Shoppers seek bargains Saturday as Boston Store winds down

GREENDALE - Elizabeth Stachowiak has been a Boston Store shopper for decades, buying most of her children’s clothes at the Southridge Mall location when they were growing up in the 1980s.

Saturday, she was there for the going-out-of-business sale following the liquidation of parent company Bon-Ton, a department store chain that also includes Younkers and Carson’s.

It was about 10 a.m. and traffic was light at the Southridge anchor tenant where the discounts were a modest 10% to 30% on all merchandise, not much different than its typical sales.

Stachowiak, from Franklin, recalled better times when Boston Store was bustling and customer service was exceptional.

“My husband would get his suits here, and they tailored things,” she said.

Like many people, though, she now does most of her shopping online.

“And it’s not Amazon,” she said.

Overhead signs everywhere in the store made it clear that this was the end of the line. All sales were final. No checks. Cash, debit and credit cards only. 

“I am sad. I shopped here a lot over the years,” Stachowiak said, adding that on Saturday she was looking for clothes and “whatever deals” she could find. 

Her daughter, Elise Gordon, grew up with Boston Store.

“It’s sad that it’s going away. I am also worried about what this whole area will turn into,” Gordon said, referencing Northridge Mall in Brown Deer, where the last store closed in 2003.

“It seems like we are going to have another Northridge,” Gordon said.

RELATED:Downtown Milwaukee Boston Store building owners shift to Plan B with Bon-Ton shutting down

Some shoppers said they would miss the convenience of Boston Store because they like to try clothes on before buying them, and that's something they can't do with an online retailer like Amazon. 

“I understand where the value of online shopping comes in, but it’s not my style,” said Daniel McFarlane of Franklin.

Other shoppers said they wouldn't miss the big department store. 

It's a little bit expensive, said Victor Centeno of Milwaukee, and it often doesn't have what he's looking for. 

“I am surprised that it’s closing though, as it always seemed pretty busy,” he said.

Delores Dowling said she’s been shopping at Boston Store for many years and before that she was a regular at Gimbels Department Stores that shut down in the 1980s.

“Changing times, I suppose. I wonder what this place will be like without Boston Store,” Dowling said.

She doesn’t shop online at all, preferring stores where she can see and touch the merchandise before making a buying decision. 

“You got the young ones online and us oldsters coming to the stores,” she said.