, NY 3 & CR 100; former Dicks Sporting Goods

Auburn - Fingerlakes Mall, NY 5 & US 20; former Rex or JCPenney

Wegmans in West Mifflin

Upper Providence Township store near Philadelphia and Patti laBelle. Courtesy Montgomery County Planning Commission.

 There is buzz about Wegmans opening their newest store in Cranberry Township in Butler County north of Pittsburgh, over by the UPMC Mario Lemieux facility (retired French Canadian Pittsburgh Penguins centre). Going the other way half as far within Alleghany County is the borough of West Mifflin, where Century III, once one of the biggest malls in the country, had been, which I heard of through a car dealership nearby. Steel and Steelers (that's as far as I go with teams!) country is dominated by Giant Eagle, Martins and Shop 'n Save, and I might like to go that way for an event in the summer. Wegmans are infamously stingey when it comes to opening new stores and only do no more than three a year, forgoing Upstate NY in recent years. They closed their store in a former JCPenney in Natick Mall outside Boston because it just didn't work, but instead, Wegmans will replace a mall. The land has been largely undeveloped since the mall closed several years ago after tenant after tenant left since the late '90s, including JCPenney, locally based Kaufmanns before the Macys merger, and a short-lived Wards. While it's normal for most areas to have a few Wegmans each, newer markets usually have less than a handful compared to legacy ones. Mixed reactions on Facebook would go from knowing the chain from out of state to it being new to them. The chains footprint in Pennsylvania would be concentrated on opposite sides of the state and Centre County. Altoona, Johnstown, York and Hanover would be overlooked. Back to West Mifflin, the new Wegmans would have to compete right across the road from Giant Eagle and Walmart. Located on PA 51 & 885. Washington Mall in South Strabane Township in Washington County would work too, since there's almost nothing left there either, while people in other parts of the northeast hold out for their own store, which one may take for granted until you have to move away (they rarely close any today). It may take until a third century before more areas ever get a Wegmans because of how picky they are, avoiding overkill and carefully planning. They're even looking at close to home, but that's for another day.

Jordan Marsh

Peabody, MA store, Northway Mall, 1980s. Courtesy Salem State Archives.

 Jordan Marsh & Company were once New Englands largest department store, but may have only had no more than two locations in New York, as there is no paper trail of them being anywhere else in the state, which made this post a challenge, so I have to fill the vacuum with a few from out of state. They were yet another one from the past that I'd heard of when going shopping with Grandma in the Capital District, and I even had a box of theirs at my old place (I must have binned that too). They even made it to Florida, even though that had separate management. While Macys took over Jordan Marsh along with several other chains like Bambergers, Abraham & Strauss and Sterns, the Hudson Valley store went another way, even though the former G. Fox and Filene's didn't become Macys until 2006.

Albany (Guilderland) - Crossgates Mall, US 20; now Macys

Poughkeepsie - Poughkeepsie Galleria, US 9; later Sears; now vacant

Boston (downtown) - Downtown Crossing; flagship; now Macys

Peabody, MA - Northway Mall, MA 114 & 128; later Macys; now Nordstrom (pictured)

Natick, MA - Natick Mall; later JCPenney and Wegmans; now vacant (covered earlier)

Jenss

Jenss through AI lens. Courtesy Meta Platforms, Inc.

 Back to WNY, going from Hens to Jenss! This started in Niagara County rather than Erie County. While the chain existed all the way to the start of the millennium, it would go the way of its local competitors. I just wish I got to know that area more in those days.

AI fantasy mall location. Even the bins are well made.

Amherst - Boulevard Mall, US 62; flagship; later Kaufmanns and Macys Mens Store; will become Boulevard Place in 2026 after JCPenney gave up eminent domain struggle (unlike their old rivals)

Harris Hill/Clarence - Eastern Hills Mall, NY 78; becoming a lifestyle center

Wheatfield - Summit Place Mall; now the Summit/NISE Center

Niagara Falls - NY 378

Tonawanda - Main & Niagara Sts; Jenss Twin Ton; previously Zuckmaier Bros.; long gone

E.W. Edwards & Son

AI Edwards after some editing. Courtesy Meta.

