Sanger–Harris
Sanger–Harris was a department store chain from 1961 to 1987. It was formed by Federated Department Stores in 1961 from two Dallas chains, Sanger Brothers and A. Harris and Co., that dated from the 19th century. The firm merged with the chain Foley's in 1987.
History
Sanger–Harris of Dallas, Texas, was the result of the 1961 merger of then four-unit Sanger Brothers Dry Goods Company of Dallas, founded in 1868 by the five Sanger brothers and acquired by Federated Department Stores in 1951; and the two-unit A. Harris and Company of Dallas, founded in 1887 and acquired by Federated in 1961.In 1965 the company built a new downtown Dallas store to replace the flagship stores of the two companies and, so the business legend goes, turned down the opportunity to move into a new shopping center called NorthPark Center. During the late 1970s, the chain dropped the hyphen between 'Sanger' and 'Harris', and continued as an upper-moderate shopping destination. In January 1987 it was merged into the Foley's division.
Architecture
Sanger–Harris stores are known for their column and mosaic architecture. The first building to feature the white columns and mosaic is the Downtown Dallas store. The Sanger–Harris branch stores that were built after 1965 all feature this design. The mosaic is now hidden on Sanger–Harris Building in Downtown Dallas but the white columns are still visible and the building is still a Downtown Dallas landmark. Most of the former Sanger–Harris branch stores still feature this design today.Locations
Early stores in operation by 1961
| Downtown Elm St./Lamar St./Main St. block Dallas | 1870s-1965 | This store was open until the new replacement Sanger–Harris location opened at Pacific/Akard in 1965; this building is now the El Centro College campus of the Dallas County Community College District | |
| Downtown Main and Akard St. Dallas | ?-1965 | This store was open until the new replacement Sanger–Harris location opened at Pacific/Akard in 1965; it is now an apartment building | |
| A. Harris Center Beckley Ave. at Kiest Blvd. Dallas | ?-1975 | This store was retained as a Sanger–Harris location until the opening of the Red Bird Mall location; it is now Nolan Estes Plaza, part of the Dallas Independent School District | |
| Highland Park Village Highland Park | |||
| Big Town Mesquite | |||
| Preston Center Dallas | |||
| Plymouth Park Irving |
Stores operating by 1987
| - | ||||
| Downtown Pacific and Akard St. Dallas | 1965-1987 | Foley's retained this location until it closed in 1990; it is now the headquarters for Dallas Area Rapid Transit | - | |
| Highland Park Village Highland Park | 1961-1987 | This location was retained by Foley's, the building was later a Sakowitz location, now other retailer occupy the space | - | |
| Big Town Mesquite | 1961-1987 | This location closed after the Foley's merger; it was torn down when the mall was razed | - | |
| Preston Center Dallas | 1961-1987 | Foley's retained this location until they moved to NorthPark Center; now subdivided with multiple tenants | - | |
| Plymouth Park Irving | 1961-1987 | This location was closed ; the property was sold to a neighboring church and the building was later razed | - | |
| Six Flags Mall Arlington | 1970-1987 | Foley's ended up closing this location, which was torn down in late 2016 along with much of the mall property | "Dead Mall" tours: , , | - |
| Town East Mesquite | 1971-1987 | Foley's retained this store, which is now a Macy's | - | |
| Valley View Center Dallas | 1973-1987 | Foley's, and later Macy's retained this location initially, it has since closed and is being demolished as of 2017 | - | |
| Southwest Center Dallas | 1975-1987 | This location was retained by Foley's and Macy's until 2017 when the store closed | - | |
| Hulen Mall Fort Worth | 1977-1987 | This location was retained by Foley's and Macy's | - | |
| North Hills Mall North Richland Hills | 1979-1987 | Foley's closed this location when it moved to nearby North East Mall, building was torn down when mall property was razed | - | |
| Collin Creek Mall Plano | 1980-1987 | This location was retained by Foley's and Macy's until 2017 when the store closed | October 2019, it was demolished in a new development replacing the mall. | |
| Sanger Harris Plaza Tyler | 1982-1987 | This location was retained by Foley's and Macy's until 2017 when the store closed | - | |
| Southroads Tulsa | ?-1987 | This location was retained by Foley's initially, but the store and mall were torn down and the property redeveloped; Foley's relocated to Promenade Mall across the street | - | |
| Woodland Hills Tulsa | 1982-1987 | This location was retained by Foley's and Macy's | - | |
| Crossroads Oklahoma City | ?-1987 | Foley's, and later Macy's retained this location, but it has since closed, now is vacant | - | |
| Quail Springs Oklahoma City | 1980-1987 | Foley's, and later Macy's retained this location until 2016, now is closed | 2017 it was demolished with a Lifetime Fitness building on its location. | |
| Foothills Tucson | 1982-1987 | Retained by Foley's initially, mall now repurposed with outlets | - | |
| El Con Tucson | 1985-1987 | Retained by Foley's initially, later a Robinsons-May, then a Macy's, now demolished | - | |
| Tucson Mall Tucson | 1982-1987 | Retained by Foley's initially, later a Robinsons-May, now a Macy's | - | |
| Coronado Center Albuquerque | 1984-1987 | Foley's initially retained this store, later closed the store, then returned still later to another space in the mall; now this location is a JCPenney | - |
In popular culture
- In early episodes of Dallas, the downtown Dallas store was used for filming in two different storylines:
- In the 1986 movie True Stories, a fashion show takes place at the mall in Virgil, Texas. As the scene is about to begin, the camera pans by a mall's exterior. A Sanger–Harris store building can be seen, among others. This exterior actually belonged to Big Town Mall in Mesquite.
- During Dallas showings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, audience members would sing the Sanger–Harris jingle "You can always tell a Sanger Harris man". This was done when Dr. Frank-N-Furter came down the elevator in heels and fishnet stockings.
- Prank call comedian Lucius Tate often pretended to be a collection agent from Sanger–Harris when calling his victims.
Archived TV ads