I often rode the Trailway Bus from Bowling Green to RIchmond to get my braces adjusted. I walked from the Bus Terminal (located where the City Hall is now) to the dentist office near 6th and Franklin. Afterwards, I walked through one of the two big department stores. If Miller & Rhoads, I stopped in the book department which was on the first floor. If Thalhimers, I stopped at the lunch counter on the first floor. If it was lunch time, it was so crowded that I sometimes had to wait behind the stool of a customer who was finishing up. I always ordered the same thing. “May I have a piece of pound cake with ice cream and chocolate sauce?” I can’t remember the cost but I usually had only a few coins with me so I’d guess the price to be less than fifty cents. This was back in the mid 1940s.
– Frances Burch
My family had a very special relationship with Thalhimers. My grandfather was Louis D. Junes and he owned and operated Angelo’s Hot Dogs. When the city of Richmond exercised its right to eminent domain to make way for Sixth Street Marketplace (forcing my grandfather to sell all of the properties he owned along 5th Street including Angelo’s, Pop’s Lunch, Bunny Cleaners, and an insurance company). Mr. Thalhimer came into the restaurant and offered to provide a space in Thalhimers basement to reopen Angelo’s! All of the store fixtures were removed and — with great fanfare — “The Famous Hot Dog King” came back to life in the basement of the most wonderful department store in the whole world! They even opened a smaller Angelo’s at Thalhimers Westmoreland. Thank you again Thalhimers for all that you did to preserve a wonderful Richmond landmark restaurant!!!
– Kathy Hoffarth Pantele
Got a Thalhimers story? Share it! Just click “Leave a Comment” below and type away.
Thalhimers storytime, Part One.
August 25, 2010 by findingthalhimers
13 Responses
Leave a Reply
Finding Thalhimers Blogs
-
Join 262 other subscribers
Blog Stats
- 201,870 hits
Share this blog
Join our Facebook page
Finding Thalhimers 
I worked at Thalhiimers during the late 60’s and 70’s. Once I worked in Santaland and it is a memory straight out of a movie. The decorations were so elegant and larger than anything I had ever seen (before people had gigantic blow up things in their yard). After my shift one night and all the customers were gone, Santa let me sit on his lap and take a picture. I was 18 – I still have the picture. What great memories.
I was first person to wear the Snow Bear costume. I was working in Special Events & modeled it for the execs. I also wore it to Thalhimers Westmoreland one night & gave out candy. I talk about this on You Tube (under my own name).
I grew up with Thalhimers (Broad Street) as my Grandmother, Annie Mae Schwartz, worked there for 40 years. When I could drive to Richmond on my own, my first stop was always the Thalhimers China Department because she was always there. She told lots of stories of Mr. Thalhimer and I’m assuming she was referring to your great-grandfather (when I would say, “Which one?” She would answer, “The *old* man”).
I’ve got loads of Thalhimers memorabilia cause I eventually moved into Granny’s house. Most special to me is her charm bracelet with each of her Old Timer charms and one of her name badges.
She really adored her last “boss” in the China Department who was a neighbor of mine in the fan and whose name I’ve forgotten. Hoping to see him at the reunion tomorrow.
Anyway, I wanted you to know that Thalhimers afforded me many fond memories (Snow Bear–Christmas!) and I teared up when I drove by the wrecking ball.
Help!! I am on the search for the candy we used to buy when we went to see Santa (Mr. Rose as we called him).
The candy was a ball of white sugar that melted in your mouth but it would last allllll day! I think I remember a nut or something in the center.
If anyone remembers what they are called, or where I can find some – I would LOVE to gift them to the family this year.
Thank You,
SP
Hello Stewart Pillow. I am looking for the same sugar candy. There was a nut in the center. If you find any information on them please let me know. I know it’s been awhile since your post. Thank you!
Wow! I forgot I even posted on here! I finally found them last Christmas. They are called Cream Fillberts and I bought them from the Vermont Country Store.
http://m.vermontcountrystore.com/productDetails/?id=143344275&keyword=&indexPosition=2&
Thank you so much for the information! My family used to take my cousin and me downtown on the bus (haha) and we’d eat at the Miller & Rhoads Tea Room and get the candy from Thalhimers. I really miss those great days, but hope you have a wonderful Christmas! Thanks!
You’re so welcome!!! 🙂 don’t eat too many, making up for lost years doesn’t seem to have a great effect on the stomach. 🙂 not that it stopped my mom and me when they came hahaha
My great-aunt (Beulah Reynolds) started working at Thalhimer’s as a young girl in the hosiery department and retired from there many, many years later. They brought in a “yankee” manager from New York that wanted things run a certain way; with emphasis being placed on product sales and not customer service. Well, one day this little old woman came in, very sweet and very soft spoken. She had a bunch of hose stuffed in her pocketbook and asked to see Miss Reynolds. The manager replied that Miss Reynolds was busy but that he would help her. The lady insisted that no, she would wait for Miss Reynolds. The manager became belligerent and repeated that he would help her. Meanwhile, my aunt was frantically trying to wave him down and get him to stop. It didn’t work. The old woman pulled out probably four pair of hose that had obviously been worn and had runs and informed the manager that Miss Reynolds would always exchange them for her. The manager again became quite irritated, told the old woman off and sent her off in tears, with her mumbling something about needing to speak with her son. After my aunt finished with her current customer, she walked over to her manager and informed him that he may as well start clearing his stuff out b/c he had just made William B. Thalhimer’s mother cry.
Oh my gosh, Tracey! What a colorful story. Thank you so much for sharing!
Tracey, my father looked up Beulah Reynolds in the Old Timers’ directories, and found that she retired from Thalhimers in 1968 after 45 years of service. (WOW!)
Aunt Beulah never stopped talking about her days at Thalhimers. I truly believe they were some of the best of her life. If you ever happen to come across any photo of her, I would love to see it. She never married and used to joke that she was married to Thalhimers! lol. Thanks for looking her up as I was unsure when she’d retired!
Hopefully you’re able to see this image of Beulah in the 1968 Old Timers’ directory (which can also be found at the VA Historical Society).