 It's a new year and month, yet there's another department store chain that didn't stick around here for me to get to that was right in my backyard. E.W. Edwards & Son had but a few stores in CNY, and I've heard about them here and there. They would branch out to WNY, so now we're getting somewhere. The local stores would close in 1973, with the original downtown Syracuse flagship being demolished. The Monroe County stores were sold and the Edwards name survived until around 1982.

Syracuse (1) - S Salina & W Jefferson Sts; hard to pinpoint because of Deys, Sibleys, RKO Keith, Whelans, Kresge (kmart) and Loews State (Landmark Theatre) being competitors and/or neighbours

Syracuse (2) - S Salina & W Washington Sts, Clinton Square, Syracuse Mall; later the Atrium with Goldome (bank that closed in the early '90s) and state offices; now SUNY Oswego Metro Center with CH Insurance and skating rink entrance during the winter

deWitt - NY 5, Shoppingtown Mall; later JCPenney; now vacant (don't say the D word!)

Camillus - W Genesee St; Camillus Plaza/Mall; later JCPenney; now Walmart

Rochester - NY 96; Midtown Plaza?

Pittsford - NY 31, Pittsford Plaza

Greece - Ridgemont Plaza, US (now NY) 104

Buffalo (1) - Genesee & Pearl Sts; streets no longer meet as store existed a century ago; now Genesee Building (most likely)

Buffalo (2) - US 62, Langley Plaza; later Hens & Kelly

Lackawanna - Abbott Rd, L.B. Smith/Abbott Rd Plaza; later Hens & Kelly; now Rent-A-Center

Lechmere

Danvers, MA store outside Boston in the '80s. Courtesy Salem State University

 Lechmere were a department store with electronics, appliances, jewellery and more. By the late '90s, they were gone after a few years under Montgomery Ward (I started putting locations under that post, but now I have enough for this one). There were only seven stores outside New England, with most of them here in Upstate NY, as well as one in Mecklenburg County in North Carolina.

Syracuse (north side) - Carousel Center (now Destiny USA) - later Circuit City and DSW; now Hobby Lobby

Danvers, MA - Liberty Tree Mall; now Target, Staples, Dollar Tree and Best Buy (pictured, non-NY)

Cheektowaga - Walden Galleria; later JCPenney Home; now DSW

Albany - Northway Mall, NY 5; now Target, Marshalls and Jo-Ann Fabrics

Henrietta - NY 252; now Amvets?

Poughkeepsie - Poughkeepsie Galleria, US 9 (also had Wards proper)

Utica - Riverside Mall, NY 5/8/12/49; now Walmart and Bass Pro Shops (also had Wards proper)

Montgomery Ward

Former Montgomery Ward in Augusta, GA. Courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Mike Kalasnik from Fort Mill, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

 Department Store December continues with Montgomery Ward. It had left Syracuse by the time I could remember, and Utica was the closest. I only got to go in Poughkeepsie (that area could use a post of its own since I picked up so much from that time). Wards survives today as an e-tailer, but that's just too easy, of course. We like to remember a simpler time when you either got out to shop or ordered from the catalogue through the post or even over the phone (I'm getting on now!). Most of these were catalogue stores as opposed to full-fledged locations, especially in smaller plazas and areas (even though the Hudson and Mohawk Valley stores were mall anchors from later years). They also owned Lechmere in its final three years, which would be better off in its own post, but I only know of a few of those stores along the Thruway corridor (including Dutchess County).

Syracuse (Lyncourt)  - Shop City Plaza; TBD (just too old to figure out exactly where it was)

Syracuse (north side) - Carousel Center (now Destiny USA) - Lechmere; later Circuit City and DSW; now Hobby Lobby

Cheektowaga - Walden Galleria; Lechmere; later JCPenney Home; now DSW*

Albany - Northway Mall, NY 5; also had Lechmere; now Target*

Cicero - Marketplace Mall, US 11 & E Circle Dr

Lockport - Lockport Mall, NY 78*

Poughkeepsie - Poughkeepsie Galleria, US 9; now DSW and Dicks; also had Lechmere*

Fulton - NY 3?

