Video Vault: The closing of Halle's in 1982

CLEVELAND - Ask Clevelanders what they remember about the Halle’s department stores and the responses range from higher-end merchandise, personal service to its classic building on Euclid Avenue.

Mister Jingeling appeared at Halle’s on the seventh floor each Christmas season. Santa’s “keeper of the keys” was a holiday tradition at Halle’s up until the downtown store closed in 1982.

According to The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History, Halle’s opened in 1891 and moved to 1228 Euclid Avenue. It expanded to nine stores, being the first of the Cleveland department stores to open a suburban store.

Chicago-based Marshall Field bought Halle’s in 1970 and sold the chain to Columbus businessman Jerome Schottenstein, owner of the Value City discount department stores in 1981.

Much of the video in our player revolves around the closing of the stores in 1982 and attempts to run a pared-down operation.

At the time of the closing, the chain had grown to 15 stores including some in Columbus.

WEWS reporter Paul Meincke did much of our coverage from liquidation sales to the closing of the final Halle’s store in the Westgate Mall.

Exteriors of the Halle’s Building were used in “The Drew Carey Show” as the fictitious Winfrid-Lauder department store. For some time, Carey’s name along with Mimi Bobeck (played by Kathy Kinney) could be found in the building’s directory.