# The Old, G. C. Murphy Store!



## imp (Sep 23, 2015)

Does anyone recall having a G C Murphy in their town, long ago? Almost sure QuickSilver will. Growing up in Berwyn (IL), a strip mall type line of stores went in when I was a kid at the west end of town, called Berwyn Plaza. Even Sears put in a free-standing store.

G C Murphy was one of the larger stores, maybe there were 10 or so total. A Hillmans Grocery store at one end. Murphy's was a classical "five and dime" type of store. I never knew how many there were, or how widespread they might be. A lot of the stores, products, even T-V shows, in Chicago, my wife growing up in Northeastern Indiana never heard of.   imp


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## Linda (Sep 23, 2015)

I don't think they were ever on the west coast imp.  They sound like something I would have liked.  Are they still around today?  Has anyone heard of the Ben Franklin stores?  I think they are gone. They were sort of like Woolworths but not as big.  They sold me some of my first "how to" painting booklets, so they have a big place in my heart.


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## imp (Sep 23, 2015)

Lin, your heart is an admirable place to retain such memories!

They were exactly like Woolworths, and Ben Franklin. I remember no Ben Franklins in the Chicago area, though I was not totally enveloped in it as a suburban dweller. Woolworths had  some sort of connection with Kreske's, I remember. We had both around Chicago. 

Keep this stuff in your heart, eh?    imp


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## Ken N Tx (Sep 24, 2015)

I don't recall any G C Murphy in Chicago...


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## jujube (Sep 24, 2015)

We had four major dime stores in my childhood downtown: Kreske, Grant, Woolworth and Murphy.  To me they were paradise on earth.  Oh, the things you could buy for a dime or if you were really flush, a quarter.  Yummy stuff at the lunch counter.  You could get a squirt of perfume for free and sometimes they were handing out samples of stuff.  Free was always good.


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## Linda (Sep 28, 2015)

jujube said:


> We had four major dime stores in my childhood downtown: Kreske, Grant, Woolworth and Murphy.  To me they were paradise on earth.  Oh, the things you could buy for a dime or if you were really flush, a quarter.  Yummy stuff at the lunch counter.  You could get a squirt of perfume for free and sometimes they were handing out samples of stuff.  Free was always good.


 I only recall Grants and Woolworth and as I already mentioned Ben Franklin.  How I loved those stores.


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## Pappy (Sep 28, 2015)

I found a map of their store locations. I don't believe I ever saw one where I lived. Looks they were mostly southwest PA.


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## oldman (Sep 28, 2015)

We had a G.C. Murphy store in the square in downtown York, PA. We also had a W.T Grants and a McCrorys store in the city.


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## imp (Sep 28, 2015)

Now that I see the name, I recall a McCrory's in my hometown. we did not go there often.  imp


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