Utica - Riverside Mall, NY 5/8/12/49

Augusta, GA - Pictured*

Baldwinsville - Tri-County Mall

Johnson City - Oakdale Mall*

Cazenovia - Town & Country Plaza, US 20

Plattsburgh - Pyramid Mall, NY 3*

Menands - Office building, NY 32*

North Syracuse - North Plaza, US 11

*Non-CNY

Lord & Taylor

Later store on Long Island in Manhasset (now NYU Langone Health and SaksWorks)

 Since mostly high-end department stores have become a running theme here lately, my Google algorithm has just told me that one of the very first chains ever opened in the country Lord & Taylor are now the latest one to come back from the dead. They haven't been gone that long, even though COVID had affected them like so many in the past five years. Regal Global Brands (no relation to Regal Cinemas) now own the IP for what was one of the oldest names from downstate. Lord & Taylor still have vacant stores left behind, including the one they opened thirty years ago just a few miles away from home. Might as well get them all back, but I'd have to see where they are, and stick to this state, but if they're taken, see if someone else has a property to spare instead just as good. Also go to areas that never had Lord & Taylor before. Regal do plan to open brick and mortar in the foreseeable future, and I never expect any company to come here for ideas, but I'm no better than The Simpsons on any of this (although Futurama had the parody Alien Overlord & Taylor!).

Syracuse - Destiny USA (past location still available, even though I wanted close competitors Neiman Marcus or Bloomingdales there before)

Albany (Guilderland) - Crossgates Mall, US 20; empty anchor (last location now Primark)

Colonie (Roesslville) - Colonie Center, NY 5 & Wolf Rd; former Christmas Tree Shops (if above is unavailable)

New Hartford - Sangertown Square, NY 5 & 5A; former Hess's/Kaufmann's/Macy's (although small by Lord & Taylor's standards as is the area, yet their closest rival were last in there)

Victor (Fishers) - Eastview Mall, NY 96; past location, although after legal dispute, something like Wegmans or even Patagonia was suggested by the mall owners in all but name, but will become Bass Pro Shops instead in 2026.

Henrietta - Marketplace Mall, NY 252 & 15A; former Dicks instead of above (Rochester)

Cheektowaga - Walden Galleria; former store still available (Buffalo)

Watertown - Salmon Run Mall, NY 3 & CR 100; former Dicks or Christmas Tree Shops

Johnson City - Oakdale Commons, NY 201; former Burlington (map unavailable online to check)

Big Flats - Arnot Mall, CR 75 & 35; former Hess's/Bon-Ton or Sears (Twin Tiers is also small towns)

Poughkeepsie - Poughkeepsie Galleria, US 9; former JCPenney (I haven't been over there since 2000)

Kingston - Hudson Valley Mall, US 9W; former Best Buy or Gander Outdoor (Dicks may move soon)

Bay Shore - South Shore Mall; former store (may still be available, but downstate is just too big to get all of the ones that were last open, while another on Long Island was repurposed [see photo])

New York - 5th Ave; flagship (Manhattan)

Stew Leonard's

Newington, CT store (former Caldor); courtesy Mike Mozart (he's a hard act to follow!)

