By Sharon Oliver
Contributing Writer
BRAINTREE – Named after Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, Bradlees department store opened in the 1950s after three Connecticut businessmen, Isadore Berson, Edward Kuzon and Morris Leff met to discuss revolutionizing retail shopping with the evolution of old five and dime discount stores.
The unforgettable Mrs. B
Although its stores closed in 2001, memories of the Braintree-based company live on in the hearts of many. At its peak during the 1980s, the discount store chain had over one hundred locations throughout seven states across the eastern United States. Selling a wide variety of items including clothing, footwear, housewares and furniture, Bradlees was always bustling with customers, especially during the Christmas holidays.
Thanks to popular TV and print ads, store buyer/smart shopper “Mrs. B.” (played by actress Cynthia Harris for almost 20 years) was always on hand to remind consumers of Bradlees’ great deals. One favorite is the advertising jingle, “At Bradlees, you buy what Mrs. B. buys, and nobody can buy like Mrs. B.” As many may recall, the commercials ran from 1973 to 1976 and from 1979 to 1998 wherein Mrs. B. would continually keep customers informed about bargains. Harris was also known for playing Paul Reiser’s forceful mother in the hit 1990s sitcom “Mad About You.”
Memories live on
The retail chain is still a pleasant memory in the minds of customers and former employees, evident by Facebook pages dedicated to the store.
Jennifer Hublard Edgar wrote: “I miss Bradlees. Great job and great coworkers!!!”
Kimberly Willis Rapoza recalled: “Remember when you were buying with a credit card and the cashier would pull out “the book” that contained all the bad credit card numbers in the world and would look to see if your card was there?”
A few years ago, there had been a Bradlees truck sighting, stirring up hopes whereas one person share her story of purchasing a suit from Bradlees for a weekend trip to the Catskills. The same suit would have cost $100 more at a local boutique. Alas, the 18-wheeler was not there to deliver merchandise for the reopening of Bradlees.
For those who appreciate occasionally trips down memory lane with a little added history, a short documentary titled “Abandoned – Bradlees Department Store” is available for viewing on YouTube.
Interestingly, Springfield native and “The Simpsons’” showrunner Mike Scully based the “Marge Be Not Proud” episode (Season 7, Episode 11) on his childhood shoplifting experience at Bradlees. According to Scully, he was 12 years old when a bunch of guys pressured him into shoplifting along with them. Unfortunately, Scully was the only one who got caught and described the event as “one of the most traumatic moments of his life.”
Challenges and decline
Several Bradlees stores had lunch counters and snack stands that served food and soft drinks, leading customers on a “one stop shopping” experience. In 1993, they added Dunkin’ Donuts, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell. However, the handwriting was on the wall ever since 1988 when Bradleee’s parent company, Stop & Shop, faced a hostile takeover attempt by Herbert Haft’s Dart Group.
Stop & Shop stores were often featured alongside Bradlees in the same shopping plazas and in cases like New York and New Jersey metropolitan areas, stores were large enough to house both Bradlees and Stop & Shop under the same roof. One side of the store would operate as Bradlees while the other would operate as Stop & Shop.
Bradlees filed for bankruptcy in 1995. Unable to make a strong enough comeback, faced with stiff competition and despite renovations and upgrades, the company filed for bankruptcy again the day after Christmas in 2000 and closed their last store in March 2001. Meanwhile, Stop & Shop remains a prominent fixture throughout New England.
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