Tales of Philly Sales

Greyhound BUs Station, Binghamton, NY

During this last week I had a great conversation with someone I met on Facebook who lives in the Charlotte area but grew up, as I did, in Binghamton, New York. We got to reminiscing about some things that are no longer in the area, such as the signs at Walter’s Shoe Store and Elgin Rugs, and stuff every good Binghamtonian should know, such as where to get the best spiedie.

Asking yourself, what’s a spiedie? The native food of Binghamton. The nectar of the gods. That which I must eat every few months or so or I start to twitch. More here…

So in amongst the conversation was a mention of Philadelphia Sales Company. Alas, I have no pictures of this place, since it closed before I ever owned a camera, but it’s an important component of why I do what I do. While I tell you all about it, I’ll scatter in some pictures of other Binghamton landmark signs I did manage to get in time.

Greyhound Station, Binghamton, NYGreyhound Station (restored), Binghamton, NY

Philadelphia Sales Company, or Philly Sales as they were more commonly known, was the Wal-Mart before there was Wal-Mart. They had everything for less and you didn’t question its origins. Four floors of random stuff from ball gloves to fabrics. The building it was housed in was not in the best neighborhood, and when you entered from the parking lot, you were greeted by the view of the back side of some ancient tenements which had somehow managed to stay upright despite seventy or more brutal winters.

The original entrance was essentially through a narrow shed at the front and right of the building. During the winter this became a dirty, sloshy, claustrophobic mess, but once inside, you were rewarded with the smell of popcorn. Philly Sales had an old popcorn popper and they kept it in the entrance, and if you grew up in the are in the 60s and 70s, this is a grand memory. To tell the truth, I can only recall getting the popcorn once or twice, but the aroma was overwhelming, cheering, warming on a chilly day.

Red Oak Diner Sign, Binghamton, NYRed Oak Diner, Binghamton, NY

The building itself was a marvel. What it housed prior to Philly Sales is unknown to me, but it certainly never looked like it was meant to be a department store. There were steps in odd places. Some sections were cavernous, others were laughingly small. The first floor, past the popcorn machine and all the candy a child could ever want, was a section of glassware. Midway along this area of glassware was a sign telling you to “Watch Your Head.” And they meant it. At this point, the builders, tired of high ceilings, decided to lower the ceiling to child level. I’m guessing it was five and a half feet from the ground, because my mother could enter without bending, but at a certain age, I could not. It was a proud day the moment my hair touched that ceiling. A rite of passage. Some people have bar mitzvahs, I had this.

Competition KItchens and Baths neon sign, BInghamton, NYCompetition Kitchens, Binghamton, NY

To get upstairs, you had several options. Staircases seemed to appear out of nowhere. I swear there was one that went from the fourth floor to the third that had been a secret passageway. But each staircase had something special: an indoor neon sign with an arrow, lighting the way. “THIS WAY TO THE THIRD FLOOR.” These signs were relics even in the seventies. I’d like to think somebody has them somewhere.

There was neon sign outdoors as well, on Clinton Street, which was technically its address, although hardly anyone ever entered from that side.

Ellis Brothers Furniture neon sign, Binghamton, NYEllis Brothers Furniture, Binghamton, NY

My family has a friend who worked there for a period of time. She said that there was definitely a sitcom that could have been based on that place, and that her boss could have been played by Don Knotts. The crazy tales she told only added to the place’s slapstick allure. We went frequently.

And then Wal-Mart burst forth from the South, rendering it irrelevant. At the time, we welcomed the colossus in, somehow never dreaming that this old wacky place had created such fond memories. For instance, Phily Sales had a bin of white tube socks. Fifteen feet by nine. You could jump in it if you needed to hide from danger. No one ever needed that many white tube socks, but they had them in case you did.

It’s odd to think of a place I know so well no longer exists. The whole building is gone now, and a new one in its place. It makes me sad that I don’t have a picture of it, but maybe that makes the memory stronger.

Anybody else have tales of Philly Sales? I’d love to hear them.

Addendum: Recently I found this picture from the Clinton Street entrance. I’m not sure who took it or when it was taken, but it looks like it was taken after it closed.