 I heard of Stew Leonards from Inside Edition. It is exclusively in the tri-state. They make it seem like a destination, giving Wegmans, which have few stores in the region compared to back Upstate, a run for their money. Even in the NYC area, there are some spots for Leonards to open. It would mean having to do up or even replace a competitors store into or with respectively into a barn like the one shown here, yet the Paramus, NJ one is in a plaza, so it doesn't have to look so rural. Clifton, NJ is the newest one so far. I can copy some of the Pathmark/Stop & Shop list and leave out towns with existing stores, Upstate, and the city proper (it won't really work there, of course, and too much competition to boot). If it's not a closing Stop & Shop, then I'll put that down. I just wish I could get to Stamford next October and a Leonards could open there by the time I'd be in town since I would only have so long to get around a big area with two or more events and being dependent on mass transit at home and in the metro like most of the locals. I might not have enough suggestions on New York soil, which is letting the side down. It's just easier to retrofit than to scramble in a region you rarely visit or have never even been. Turns out that Stew Leonard Jnr went to Ithaca College of all places (small town). Despite his alma maters location, he might not open past the Palisades, but he may have connections at Cornells east campus across town from IC (an alum once explained). Let's just see what he could do up near home.

Ansonia, CT - Division St

Milford, CT - US 1 & CT 162

Stamford, CT - US 1

Torrington, CT - High St near JCPenney

Carlstadt, NJ - Paterson Ave

Ansonia, CT - Division St

Edison, NJ - Inman Grove Shopping Ctr

Piscataway, NJ - Stelton Rd

Greenvale - NY 25A; Wheatley Plaza

West Haverstraw - US 202; Samsondale Plaza

Coram - NY 25 & 112

Mt Vernon - E Sandford Blvd

Hempstead - NY 102

Wayne, NJ - former ShopRite

West Nyack - former Grand Union/Stop & Shop/MetFresh or ShopRite, NY 59

West Babylon - former ShopRite; NY 109

Montague, NJ - former ShopRite; NJ 23

Cortlandt Manor - former ShopRite; US 9

Ringwood, NJ - CR 692

Poughkeepsie - US 9; former health food store

JCPenney

Destiny USA store with fake logo

 JCPenney were once one of the biggest chains in the country. Now they're suffering and becoming fewer by the day. It's easier to find latter-day and mall or plaza locations than downtown or rural ones from early days. Here are a selection of past locations around Upstate.

Albany - Westgate Shopping Center, NY 5; closed in 1984 after relocating to Crossgates Mall

Auburn - Fingerlakes Mall; NY 5 & US 20

Camillus - Camillus Mall/Plaza; demolished in 2005 for Walmart

Cortland (1) - Cortlandville Crossing; NY 281

Cortland (2) - Downtown; Main St

deWitt - Shoppingtown Mall; NY 5 (demolition with 1975-2020 store pending for District East; first store from 1954 demolished in 1975 with most of original plaza)

Kingston - Hudson Valley Mall; US 9W

Latham - Latham Circle Mall; NY 2 and 7 & US 9; now plaza

Lansing - The Shops at Ithaca (formerly Pyramid) Mall; later Best Buy, Borders (closed 2011), Ultimate Athletics, Ulta Beauty, DSW and later Dicks

New Hartford - Sangertown Square; NY 5 & 5A

Oswego - NY 104; now Hobby Lobby

Plattsburgh - Pyramid Mall; closed and moved to Champlain Centre in 1987

Rome - Freedom Plaza; NY 46 & 49; now Hobby Lobby

Syracuse - Destiny USA (formerly Carousel Center; pictured). One floor now Mystery Bins as of 1 July 2025. Other floor TBD.

Watertown - Salmon Run Mall; NY 3 & CR 100

West Seneca - Shops at West Seneca; CR 91 & 137

Pathmark

Former Hackensack, NJ store on NJ 17

 Another chain with a history in the Tri-State and beyond has returned. This time, it's Pathmark. I heard of them way back from New York TV like a couple of their competitors, and they were briefly in CNY on NY 5 in deWitt in the '80s as Pathmark Super Drug; the store sold to Woolworths Rx Place later in the decade. One of Pathmarks old rivals, A&P (which also had been Upstate), bought them later, but went bankrupt and closed. While it may be too late for A&P, Pathmark was sold to a new company, but just have one store in the middle in Brooklyn so far. The chain replaced a ShopRite franchise when they were founded. Like so many others, Pathmark had undergone a financial rollercoaster (haven't we all?).

