I like your concept just fine. Maybe the store could be called Made in America with a section for "washables." Then we could add a section called "no resin allowed" where decorative items are made of wood, glass, porcelain, etc., but not resin.

A store that sold wood tissue box covers, wastebaskets, and small dresser trays of various sizes that could be painted in a choice of about 200 colors.

Now we're on to something!

I would add a fully customizable print or stripe on shower curtains to that list.

...was a real old-fashioned department store.

So you could go to one store for fabric, dress patterns, sewing notions, pots and pans, clothes, stationery, plates, hats, furniture, table silver, washing machines, rugs, wallpaper, costume jewelry, face powder, picture frames, a manicure, and lunch.

Then you'd go home with your small packages, and the truck would come in the afternoon with all your things.

And please don't tell me that now it's called The Mall.
Even there, you can't find all those things without running all over hell and gone.

LOL bronwynsmom. I'm reading w/o my glasses and I thought you said "The Mail" (which is where I do most of my shopping).

seagrass

Seagrass, you're so right.
I've been catalog-friendly for a long time, and the internet is my downtown bus.

Quote from bronwynsmom (I would like a store that) ...was a real old-fashioned department store.

So you could go to one store for fabric, dress patterns, sewing notions, pots and pans, clothes, stationery, plates, hats, furniture, table silver, washing machines, rugs, wallpaper, costume jewelry, face powder, picture frames, a manicure, and lunch.

Then you'd go home with your small packages, and the truck would come in the afternoon with all your things.

When I read this I immediately thought of the Bay which is Canada's leading department store. It's part of Hudson's Bay Company which began in the 1600's and is the oldest company in North America and originally purchased furs from the early explorers to Canada. Today's Bay department stores in large cities are wonderful stores to shop in and I believe would have everything you mention altho their home decor section is not as extensive as I'd like to see.

I love the idea of a "Washables" store. Most of what I buy is washable but it would be nice not to have to constantly check the labels.

Since I'm in Canada I'd like to see an "Everything Canadian Store" with eco-friendly products. It would sell only quality handmade home decor and furniture. It's why I like shopping at the large juried craft fairs as there are often those unique decorative items one can't find elsewhere. Unfortunately they are only held a couple of times a year.

I like the Washables idea so long as they are also Non-shrinkables!

Luckygal, my mother in law spent her whole working life at the Bay!

Toward the end of her life, after she had retired, she just hated the way department stores had started understaffing, under-training, and overstocking everything.

I would like a store offering upholstered pieces, pillows, rugs, curtains and shower curtains, napkins, towels, and such in hundreds - no, make that thousands (billions!) of colors and patterns, not just in what I think of as the muddy, dull Pottery Barn palette.

Of course, since this store would require many, many thousands of square feet, all the additional rooms and floors would have to expand out into other dimensions. So getting to those other spaces might be a little difficult.

Made bed linens in custom sizes (within reason)...you could pick your own 'queen' size blanket for instance that fit the exact dimensions of your mattress or personal preference for length and width. Same with sheets. I have never seen such variability in sizes when trying to buy a blanket. Some say full/queen and aren't really wide enough for me. Or long enough for that matter. DH recently brought home a queen sheet set that had a king flat sheet in it. Grrrrr!!!

A furniture store that offers quality furniture at REASONABLE prices!

I've been mulling how to phrase this. I'd like a store that adds tags that evaluate item quality by longevity or construction, regardless of price. Kind of like Amazon star ratings or the ratings you see on carpet labels.

I know. That's never going to happen.

Not only do I want a "Washables" but one that makes things that can be washed in warm or above. I'm having a really hard time finding dish clothes/rags that don't say "wash in cold". How the heck do they get sanitized in cold water?

So you could go to one store for fabric, dress patterns, sewing notions, pots and pans, clothes, stationery, plates, hats, furniture, table silver, washing machines, rugs, wallpaper, costume jewelry, face powder, picture frames, a manicure, and lunch.

They have those in France and Italy. One had vinyl by the yard so you could make your own casual tablecloths. A store in Paris even has a hardware store/garden center downstairs.

Has mirrors that don't drop me a size or two, I'm a 12 or a 14, I know it and I can deal with it, but show the garment as it really looks, not distorted to make me look like a size 8.

sandyponder

I, on the other hand, would like a store that SELLS those mirrors.

ALLOWS YOU TO RETURN ANYTHING !!!! --a trial period for furniture clothes etc-just even a short time. Wouldn't that be a DREAMMMMM :)

all the mistakes I've mad on furniture, appliances, kitchen stuff, plants, clothes, cars (lol), ........ seriously, too bad things can't go back and get recycled to be new....maybe in the future.

or maybe 3D holograms of yourself for clothes. that star trek whatever it is called when you go into an exact duplicate of a room, etc so you can see the paint, furniture etc you might want... (yes my husbands a trekkie)
oh yeh, the HOLODECK!!!lol

hate the out the door policy, no returning. :[

has friendly, knowledgeable staff. I mean people who really know about the products they sell and in which aisle to find them - and go with you to answer any questions.

One had vinyl by the yard so you could make your own casual tablecloths. A store in Paris even has a hardware store/garden center downstairs.

Francypants, was this some fancy kind of vinyl? Because almost every hardware store in Canada has vinyl by the metre for tablecloths. And many stores have garden centres. I admit I was impressed with the French hypermarche when we lived in Europe in the 70's - I had never seen a store that large.

While many of these ideas would be very nice most would likely raise prices which most consumers won't tolerate. I've had a store and returns always reduce profits and sometimes even completely negate profits. How many of us are willing to pay more so some people can return a lot of what they buy. Personally I almost never return anything. I just don't buy things I'm not sure of.

Francypants, was this some fancy kind of vinyl? Because almost every hardware store in Canada has vinyl by the metre for tablecloths. And many stores have garden centres. I admit I was impressed with the French hypermarche when we lived in Europe in the 70's - I had never seen a store that large.

I'm not really sure. I had just never seen that in a department store.

is called Boys INC. It would carry quality bedding, room decor, clothing, toys etc all geared towards boys from baby to teen. It is a hunt to find decent stuff for boys, everything is geared towards girls.

"has friendly, knowledgeable staff. I mean people who really know about the products they sell and in which aisle to find them - and go with you to answer any questions."
The closest to that atmosphere would be Trader Joe's.
I guess dept stores can no longer afford to hire caring staff.....for the most part. There are exceptions here and there.
Question: would we be willing to pay more for the good old days?
I shop at tjmaxx / Marshall's to,hunt for bargains ( cole hahn, uggs, etc. great prices)......but am very loyal to nordstrom's , and all because of their service. Love the cafe, and sure wish they were a full dept Store.

Back in the 50's/60's, Mom would shop at a dry goods store in our small town~anyone else remember that? Basically anything made of fabric could be purchased~clothing, gloves/hats, linens, and shoes were also included. Everything was made in the US since that was the way it was in that era. Quality was good as almost everything went thru inspection~a inspector number could usually be found in a pocket or tucked in someplace.

I feel I was very fortunate to experience what many know as the "happy days era", before department stores existed and everything WAS washable. ;o)

I forgot to add~~just about anything could be taked home on approval. No drivers license held, or credit card number taken. If the full amount wasn't paid, you were given credit~credit ratings didn't exist either, nor credit cards. Integrity and honesty were two words everyone knew. Oh for the good 'ol days! ;o)

I'm with Lynxe. The store would be called, "Nothing but Cloth!"

It would have every cloth accessory a house would need. From dishrags to shower curtains, table runners, pillow covers, bed linens, small throw rugs, etc. And material to sew with.