I miss "real" vacuum departments at stores!

[fan-of-fans]

I was thinking of this today. I so miss the real vacuum departments, like Sears has or Montgomery Wards if I had been old enough to go to one.

What I enjoyed about Sears is the vacuums were usually not that high up, so you could get a good view of them even on the shelves. They were happy to get any of them down, let you look it over, and try it out. There were power outlets on the floor and on power strips on the walls for just that. Sometimes I'd go in and there would be vacuums plugged in from people trying them.

Another thing I enjoyed was all of the bags, attachments, etc were right there with the catalog of numbers. And also, they sold returned and ex-display vacuums at discounts.

For me, it was not unlike the fun of going to a car dealership. Seeing all the new models, seeing the discounted used ones for sale, and then if you wanted, going for a test drive.

I miss this. No other store for me has been the same. Kmart, Walmart, Target, they most all had/have the vacuums way up high. You can't look up close, and I don't think you could try them out. My understanding is they may not have motors in them even.

I guess vacuum stores give you all of this experience, in a better way, sure. But there aren't any in my area anymore.

Anyway, if anyone knows of a department store or big box that has such a vacuum department, I'd like to know. I bet that at one time, JCPenney was probably pretty close. But theirs is no different than anyone else now. They really are just stuck in the back hallway from what I remember.

 

[mieles5380leo]

I completely agree

I miss my Sears so so much because when I couldn’t go to my actual vacuum store, it was the next best thing. They knew me well and were fond of me and always let me try the latest models out.

 

[justjunque]

I don't know of a store with a good vacuum department.
But, to your other point; just for the novelty of it, I bought a Dirt Devil...sort of a stick vac. I don't remember the model off hand. Anyway, it was never supposed to be sold to the public. The outer box is marked Walmart display unit or something like that. It looks just like the working unit, but no motor or cord or anything.

Barry

 

[marks_here]

I remember all that like it was yesterday

Not just vacuums but small appliances, the variety of quality made products and in all different colors too. It was also exciting on garbage day because you would see vacuum boxes outside and you knew what vacuum they bought. Zayers, Woolworth, Jeffersons, GeeBees and Grants had long isles full of vacuums, Golden Triangle, Leeds, Kaufmans, and Britts were a little more condensed in a smaller area.

 

[gregvacs28]

The Sears appliance dept from the early 80s

Yes, I remember seeing the Kenmore vacuums on display with a carpeted area where you could put down dirt and actually try the vacuums.

And the appliance department where they would have working dishwashers and washing machines.

This pic is a big older than the early 80s Sears but it's the same experience.

Look at those late 50s Kenmores back there.

 

[jo]

And I miss the door to door Electrolux sales

Yes I remember our Sears had at least one laundry pair running washing some towels back in the 80s and if I went in on a Saturday the vacuum department was usually busy with people trying out the various models.

Kohl’s seems to have better displays than Walmart and Targets. In the big box stores usually the cords have been cut off the displays. It could be a liability thing as to why they don’t want people trying them out in the store and tripping on cords and perhaps zapping themselves plugging them in.

Costco usually has one on display at floor level that you can play with but not run, again cord cut off. I ended up choosing my Shark rocket stick vac model I have because I learned more about that it folded down and there was also a dedicated floor brush included too and how the slide down combination crevice tool dusting brush worked and felt. Also I tried out how the dust bin was removable. By exploring all these things I was more sold on the vacuum than just having to look at an affixed in place display that was up high. I could roll it on the floor with both the power nozzle and floor brush and try out its ergonomics. I also like that I can forever return it to Costco so that if it craps out prematurely, I can just take it back no questions asked! So I like the Costco display.

I guess most of the stores also consider the fact that they offer a return policy of 30 to 90 days their way of letting you “try out” the product right in your own home. Yes, it’s more hassle to have to box it back up and go back to the store to swap, but I have done it. I returned a Bissell mini upright I bought years ago for quick clean ups because it spewed out a cloud of dust when I put pressure on the handle to push it and it bent the whole thing causing the dust bins cover to open slightly. It went right back to Walmart and I got a much better Eureka from Target. I find Walmart offers the cheapest versions of various brands to be a price leader...this makes people thing stuff is less pricey at Wal-Mart...not true...it’s likely a different version that isn’t as well equipped so it’s cheaper. So I figured out their “secret” and consequently, can afford the mild price difference between Wal-Mart and Target and just go to Target because I’m usually ending up with a better featured or quality product. But these days I try to stick with Costco...the sale prices are exceptional and the product is usually an exclusive better featured model, and the return policy can’t be beat.

I do miss more Aerus/Electrolux stores. They seemed to be in almost every town in the northeast but are dwindling quite a bit in recent years. Perhaps no one wants to be a vacuum cleaner salesman. It sort of has this Willy Logan “death of a salesman” stigma to it to me...but regardless...the Electrolux man that sold my Mom her Electrolux Model L back in the early 70s when I was just 3 or 4...is still around...he closed his store front in the late 80s and works out of his house. I thought he would have retired by now, but Mom said no, he is still in business. His sticker with his name and same phone number is on so many Electrolux’s in the few towns around that I think he can’t get out of the business! Everyone in the three town area knew who he was because he went door to door and was always very nice and polite even when people said no they weren’t interested to him.

I think I miss the door to door salesman the most. We have a local branch of Aerus here in Dallas, but they don’t go door to door, though they will come to the house and call and leave me a voicemail via few times a year to see if I need bags or a service check saying “they will be in my area.” Lately though, I haven’t gotten a call recently. I did take his call one day and told him I was all good and that I had several Electrolux’s and had been by the shop when I needed a switch and that ai appreciated his call. I even gave him a lead to a friend I had bought a used Electrolux for when she saw mine. She likes good service so I thought it would be good for her to get his calls.