Stop & Shop are now closing stores in Connecticut, New Jersey, and downstate, as well as Massachusetts and Rhode Island (those two will have to find other chains to fill the vacuum) because of declining sales. Pathmark could buy those and return to Connecticut after nearly three decades. Any other closed stores in the boroughs, Long Island and New Jersey, be it ShopRite or something else could also be acquired. Maybe even the old Price Choppers on NY 5 in Albany County so that a union chain can return to the immediate area, although I don't think the drugstore even made it up river in the old days, while it went further up the Thruway to my end, as well as a cart more recently and strangely.  I won't be listing past locations since it's tiring enough with other chains and speculative future ones, but archive.org and Groceteria should have what you're looking for (main chain only) for most areas where Pathmark had made their namesake.

Closing Stop & Shops unless indicated:

East Meadow - NY 24 & 106

Ansonia, CT - Division St

Danbury, CT - Newtown Rd, Beaverbrook

Milford, CT - US 1 & CT 162

Stamford, CT - US 1

Torrington, CT - High St near JCPenney

Carlstadt, NJ - Paterson Ave

Edison, NJ (1) - Inman Grove Shopping Ctr

Edison, NJ (2) - US 1

Jackson Township, NJ- CR 526

Piscataway, NJ - Stelton Rd

Pt Pleasant Beach, NJ - NJ 35

Ringwood, NJ - CR 692

Howell, NJ - US 9

Phillipsburg, NJ - US 22

Franklin Township, NJ - NJ 27

Poughkeepsie/Arlington - US 44 & NY 55; former ShopRite

Brooklyn - Cropsey Ave

Greenvale - NY 25A; Wheatley Plaza

West Haverstraw - US 202; Samsondale Plaza

Coram - NY 25 & 112

Mt Vernon - E Sandford Blvd

Hempstead - NY 102

Wayne, NJ - former ShopRite

West Nyack - former Grand Union/Stop & Shop/MetFresh or ShopRite, NY 59

West Babylon - former ShopRite; NY 109

Albany (Uptown) - NY 5; former Price Chopper; Westgate Shopping Center

Colonie - NY 5; former Price Chopper; Colonie Plaza

Ellenville - former ShopRite; US 209

Montague, NJ - former ShopRite; NJ 23

Cortlandt Manor - former ShopRite; US 9

Barnes & Noble

Barnes & Noble in Oglethorpe Mall in Savannah, GA

 Barnes & Noble seems like another one that's all over the country, but there are a few spots they could fill. They just opened a new store at Destiny USA, which I didn't expect, even though it's much smaller than the other two in town and other malls. Old rivals Borders were there when it was Carousel Center (people mix the two chains up to this day, and we'll do Waldenbooks another time). In Albany County, Barnes & Noble moved from their old store on Wolf Road in Colonie to the mall across the street, and the original spot is still vacant even now when that has potential, but anyway. They're one of the few left despite stiff competition from amazon (who aren't just books now, of course).

Auburn - Fingerlakes Mall, NY 5, US 20 and Clark St Rd; former JCPenney

Cortland - Riverside Mall, NY 13, former flea market or Cortlandville Crossing, NY 281; former kmart

Watertown - Salmon Run Mall, NY 3 & CR 100; former Christmas Tree Shops

Massena - St Lawrence Centre, NY 37; former Maurices

Wheels Discount Auto Supply

Fairly close AI fantasy location. Courtesy Meta.

 Fays Drugs had Wheels Discount Auto Supply, where you could get parts for your car at the lowest prices. When the parent company were sold to JCPenneys Eckerd, Wheels locations went to other chains naturally. Had to challenge myself again because I only know a couple current ones myself. Penneys (my family still used that name) close competitor Sears' Western Auto (forgot about them) bought Wheels' assets by 1996 prior to the pharmacy chains sale (so much for Sears, but we did them). Wheels later acquired National Auto Supply and Whitlock (new to me), yet it was in vain as all three chains would be no more. There were a total of 36, but I'll be lucky to find half of them (small towns and/or areas I know are easier to guess).