Philadelphia Sales

69 thoughts on “Tales of Philly Sales”

    1. The Wall O’ Jeans was another good highlight of that store. I have a vivid memory of the back wall of the second floor being a maddening series of stacked, stiff, dark blue denim. I also forgot to mention the hand drawn signs…they had someone on-staff who hand-lettered all of their pricing signs in a terrific sign-painter style. Another fantastic part of that grand old store.

  1. So happy to find this post. I just found a big box of Care Bear books in folk’s house from early 80s that were all purchased at Philly Sales – I reviewed these with joy tonight with my 92 year old Grandma, who lived in Maine (I grew up in Apalachin) and would take me to Philly Sales to wander (trying to figure out the exact location, Endicott for sure) and buy me one of these special books for a treat. I was young, but I remember the experience very fondly, and remember that sign Watch your head too and going down to the basement! So much fun and exploration.

    1. That’s terrific! So glad I could stir up some memories…

      So, wow! I didn’t even know there was an Endicott location until I looked it up. It was on Harrison Avenue. I was only familiar with the Clinton Street Binghamton location and the one in Johnson City. What was the one in Endicott like?

      1. It was great! Very similar to what you describe. It’s really crazy to think of it being gone 🙁 So many happy childhood memories in that area in general. I’ve been gone for 20 years now and so much has happened… the floods being the biggest thing. Breaks my heart and having had a idyllic childhood, I can’t even imagine going through that!

      2. For a few years as a kid, we lived on the street behind Phillies (Cleveland Ave) and were in and out quite a bit. It was a rather large multi-floor store, which was quite a place for the village of Endicott.
        When I think of old classic toys, I saw them there.

  2. I was trying to tell some folks at work about this store but couldn’t remember the name. Had to ask my mom. I knew she would remember it. Such fond memories.

  3. wow i remember that place well it was definitly a childs wonderland, toys , candy and of course the popcorn in those long tube like bags. its a shame family places like that don’t survive in todays market, if anybody missed the opportunity to go and shop or just look around you wouldnt have believed all the cool stuff. its sadly missed.

    1. I at least wish the building was still standing. It might be foolish to think that place would survive now, but I would love to be able to go in there once again, even if everything were cleared out of it. I also want to know if anyone saved any of the neon signs…so far no one has come forward to mention it to me…

      1. A friend of mine who lived a couple of buildings away from Philly’s told me that she could get the sign for me if I wanted it. Sadly, living in a NYC apartment, I had nowhere to put it and I couldn’t afford to store it either. My friend was able to scoop up a handful of the broken cobalt blue glass from the facade for me. I keep it in a jar labeled with a couple of old price tags from things I bought there long ago. I don’t know what ultimately became of the sign. Best store ever. You could buy vintage collectible holiday decorations that they kept putting out every year until they were sold, sometimes without even raising the prices for inflation. I have Halloween candy holders that sell for $75 and upwards that I paid $o.19 for at Philly’s.

  4. As a young boy we use to go there to the Clinton St location to buy matchbox cars, planet of the apes figures. The smell of popcorn as soon as you walk in was great and to the right they had glassware and knick knacks was were we bought all the things for moms birthday and all holidays. It really was an odd building w uneven floors and stairs. I remember during winter they would have a bin full of gloves. They were all mixed up but if you find the matching glove you got them for a dollar.lol funny stuff there.

    1. Oh, that’s awesome about the gloves! The Clinton Street one was the one I was most familiar with, and I must admit I bought a few matchbox cars there. I remember they were in a little nook by the Clinton Street entrance, and to get a good look at their selection, you had to walk back there sideways to fit yourself in there.

  5. It was the best place to get Chuck Taylors! Back when they were still made in the USA.

    I think the building was actually two buildings put together. Remember where the floor changed and went up, like a ramp? That place was a hugely dangerous wonderland.

    1. It seemed like more than three buildings smashed together! OSHA nightmare, to be sure. It seemed like every section was on a different level…I think that ramp was on the second floor?

  6. Deja Vu!

    I totally forgot about the popcorn – thanks for the memory!

    Seems like there was a Philly Sales closer to JC (can’t recall what street it was on).