 

[hoover300]

It is tragic

I would have loved to see a big box store with a "try out" vacuum section. I know there are still a couple sears close to me, but they have been all but shut down. I know Walmart has special ones made for them with screwed on tags, no removable or functional parts, and no motors or real cords. Just fake ones with no prongs. The only brands Walmart doesn't do this with is Shark and maybe Dyson.

 

[fan-of-fans]

That Electrolux guy sounds very nice. I've always wondered whether there are or were door to door salesmen here. I've never seen any in my town, but there are a good number of Kirby, Rainbow, Electrolux that show up of various ages, so you think there must be some. My grandmother bought her Rainbow from a door to door salesman back in the late 80s.

I've only been to one Kohls, but I do seem to remember the displays being closer to the floor.

In the UK, I heard of a department/electronics store that has more of a setup like Sears, with the vacuums lower and having carpets and demos. Currys maybe is the name?

You'd think with some of our stores like Best Buy they'd offer something like that. The only place here that I know of that might possibly do demos is one of the appliance stores. They sell Orecks.

I do look at the vacuums at Walmart from time to time. Never looked that closely to see they don't have prongs though. Hmm, that's neat you have a display model like that.

 

[gottahaveahoove]

I loved visiting the appliance depts.

It was great seeing all of the Hoovers in perfect condition, no marks, etc.
I'd see the entire array, and pretend to choose which one (s) would go home.
Noe, it's just a bunch of vacs on the floor.

 

[tolivac]

I remember a vacuum-usually a Lux or a Kenmore-set up as a blower and blowing a beach ball up and down!

 

[vacuumdevil]

Man I don't miss Sears , circuit City or monkey awards at all. It must be really nostalgic for you all.

However I would love to see a store like this appear.


I guess the closest thing we have is Best buy but really nothing good there.

Unfortunately retail like stores are a dying business model.

 

[huskyvacs]

Menards has a vacuum section with display models on the floor or a low shelf, not sure if they can be plugged in or not. I have heard vacuums running sometimes but mostly they just collect dust. They are shoved against the back wall under the mezzanine in the dark.

Lowes has their vacuums out and you can plug them in too - I always see them very filthy and scratched up or someone stole the tools - so people do try them out. They do not do very good of course on a concrete floor.

However all are working out of the box models - no tricks. I do have a ex-Walmart store display Dyson and although it is a real model - they cut the cord off and for whatever reason who knows why, they superglued the on/off switch in place so you cannot use it even if you somehow got the cord. Luckily superglue can be foiled easily by nail polish remover - but still annoying.

My Menards actually uses a Shark Navigator as the store vacuum for the lighting department, entryway, and mattress section.

I have never paid full retail price for a vacuum though. I get them on eBay for 90% less as broken and fix them myself. Got several $250 vacuums for just $30-$40. I go into the store and look at them and say "hey there's my vac" lol

 

[tolivac]

I am wondering if the Best Buy in Greenville is going to reopen because of the corona virus thing.Last time I tried to go there about two months ago-shuttered tight-lights off!Miss them!The ONLY electronics place in Greenville.

 

[suckolux]

Vacuum nerd moment,as a child I would walk into Sears, middle of the store huge vacuum displays! I thought it was like the auto shows! I would sit on the floor and stare at the beach ball spinning in the air from the hose attached to the exhaust on their canisters! Magic I tell you!!

 

[oreck_xl]

Yes, I can remember going into Macy's as a kid and racing to the basement level "The Cellar" to see the vacuum display. It was so much fun to see the then-new Hoover Concept One & Celebrity out on the floor. We had a Dial-A-Matic and I always hoped my parents would spring for a new Concept. Thankfully now I have a few ;-)

 

[human]

I was thinking of making a snarky response to this topic by saying that I miss real vacuums here in the age of plasticrap vacs, but I shall refrain.

As far as nirvana-like childhood experiences visiting the vacuum displays at department stores, I have none. I remember getting hands-on with the vacuums in our home at an early age and being mightily impressed by an in-home demo of a Kirby Classic Omega at about age nine or ten. I was disappointed we didn't buy the machine. I think in-home product demos were free entertainment for my mom. Honestly, I don't really remember spending time in the vacuum display of a department store as any sort of special experience. We might occasionally breeze through to pick up bags and belts, but that's about it.

 

[eurekaprince]

I guess Canadians like me should feel grateful we still have The Hudson Bay department store. Though its vacuum department is now quite small: only Dysons and Mieles. Same for our Best Buy Canada stores.

I’ll never forgot the amazing selection of vacuums at stores in Florida when our family had a vacation condo in Hallandale (we traded up to a condo in Pompano Beach later). Going into Service Merchandise or Brandsmart in the 1980’s and 1990’s for me was like a visit to Disney World!!!

 

[n0oxy]

Sears in the 1970's

This was before my time, wish I could go back in time to the early 1970's, maybe 1971 or 1972 and check out the vacuum department at a sears store. That's when the Kenmore canisters were really at the top of their game, I'm not sure how many models there were but that would have been so awesome to check out. And Eureka made some awesome canisters around that time as well, wonder where those were sold and if they were easy to get.
Mike

 

[whiteley03]

I agree. I miss Sears a lot. When I was a kid (shoot even up until they closed all the ones in Oklahoma) I would go to Sears and look at, and try all the vacuums. Things are so different now.