Anybody want these TVs? - Videokarma.org TV - Video

Carmine · #1 03-05-2010, 09:08 PM

I'd save these from a local estate sale if somebody promises to take them... I'm sure they're both under $20.

Both are B&W

RCA, I think it said XL-100

This is an "AMC"

radiotvnut · #2 03-05-2010, 09:22 PM

I'm sure that AMC is a rare bird. I've only seen the brand in the Sam's index.

That RCA is a solid state 19" B&W from the late '70's or early '80's.

John Adams · #3 03-05-2010, 10:19 PM

I believe that AMC was a private label used by Federated Department Stores.

AUdubon5425 · #4 03-05-2010, 11:52 PM

I'd give the AMC a home, but I don't think I'd be able to make it to Detroit. Hope someone saves it.

Carmine · #5 03-06-2010, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Adams

I believe that AMC was a private label used by Federated Department Stores.

I think AMC stood for American Machine Company, and I believe their stuff was sold at EJ Korvettes. There was a Korvettes store (that looked just like this one) within walking distance of the estate sale.

I myself have an AMC box fan.

I don't think Detroit ever had Federated departments stores, although we did have "Federals" (damn near impossible to find any pictures/history online).

Jeffhs · #6 03-06-2010, 11:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Carmine

I think AMC stood for American Machine Company, and I believe their stuff was sold at EJ Korvettes. There was a Korvettes store (that looked just like this one) within walking distance of the estate sale.

I myself have an AMC box fan.

I don't think Detroit ever had Federated departments stores, although we did have "Federals" (damn near impossible to find any pictures/history online).

There was a Federals department store in the '60s-'70s near where I grew up (in the next town over from me, IIRC). I don't know who owned the Federals chain; Federated sounds like it might be a close guess, but I'm not at all sure. Federals, Federated, etc. may have been retail chains not unlike Western Auto, which carried the Truetone brand of televisions and Wizard branded appliances in the '50s-'60s. I had an aunt and uncle in Cleveland whose kitchen had a Wizard gas stove, and they also had a Truetone b&w 23" TV, not to mention a Vornado box fan (I'm not sure if Vornado was a WA brand, though).

BTW, I'm surprised you are having such a difficult time finding information online regarding Korvettes and other retail chains of the '50s-'60s. I would think Wikipedia or Google might have an article or two on at least one of these chains, although I think you may have done searches using both and come up dry. I'd try Microsoft's Bing search engine although, depending on what sites it searches for keywords entered, it might not find anything even remotely related to Korvettes either.

stromberg67 · #7 03-06-2010, 01:31 PM

I remember Korvette's. Their XAM HIFI stuff was popular, and some of it was OK. I know that some of the speakers were made by Goodmans of England. Thanks for the pic of the store front.
Kevin

marty59 · #8 03-06-2010, 01:41 PM

Wow, Carmine..thanks for the memories too. I remember spending alot of time at the store at Gratiot and 12 Mile...upstairs was all the fun stuff and clothes were downstairs as I remember. They had a big TV and Audio Department. Do you recall when they shut down? I was already out of the area by then..

Carmine · #9 03-06-2010, 01:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeffhs

BTW, I'm surprised you are having such a difficult time finding information online regarding Korvettes and other retail chains of the '50s-'60s. I would think Wikipedia or Google might have an article or two on at least one of these chains, although I think you may have done searches using both and come up dry. I'd try Microsoft's Bing search engine although, depending on what sites it searches for keywords entered, it might not find anything even remotely related to Korvettes either.

Federals was a local (or perhaps regional) chain. They were not affiliated with Federated (which I think is still in business). The are also not "Federal Department Stores" which had something to do with military PXs.

In the Detroit area, Federals (no apostrophe) is best known for its arson-inclined CEO, Steven West. A little info that I did find..

Quote:

On October 31, 1977, three days after the page-one Journal story about the Robert Hall sale, West again made headlines in that newspaper -- this time because he purchased 25 percent of the common stock of Federal's, a department-store chain concentrated in Detroit. The hostile takeover spurred Federal's board of directors to attempt to oust him; when they sued, West locked himself in his office at Federal's for four hours. Lawyers for the store informed the would-be tycoon that a judge had ordered him to leave.

But after West triumphed in court in March 1978, he gained control of Federal's. Later in 1978, several Federal's stores burned, according to a report published later in Newsday. West apparently denied involvement and suggested that he take a lie-detector test to show that neither he nor company officers were involved, the newspaper reported. There's no indication of whether the test was taken, but he was not charged in the case. By 1980, Federal's dissolved for failure to file reports and pay fees.

There is plenty of Korvettes info on the web!

Carmine · #10 03-06-2010, 02:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marty59

Wow, Carmine..thanks for the memories too. I remember spending alot of time at the store at Gratiot and 12 Mile...upstairs was all the fun stuff and clothes were downstairs as I remember. They had a big TV and Audio Department. Do you recall when they shut down? I was already out of the area by then..

Well Marty, I have a treat for you... I snapped a bunch of pictures of the place as it appears today. I'll post them when I get a chance. I have the dimmest memories of the place as a kid. You're correct, the first floor was mostly clothes, and as I recall, they had a theme of mirror-stripes and red neon signs.

I swear I remember being there as late as 1984 with my parents, but that seems too late for the chain to still be around. (although I'm not sure)

Do you remember the Korvettes apartments located just east of the store? They are still there too. How about Chatham's? (gone)

John Adams · #11 03-06-2010, 10:16 PM

FYI
December 8, 1994

CINCINNATI -- Federated Department Stores, Inc., said Wednesday that following its merger with PH. Macy & Co., Inc., overseas product sourcing for private label merchandise at six of its department store divisions will be handled by Macy's Product Development (MPD) rather than by Associated Merchandising Corporation (AMC).

The six divisions are Macy's East and West, Burdines, Rich's, Lazarus and The Bon Marche. AMC will continue to handle overseas merchandise sourcing for Federated's Bloomimgdale's and Stern's divisions, neither of which plan to offer Macy's private…

marty59 · #12 03-06-2010, 10:34 PM

I do remember Korvettes in 1984 on one of my visits..
As for Chatham's.. Yep! Saturday morning ritual was to go grocery shopping with my Mom at Regional Shopping center (15 & Gratiot). In fact, I grew up in that area and the neighborhood behind it!
And before they were called Chatham's, it was Royal..at least through the sixties..
Are the Korvettes Apartments still called that?

vinljnkie · #13 03-06-2010, 10:47 PM

Here's a commercial from Korvettes for their electronics dept showing lots of old stereos and radios as well as a whole wall of TV's. Really cool

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u7i5KdtfJM8

freakaftr8 · #14 03-06-2010, 10:56 PM

My mom used to work at a Chatham's in Lavonia when I was a kid... Ah, the memories of Michigan..

MRX37 · #15 03-07-2010, 06:24 PM

If I were closer--- Oh wait, no that one's not gonna work. I'm within spitting distance of this guy.

Um, 5,7,9 yeah 9 TV's already. Now if it were a CCII I'd grab it.