    Loved that place – prehistoric Walmart to be sure.

    1. The JC Philly Sales…are you thinking the one just off the traffic circle? I only went in there a handful of times. That was a totally weird building, too. One big open space, and then there were odd tendrils and hallways in the back, almost more like a flea market than a department store…

  7. When my sister and I visited our Grandmother from Brooklyn, the only time she let us out of her sight was when we went to Philly Sales! We loved that place! We would go from the first floor to the second, gathering our goodies.

    1. Ah, Philly Sales was a wonderland for a kid. So many places to play hide and seek. I remember on many occasions going there and an impromptu game would start up.

  8. Thank you for posting this! I still have friends in the First Ward. When they tore down the Philly Sales building, one of them gathered up some of the broken glass that made up the border around the second floor facade. I always thought the glass was black but it’s actually a dark cobalt blue. I keep it in a jar as a memento and I’ve been looking for a photo to use as a label. I’m glad I finally found one! I loved shopping at this store because they never seemed to throw out old holiday stock. They just kept putting it out year after year until it sold. I bought many vintage items there, new and in perfect condition. Whenever I smell popcorn I think of shopping with my grandmother, who could usually be persuaded to buy me some little thing from the wonderful toy department. I could go on and on but I’ll spare you. 😉

  9. Worked at Binghamton Phillies during high school and all through college. They always gave us work hours whether it be summer or school breaks. “Buy out” sales were a main stay in addition to first quality goods. Many of us, who worked there, formed life long bonds and are still friends and in touch with one another today. Phillies was a family. Stories too numerous to tell but, those of us who worked “the back door” loved the popcorn, and somedays it was hard to keep up with customer demand. Our least favorite activity…..cleaning the machine at the end of every day!! 😁

  10. My father-in law Joseph Stein, and his partner Sam Jablon started Phillys in 1933, when they bought a silk hosiery outlet. My husband and I came here in 1960. There were several stores already here. Clinton Street, Johnson City, where Mains used to be on Grand Ave., and a small store in Waverly, NY. Alan Jablon, Sam Jablon’s nephew managed the JC Store. My husband Steve was in the Clinton Street store. Steve worked 5 nights and 7days a week, and was the best employer. He kept 200 people working when things got rough with Walmart store opening up. He employed a lot of workers from the first ward. All my children worked there since they were 15
    Just a little insight to a historical business
    Francine Stein

    1. Thank you so much, Francine! It breaks my heart that the store is no longer there. It provided so many memories and touched so many people in ways that a Wal-Mart or any other national chain store could never do. I only wish I could have met your husband to thank him.

    2. I frquented the Waverly store as a child. That store was the highlight of the Waverly business district on Broad Street. We used to call it the Philly Dilley Swap Shop. That store, too, was somewhat cavernous and irregular, with a large portion of the sales floor in the basement.

  11. Francine, so nice to see your post. I worked there on an off over several years thanks to Steve. He started out as a friend of my cousin, ended up as my part time employer thru the early 70’s while in college. Worked the ladies department when the snakes took up residence, worked a few weeks making those old printed block price tags, and a few other spots around the store. Wonderful store, wonderful man to work for.

  12. thank u for this blast from the past,i clothed my kids from philly sales,for years they had care bear jogging sets and we bought lots…plus so many other items…like I said I clothed my kids from philly sales,as did my grandparents and parents clothed me and my sister from philly sales..when it closed I was so sad ..loved philly sales…had forgotten about the smell of pop corn so that brought back memories to…I frequented the philly sales in Endicott,and waverly….loved this article..thank u….

  13. I remember being a kid in the early 90’s at the tail end of the great Phila. Sales, going there to buy dart guns with the orange rubber darts. I vividly remenber the smell of popcorn as was previously mentioned. Couldn’t quite put the scent to the source, but bam! There it is. Just to add a few more historical places of binghamton Naneries on clinton st. also the Grand Union supermarket that was once in the Binghamton/Kmart plaza. #northsidekid

  14. was doing upholstery at the time and philly always had odd lots of rolls of material It was inexpensive good quality stuff Miss the store

  15. Was at a High School football game tonight an hour and a half north of Binghamton and we were chatting about how fast kids grow and a friend mentioned she grew up in Binghamton and remembers going to EJs sales for school shoes and then I said I grew up there too and remembered going to Philly Sales and we had brief Binghamton bonding moment. Some of my Aunts worked there (and next door (?) at Olums) so it was an extra special place to go for me. It got me thinking about what happened to Philly Sales so I Googled it and this article popped up, great stuff!