Syracuse - Shop City; previously National Auto Supply, now Advance Auto Parts

deWitt - NY 5; now Charneys (see previous post)

Manlius - NY 173

Fayetteville - N Burdick St?

Cortland - NY 13, 222, and/or 281

Cicero - E Circle Dr

Erie and Kingston, PA - previously Whitlock

Buffalo - Niagara St, now Advance Auto Parts

Gates - TBD

Auburn - NY 5

Fulton - NY 481

Oswego - NY 104

Ithaca - NY 13/34/96

Watertown - NY 3

Fairmount - W Genesee St

Troy - TBD

Plattsburgh - TBD

Malone - US 11

Albany - NY 5, Westgate Shopping Plaza

Ilion - NY 5S

Utica - NY 5

New Hartford - NY 5A

Rome - NY 46

Oneida - NY 5

Mattydale - US 11?

Waterloo - NY 5 & US 20

The Paper Cutter

If The Paper Cutter were still cutting it today with AI.

 Fays Drugs had The Paper Cutter division with office, party and school supplies until the main chain were sold to JCPenneys Eckerd subsidiary in 1996-97 (auto parts chain Wheels would go to other chains, but that'll have to wait for another day). I could only remember a couple off the top of my head. People on Facebook recalled others in town, so this required some digging like many of the chains that have only closed in the past few decades (even some of those before our time that are regional have a spreadsheet). Staples, OfficeMax/Office Depot (now out of CNY), Party City (now in the same boat), and today amazon (go figure) would make The Paper Cutter almost impossible now (we've done The Paper Store earlier).

The one thing I have with the real logo.

Camillus - Camillus Plaza; long since demolished and was over where Walmart are now next to Goldbergs, Hills, Price Chopper (which closed in 1982), and other chains that belong to the ages now

North Syracuse - North Plaza, US 11 & Lawrence Rd E.; later Real Deals, now Dollar General

deWitt - NY 5; Empire Plaza; later Maines, now Ollies Bargain Outlet

Clay - NY 31 & 481; Marketfair North

New England - possibly Vermont and Massachusetts

Syracuse (downtown) - S Salina St; later McDonalds, formerly The Syracuse Trust Company, now vacant

deWitt (2) - NY 5, Shoppingtown (not everyones memories are accurate or from my lifetime)

Fairmount - Fairmount Fair (was in mall, which is now a plaza)

Capital Region - TBD (I don't remember seeing them there)

Glens Falls - TBD

Rome - NY 46 (Black River Blvd. since I know it wasn't downtown)

Guilderland - US 20 (another wild guess since the retail corridor that way from Crossgates to 20 Mall is obvious having gone to Albany County forever)

Ithaca - NY 13/34/96 (would have to be since it's the main drag for most larger retail in the area)

Mohawk Valley - TBD

Horseheads - Grand Central Plaza, NY 14

Cortland - Riverside Plaza, NY 13 (small town hunch since Fays proper were there too)

Philadelphia area/Southern NJ/Lehigh and Delaware Valleys - TBD

Albany (Uptown) - NY 5, Westgate Shopping Center (found thanks to a tip)

Gates - TBD

WNY - TBD

Amherst - NY 324, Sheridan Centre Plaza; now Monster Mini Golf

Auburn - NY 5

Southern Tier - TBD

Susquehanna/Wyoming/Lackawanna Valleys, PA - TBD

If it were small in the mall down the hall (channelling Dr Seuss!)

Best Buy Outlet

Brockton, MA location (Boston area)

 Best Buy is the latest big box to branch out into the outlet scene, passing down more savings on inventory they're trying to offload. The regular chain has closed stores in CNY, WNY and the Capital Region in recent years however. The Syracuse one at Destiny USA, which had been Lechmere in Carousel days, is now a Going, Going Gone Dicks Warehouse Outlet (renamed after a Bob Dylan song supposedly because the Times They Are a-Changin'!). On a Facebook group, one had opened in an old Borders (another chain from pre-Destiny years).  Best Buy Outlet could go in both former locations of the parent company and other stores.

