Not Sure How Reliable This Is, But . . .

Devastating Philly Loss: Iconic Store Closing!

Sometimes a store is more than a store. Sometimes when it's a landmark department store -- one that takes up a whole city block -- it's intertwined with the history, the culture and even the well being of a city.

Such is the case with Macy's (formerly Wanamaker's) in center city Philadelphia. Founded by John Wanamaker in 1861, Wanamaker's was one of the first department stores in the United States. And John Wanamaker was one of the city's most prominent and influential citizens. In fact, to this day, his likeness remains in the form of a bronze statue facing the store just outside Philadelphia's City Hall. 

The dramatic grand court of the original Wanamaker store at 13th and Markets streets is a veritable cathedral of commerce. In the center a huge bronze eagle faces the nine-story high Wanamaker pipe organ, the world's largest with 28,000 pipes. Both of these were transported from the St. Louis World's Fair more than 100 years ago.

For generations Philadelphians have gathered at the grand court calling on friends to "meet me at the eagle" and joining with family members for the spectacular Christmas light show in this inspiring public place. Macy's took over Wanamaker's in 2006, condensing the mammoth store but retaining the grand court, daily organ concerts, the light show and other beloved elements.

Now, Macy's, in an ongoing effort to eliminate unproductive stores, has announced the closing of 65 more stores including the center city Philadelphia location. 

This is a tremendous blow to Philadelphia -- a huge, devastating loss for a city that has been on a downhill slide for at least a decade now, if not a lot longer. 

The recently ended Jim Kenney era accelerated the city's decline as Mayor Kenney was a progressive ideologue with a fierce vindictive streak who turned his back on the city's commercial and financial district, paid little heed to business leaders and stood by as crime, violence, homelessness, filth, blight and open air drug markets took over more and more of the city.

Fueling all of it has been Larry Krasner, a criminal-loving district attorney funded by George Soros. Today, Philadelphia is paying the price, not just for Kenney, Krasner and their failures but for more than 70 years of iron clad one-party rule under one Democrat regime after another, largely enforced by union thugs and patronage appointees as much of those who might have led the town out of this morass sat idly by. 

This is the story of nearly all the Democrat-run cities in this country and now Philadelphia can claim the dubious distinction of being right up there with Detroit, San Francisco and Los Angeles among cities that have effectively gone to hell.

How sad!

About That Macy/Wanamaker Philly Light Show . . .

Once again this year, we enjoyed the wonderful Wanamaker's Christmas Light Show at Macy's in Philadelphia.
Yes, to Philadelphians this is still the Wanamaker Light Show even though America's most glorious cathedral of commerce (the old Wanamaker store) is now Macy's.
Well, we're happy to report that Macy's continues to do right by Wanamaker's and by Philadelphia.
The Great Light Show looks better than ever.
How can one possibly explain this show to those who haven't seen it? 
Photos and videos (though we try our best, above) simply do not do it justice. There is nothing like it anywhere in the world. For one thing, the show rises nine stories high in the grandest open court of any store we've ever seen.
The magnificent multi-story Christmas tree is absolutely dazzling. In fact, the lights cover a dazzling ever-changing, living Christmas card.
And the 12-minute show's narrator is still the great Julie Andrews. Though some of you may remember that the show's original narrator was Philly's own revered TV newscaster John Facenda. The man with "the voice of God" can still be heard on old NFL films and he was the voiceover for that franchise for many years.
Anyway, most of the parts of the Macy's show that you remember are still there: Rudolph, Frosty, the Winter Wonderland, the Clock Shop, the Christmas Express. The reindeer have been updated and look wonderful. Also, Marie and the Nutcracker figures from the story remain as part of the panoply. The old incandescent style lights are gone and are replaced by new, more vivid LED lights and colors.
What's important is that Macy's has done a wonderful job with the Light Show and the tree is an absolute joy to behold.
During the light show, more than 100,000 bright, energy-efficient LED lights combine to create fantastic Christmas images. The lighting display is accompanied by festive music from the world-renowned Wanamaker Grand Organ.
The Great Christmas Light Show is a 63-year-old tradition in Philadelphia (a city that cherishes tradition)and it's looking better than ever.
Shows begin on the even-numbered hours starting at 10 am. Store hours vary by day during the holiday season. Call the store directly for exact info: (215) 241-9000.
And, it's great to hear Julie Andrews say "Merry Christmas!"
Macy's Market Street windows also offer wonderful animated figures this year and the Dickens animated Christmas Village on the third floor is as wonderful as ever.
BTW: For many years the store displayed a large lighted message below the Light Show that declared "Merry Christmas" in elaborate script and displayed the time of the next show. We were sorry to see that the "Merry Christmas" greeting and "next show" times are gone.
Once again, we request that Macy's bring back that added touch.