  16. Loved shopping here with my Mother . Always find a bargain! The popcorn machine is still charming customers at a place called Windy Hill Candle Factory & Candy Outlet. They make fabulous jar candles & have all the nostalgic “penny candy” from the past, plus every Monopoly game ever invented. On Rt. 79 near Chenango Valley State Park.
    Philly’s let us afford great clothes because of the buyout sales. Loved the shoes and fabric & notions on top floor. Wonderful people.Thanks for memories

  17. My dad worked at Ansco right near there. He would take us on the weekend to look around get popcorn. Makes me sad. Wonderful memories with my father.

  18. I lived in Endicott back in 1992 and remember the first time I discovered Philadelphia Sales. Located at 225 Harrison Avenue, it was my favorite place to go for some great discount shopping! It really was a fantastic place to spend a few hours! Sadly, the business closed in 1998, but the building still remains and is now home to an indoor golf facility.

    1. I’ve often wondered what happened to the one in Endicott. As a kid, we lived behind it on Cleveland Ave, but we moved out towards Maine in the late seventies.
      My favorite memories of Phillies was that was where I saw many toys destined to become classics, such as Pet Rocks. They had a massive display there. Also the Six Million Dollar Man action figure. Oh! And Big Wheels galore in their parking lot!

  19. I still have a pair of ear protection with the Philadelphia sales name on them I used to work at that store as a security guard, was one of the neatest places in Binghamton.

  20. We lived in Cortland and my grandmother would go down to Bing on weekends to shop at Philly Sales. I barely remember parking in back, creaky wood floors, ramps and stairways, and the popcorn. She would get all our clothes there, and everything else too. Then eating at a nearby diner that was great. This was ‘68-‘72 or so, I was too little to remember the diners name. Def remember going down a little hill and parking out back of Philly Sales. Am I correct on that?

  21. I would mainly go to the one on Harrison Ave., but occasionally I’d hit the one on Grand Ave. as well. When I was growing up, it was one of the main places my mother would take us kids clothes shopping (along with Sugermans (sp?)). I still have a wind-up pocket watch I bought there and I wish I’d bought a bunch more (you just can’t find wind-up watches — and especially not at that price).

  22. My mother was from Binghamton and when we visited my grandmother in the 80s we would inevitably end up going to Philly Sales for clothes. I have a feeling that we went to the JC location but I was too young to know. Pretty sure they had a popcorn machine there as well. I was always impressed by how weird the building was. It didn’t make any sense! There was a room with a super low ceiling and stairs in weird locations. I didn’t mind going, it was a much more interesting place than any mall store!

    1. That kind of sounds like the Binghamton (Clinton Street) location? The JC location, as I recall, was a lot more spread out and had all sorts of weird tendrils of hallways. I don’t even know if that one had a second floor. The Binghamton one had four floors and the staircases that seemed to pop up out of nowhere. It also had the super low ceiling in the back of the first floor, where they kept a lot of glassware and pottery if I seem to remember right.

  23. Loved Phillies. My mom would take us clothes and shoe shopping. G rest place to buy winter boots. She said the fabric department was great especially at Clinton street.

    1. The “wall of denim” was a highlight of that store. It seemed like they had cornered the market on raw denim fabric. I remember trying on a pair of jeans in there that could have stood up on their own.

  24. Great place. Always went there when I was home visiting. Remember there was always a guy named Gordon Gurney being paged. Never met him, but he must have been very important.

  25. Tears are coming to my eyes, reading through all of these wonderful memories. Thank you for your article. I only lived in Binghamton for a few years in the late 80s and early 90s, but Philadelphia Sales was one of my very favorite places to go. Especially on a hot summer day, it was like going to a museum for me. I always knew there would be new things to discover. I don’t think I ever left there without at least a piece of fabric, an odd dish, or a new pair of colorful socks. Thank you everyone for sharing your stories.

