The Exciting Anchorage, Alaska Woolworth Grand Opening

Do you remember the Anchorage Woolworth Grand Opening?

by Mary Jane Dougherty

My entire family went to Woolworth's Grand Opening in Anchorage when I was in grade school.

That was back in the 60s.

Woolworth's was just a few doors down from the 4th Ave Theater, and that made it a happening place to go.

As I walked into Woolworth's for the first time, I got an eyeful of the café on the left, makeup and school supplies in the middle, and my favorite aisle… the toy section.

The grand opening was very crowded, and I had a lot of fun walking around with my father, “Big Sammy.” He said we could walk down each aisle together and look for something that I would like to buy. We even walked downstairs, where the home furnishings and the clothes were located.

After walking back upstairs, I ran into my school friends, and they were having as much fun as my father and me. My mom and brothers and sister were also scattered throughout the store, and I wondered what their first purchase would be.

After pushing my way through the crowd as I walked down the toy aisle about half a dozen times, my decision was made. I kinda wished I kept what I bought because I see it now in our antique stores. For some reason, when I was a young girl, I loved miniatures or tiny things. I still do.

What I found in the toy section of Anchorage's Woolworth on that grand opening day was a small Barnyard-decorated oval lunch box with a matching thermos. It was small and cute!

My father asked if I was certain that was what I wanted. I smiled and happily answered yes.

That was such a fun day at our new Anchorage Woolworth's. I remember that I couldn't wait to get home and use my small lunch box.

Later, when I was back home, I went into the kitchen, poured hot chocolate in my thermos, packed graham crackers in wax paper, and placed them in my small new Barnyard lunch box.

Then, I went into the living room, turned on the television, sat down on the couch, and put my lunch box on the coffee table. Then I opened up my small lunchbox and poured my hot chocolate out of my small thermos into the cup.

The Anchorage Woolworth's store became a meeting place for me and my school friends during my growing-up years, and by gosh, their chocolate ice cream sundaes were the best!

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