Macy's Philly Christmas Light Show At Wanamaker's

Once again this year, we enjoyed the wonderful Wanamaker's Christmas Light Show at Macy's in Philadelphia.
Yes, to Philadelphians this is still the Wanamaker Light Show even though America's most glorious cathedral of commerce (the old Wanamaker store) is now Macy's.
Well, we're happy to report that Macy's has done right by Wanamaker's and by Philadelphia.
The Great Light Show looks better than ever.
How can one possibly explain this show to those who haven't seen it?
Photos (though we try our best, above) simply do not do it justice. There is nothing like it anywhere in the world.
The magnificent multi-story Christmas tree is back and it's absolutely dazzling. In fact, the lights cover a dazzling nine-story high living Christmas card.
And the 12-minute show's narrator is still the great Julie Andrews.
Most of the parts of the show that you remember are still there: Rudolph, Frosty, the Winter Wonderland, the Clock Shop, the Christmas Express. The reindeer have been updated and look wonderful.  Also, Marie and the Nutcracker figures from the story remain as part of the panoply. The old incandescent style lights are gone and are replaced by new, more vivid lights and colors.
What's important is that Macy's has done a wonderful job with the Light Show and the tree is an absolute joy to behold.
During the light show, more than 100,000 bright, energy-efficient LED lights combine to create fantastic Christmas images. The lighting display is accompanied by festive music from the world-renowned Wanamaker Grand Organ.
The Great Christmas Light Show is a 56-year-old tradition in Philadelphia and it's looking better than ever.
Shows begin on the hour. Store hours vary by day during the holiday season. Call the store directly for exact info: (215) 241-9000.
And, it's great to hear Julie Andrews say "Merry Christmas!"
BTW: For many years the store displayed a large lighted message below the Light Show that declared "Merry Christmas" in elaborate script and displayed the time of the next show. We were sorry to see that the "Merry Christmas" greeting and "next show" times are gone.
Once again, we request that Macy's bring back that added touch.
Photo copyright 2011 by Dan Cirucci.

Happy Birthday To The Wanamaker Organ!

Today marks the 100th birthday/anniversary of the spectacular Wanamaker Organ which occupies the Grand Court of the Macy's (formerly Wanamaker's) store in center city Philadelphia.
Built by the Los Angeles Art Organ Company for the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, the Wanamaker Organ was designed by renowned organ architect George Ashdown Audsley, author of The Art of Organ-Building. This heroic instrument had more than 10,000 pipes, and its construction was on such a lavish scale that costs soared to $105,000, bankrupting the builder.
In 1909, Philadelphia merchant-prince John Wanamaker bought the instrument for his new Philadelphia emporium. Thirteen freight cars were required to ship the entire organ from St. Louis, and installation took two years. The Grand Organ was first heard in the Store's seven-story atrium on June 22, 1911, at the exact moment when England's King George V was crowned at Westminster Abbey. Later that year, it was prominently featured when President William Howard Taft dedicated the Store.

Despite its immense size, the tone was judged inadequate to fill the huge court. Wanamaker's opened a private pipe-organ factory in the Store attic, employing up to 40 full-time employees to enlarge the instrument. William Boone Fleming, the original factory supervisor, was hired to direct the work. Lavish construction and elegant workmanship made the Wanamaker Organ both a tonal wonder and a monument to superb craftsmanship. The largest pipe is made of flawless Oregon sugar-pine three inches thick and more than 32 feet long—so large that a Shetland Pony was once posed inside for publicity photos.

The smallest pipe is a quarter-inch in length. More than 8,000 pipes were added to the Organ between 1911 and 1917, and from 1924 to 1930 an additional 10,000 pipes were installed, bringing the total number of pipes today to 28,500.

Commanding these huge resources is a massive console with six ivory keyboards and 729 color-coded stop tablets. There are 168 piston buttons under the keyboards and 42 foot controls. The console weighs 2.5 tons; the entire instrument weighs 287 tons.

The Friends of the Wanamaker Organ have planned an entire series of special concerts, tours and other events bouilt around the organ's centennial. 

Click here for more information.