  26. Hi! Happy to hear all the memories. I was a young teen living in Vestal and we went to Philly Sales pretty regularly. They would buy out the coolest stuff. You could sometimes find very high end and unusual clothing. One time, I bought a really fantastic designer flowing “Green Goddess” gown to wear for Halloween. I think I was mother earth or something. It was a magical place and you never knew what amazing thing would turn up next. Happy to have had the experience. And if todays kids only have Walmart, that is a loss. Love to all who shared their memories here. Thanks so much!!

    Debby (Rowley) Leschyn

  27. I bought a lot of clothes there. Yes, the place always smelled of popcorn. Top designer clothing at bargain basement prices, usually with the designer label cut off, but not always. My wife worked there for a Summer. Steve Stein was the owner. Great guy, but high strung from what I remember of him.

    Steve used to let me go into a special room where all new clothes came in and pick whatever I wanted to buy before labels got cut off and sent to the sales floor. I got the best designer clothes that way.

    I used to get the same privilege at the Enicott store. Used to enjoy going through the antique and junk stores all over Clinton Street. I see with great interest that Binghamton finally removed the graffiti that was on the wall of the overpass leading into Clinton street that always said, Stop the world, I want to get off. How many years was that there?

    I left the area in 1989 and have never found the time to go back. Each time I move, it’s further down south. I do miss the speidis. I occassionally make them and have even found the marinade here in Virginia up until about 5 years ago. Now I just make the marinade myself.

  28. Candyland/windy hill candle factory has the old Philly’s popcorn machine and the popcorn tastes just like I remember!

  29. At the time I worked for IBM when shirt and tie were required.

    Every trip back to Binghamton I made sure to stop by the Clinton St. store to pick up another tie for $0.99. Just imagining the variety it would add!

    Now Phillys is gone and so is my job at IBM. Two relics of what the Triple Cities had to offer.

    My tie collection is still here. Some patterns, some wide, some narrow and nowhere to wear them.

    Just seeing the Philly’s ad in the paper made you want to stop in and wonder what you might find.

    Walmart cannot offer what Phillys did and the memory of the Clinton St, JC and Endicott stores will be something I will always cherish.

    My mom used to joke when she retired she wanted the job at Phillys to go around and dust things with a feather duster. Never got to do that and both are now just past memories.

  30. 🙂 I lived in one of those run down houses facing the parking lot. Now I search ebay for all the stuff that I could have gotten from Philly sales….it was definitely the best part of the neighborhood!

  31. In the mid 1970s I was a security guard, female, for about 6 months. I did catch a few shoplifters. I remember the gun/hunting department on the first floor, the jewelry department by the Clinton St. entrance, the baby department, etc. Bargains! The employees were all so nice. They used a pricing system that showed on EACH tag the real price they paid by a code. My mom and I bought fluffy, thick blanket/throws that we still have to this day…and they look great! The paint department was tucked into a dark corner, and there were paint stains on the floor.

  32. Wow! I remember this store so…well! I bought the material for my entire wedding party bridesmaids dresses and my wedding dress as well. They had the best printed knit fabric for .99! I made so many shirts and pants, coats and etc!!!! I would give anything to have these same deals today!!! Love love love the memories 🤗

  33. I worked in the JC store in the early 70’s. I started in the receiving department, sorting and ticketing in incoming merchandise. An opening came up in the Mens/Boys department, and I moved from the back of the store to the front, main area. A few months later I was promoted to the Head of that department, which I ran for the next two years, until I left the company for a job closer to my family home. Working at Philly’s was interesting, to say the least! It was a family business and you were welcomed as long as you did your job, was HONEST, and did not make waves.

  34. I haven’t had a chance to look through your fascinating-looking site yet, I only came across it trying to find out why my Dad had an old photo of a place called Phila Sales from when he lived in Binghamton in the mid-60’s. I love reading your memories of the place and am bummed I was never able to visit there! I’d be happy to send you a copy of the photo but I can’t find any contact info on your website other than a place to leave a comment. Feel free to email me if you would like it.