Syracuse - Destiny USA; former Forever 21 (as of 31/3/24) or JCPenney 2nd Level

Williamsville - NY 78*

Liverpool - NY 31*; later Value City Furniture

Henrietta - NY 252; former Christmas Tree Shops

Albany - US 20; Crossgates Mall* (previously Caldor)

New Hartford - NY 5 & 5A; Sangertown Square; former Macys/Hess's/Kaufmanns

Auburn - NY 5 & US 20; Fingerlakes Mall; former JCPenney

*former store

Fingerlakes Mall

Bass Pro Shops, the last thing going at Fingerlakes Mall

 Fingerlakes Mall on NY 5 & US 20 in Auburn is a classic textbook example of a small town dead mall. The easternmost city of a wine-growing region which the city itself is best known for a prison, Harriet Tubman and John Walsh. The mall opened in 1980 and once had JCPenney, kmart, Sears, Radio Shack (one of the very last was across town, but that's for another day), CVS/pharmacy, Rex, Friendlys, Great Outdoors RV, FYE, TCBY and Chappells. Bass Pro Shops came in 2003 and was thought to be the catch of the day, but it is the one holdout as one of the few in Upstate NY; the one other in CNY being in Utica around the former Montgomery Ward in Riverside Mall in Deerfield off NY 8 & 12 in proximity to the Mohawk Valley, Adirondacks and Catskills. I used to go to the Auburn one now and again, but not in a few years since they had less of what I needed and is less convenient for me today.

In recent years, local events are held at the mall, but being the de facto event center for Cayuga County is not enough. It could be a real mall again. It could have Target, Ross Dress for Less, Barnes & Noble and Hobby Lobby. FYE could come back, and there could be a combination of local and national smaller stores in the hallway. Not everyone can go all the way to Syracuse or Rochester. The potential is right there in front of them, even with inflation and online shopping looming over all of us. Auburn isn't as tight a squeeze as other smaller communities. The sister plaza across the street could also have spots left. Auburn is not just another Rust Belt former factory town. Fingerlakes Mall is ready for a renaissance like their competitors in the next county.

Sierra

Hillsboro, OR store; 2019

 Sierra, formerly Sierra Trading Post, part of the TJX conglomerate which includes TJ Maxx, TK Maxx (UK), Marshalls and Homegoods, are opening on NY 5A in New Hartford (in the old Bed Bath and Beyond, which is a good vacuum to fill for many other chains). They are considering Syracuse. I have heard of them, but wasn't sure if they could be that close to their sister stores. Off we go!

deWitt - NY 5, Marshalls Homegoods Plaza; former Bed Bath and Beyond (unless taken), even though it'd be with sister chain in same plaza

Albany (Colonie) - Wolf Rd.; former Bed Bath and Beyond/ShopRite

Cortland - NY 281; former Walmart

Ithaca - NY 13, 34 & 96; former Hobby Lobby

Binghamton (Nimmonsburg) - US 11; former Giant/Weis/Grand Union

Vestal - NY 434; former JoAnn Fabrics (instead of above; might be better location, and chain had left behind vacancies that may work in some other areas)

Horseheads/Fisherville/Big Flats (Twin Tiers) - CR 25 & 75; former Burlington (as of 2026 when they move to former JoAnn Fabrics), Arnot Mall

Watertown - NY 3; former Christmas Tree Shops, Salmon Run Mall

Auburn - NY 5 & US 20; Fingerlakes Mall, former Sears

Amherst - NY 78; former Best Buy

Henrietta - former Savers

Syracuse - Destiny USA; former JCPenney, 2nd Level (even though sister store TJMaxx are already around the corner)

Liverpool - NY 31, COR Plaza; former Price Chopper; with Ross Dress for Less, Boot Barn and Five Below (confirmed for fall 2026 opening, given Micron, albeit also with TJMaxx in same place)