Macy's Philly Christmas Light Show At Wanamaker's

Once again this year, we enjoyed the wonderful Wanamaker's Christmas Light Show at Macy's in Philadelphia.
Yes, to Philadelphians this is still the Wanamaker Light Show even though America's most glorious cathedral of commerce (the old Wanamaker store) is now Macy's.
Well, I'm happy to report that Macy's has done right by Wanamaker's and by Philadelphia.

The Great Light Show looks better than ever.

How can one possibly explain this show to those who haven't seen it? Photos (though we try our best, above) simply do not do it justice. There is nothing like it anywhere in the world.

The magnificent three-story Christmas tree is back and it's absolutely dazzling.

And the 12-minute show's narrator is still the great Julie Andrews.
Most of the parts of the show that you remember are still there: Rudolph, Frosty, the Winter Wonderland, the Clock Shop, the Christmas Express. The reindeer have been updated and look wonderful this Christmas. Also, Marie and the Nutcracker figures from the story remain as part of the panoply.

What's important is that Macy's has done a wonderful job with the Light Show and the tree is an absolute joy to behold.
During the light show, more than 100,000 bright, energy-efficient LED lights combine to create fantastic Christmas images. The lighting display is accompanied by festive music from the world-renowned Wanamaker Grand Organ.

The Great Christmas Light Show is a 55-year-old tradition in Philadelphia and it's looking better than ever.
Shows begin on the hour. Store hours vary by day during the holiday season. Call the store directly for exact info: (215) 241-9000. 

And, it's great to hear Julie Andrews say "Merry Christmas!"

BTW: For many years the store displayed a large lighted message below the Light Show that declared "Merry Christmas" in elaborate script and displayed the time of the next show. We were sorry to see that the "Merry Christmas" greeting and "next show" times are gone.
Once again, we request that Macy's bring back that added touch.
Photo copyright 2010 by Dan Cirucci.

Macy's Philly Light Show

Once again this year, we enjoyed the wonderful Wanamaker's Christmas Light Show at Macy's in Philadelphia.

Yes, to Philadelphians this is still the Wanamaker Light Show even though America's most glorious cathedral of commerce (the old Wanamaker store) is now Macy's.

Well, I'm happy to report that Macy's has done right by Wanamaker's and by Philadelphia.

The Great Light Show looks better than ever.

The magnificent three-story Christmas tree is back and it's absolutely dazzling.

And the 12-minute show's narrator is now the great Julie Andrews.
Most of the parts of the show that you remember are still there: Rudolph, Frosty, the Winter Wonderland, the Clock Shop, the Christmas Express. The reindeer have been updated and look wonderful this Christmas. Also, Marie and the Nutcracker figures from the story remain as part of the panoply.

What's important is that Macy's has done a wonderful job with the Light Show and the tree is an absolute joy to behold.
During the light show, more than 100,000 bright, energy-efficient LED lights combine to create fantastic Christmas images. The lighting display is accompanied by festive music from the world-renowned Wanamaker Grand Organ.

The Great Christmas Light Show is a 54-year-old tradition in Philadelphia and it's looking better than ever.
Shows begin on the hour. Store hours vary by day during the holiday season. Call the store directly for exact info: (215) 241-9000.

BTW: For many years the store displayed a large lighted message below the Light Show that declared "Merry Christmas" in elaborate script and displayed the time of the next show. We were sorry to see that the "Merry Christmas" greeting is gone.
Once again, we request that Macy's bring back "Merry Christmas!"

Julie To Philly

The great Julie Andrews will come to Macy's in Center City Philly on Saturday (4/5) to promote her new book, titled Home: A Memoir of My Early Years, and to receive a musical tribute from the Philadelphia Boys Choir and Choral and Peter Richard Conte at the Wanamaker Organ in Macy's Grand Court.
Is there a greater Broadway star that Julie Andrews? Is there a classier star anywhere? Has any other entertainer given more joy to more people in movies, theatre, on recordings and in live performances? If you can name one, please let me know.

We last saw Julie on Broadway when she starred in Victor Victoria and she was wonderful, as always. She is a pro who understands that she always owes the audience her very best and she always delivers. But beyond all that, she's a gracious person who proves that you can be a truly Big Star and still be kind, still care about others and still know who you are and from whence you came.

Julie's memoir recreates her years before the movies, artfully revealing the story of her childhood and upbringing.

The concert salute begins at 11:30 AM and then Andrews signs her book beginning at noon. You must buy the book in advance and only the first 150 purchasers will have their copies signed by Andrews. So, hurry on over to Macy's!