  35. I haven’t had a chance to look through your fascinating-looking site yet, I only came across it trying to find out why my Dad had an old photo of a place called Phila Sales from when he lived in Binghamton in the mid-60’s. I love reading your memories of the place and am bummed I was never able to visit there! I’d be happy to send you a copy of the photo but I can’t find any contact info on your website other than a place to leave a comment. Feel free to email me if you would like it, although truthfully it looks very similar to the one you already posted.

  36. As it’s Easter weekend, I remember how starting Holy Saturday evening Philly’s would start marking down the giant cellophane wrapped chocolate bunnies. My sister and I would grab ours before closing. Lots of fond memories. My grandmother and aunt lived right next to the parking lot. Across the street next to Olum’s was a penny candy store where we would buy long strands of licorice. Easter was great in Binghamton given the number of Eastern European (it our case, Czech) immigrants that lived there. My grandmother worked 46 years at E.J.’s, and raised 5 kids. Never heard her complain!

  37. I started at the “back door “ where the popcorn machine was when I was going to school at SUNY Binghamton, ended up as a supervisor! Great people worked there, I remember they all took me out to a great Italian restaurant when I left (can’t remember the name), this was in the mid seventies.

  38. We lived right behind the Endicott store (well, kitty corner, on Cleveland Ave) in the mid seventies, so it was the go-to store whatever it was. New school clothes, stuff for the house, etc. As kids we had fun since they would give us kids the big refrigerator boxes to play with, and their lot was great for the bikes and all the Big Wheels. As a kid, there was an overgrown area at the edge of the lot where we looked for grasshoppers and Japanese Beetles.
    The lot sunk a bit, so severe rains would often see it flood.

  39. It seems silly now. But at the time they advertised ‘low overhead’. When you got into those low rooms as a child I always thought that’s what they meant it was a low ceiling overhead. But the popcorn smell still remains.

  40. Philly’s [ Endicott ] late 60’/ 70’s Wow A true hot bargain paradise ! Funky urban leather or sparkles & denim jackets Soul Train STYLE – Hot off some truck driven by Goodfella’s ? Teenage Thrill’s – Drazen’s CITY OF FASHION shoppers had nothing on Us believe you me. Next stop Super weird hard to find kitchen items downstairs dank basement level. One longtime employe wore a BAD toupe’ but always in a shirt & tie on upfront near the checkout area. Here to tell because I skipped the popcorn.Cheers to all

  41. My mother took me to all three stores – always in search of a bargin. She always found something to buy at any of the stores. As a small child I was facinated by the pile of girdles stacked up high in the Binghamton store. It makes me laugh to think about it now.

  42. Thank you for posting this. I remember the Clinton St and Johnson City stores best while growing up during the 60’s and 70’s. Really idiosyncratic place, like a giant enclosed flea-market and to a kid a place you could lose yourself from your parents until mother would look for you. It was more like exploration than shopping! Sadly, one misses the heydays of the Triple Cities when one travels the Vestal Parkway and it’s ribbon of chain stores, all alike from coast-to-coast.

  43. I was so excited when my and dad would take us there, we would visit my Granny and that was the first place I wanted to go. My grandfather worked at Endicot Johnson manufacturing store, we wore their shoes all the time.

  44. I remember working there in high school probably around 1990-1992. I probably worked in most of the departments at one point or another. Loved working the register with the popcorn machine as we got to eat it, although cleaning it was a chore. I even went up into the attic a time or 2, as that was where they would store the layaway items, as crazy as the store was you can imagine the attic. Christmas time was crazy there as were the buyout sales and when we would get flowers/plants in.

  45. Philly Sales in Bingy was there for my sibs and me in the 60s and 70s. I wish my parents could read the blog—particularly my mom who would get a kick out of the memories of following me around in the fabric department as I collected yards of fake fur for my stuffed animal hobby. Ah, the smell of popcorn (a powerful memory trigger), the cheap jewelry, the toys, the total lack of aesthetics, inside and out. How I loved that store! To anyone reading this: never hesitate to snap a photo of your favorite places and moments. That photo of the Philly sign is going straight to my oldies album….

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