PHOTOS: Leonards Department Store in 1940s-’50s, a downtown Fort Worth landmark
Leonards Department Store was a Fort Worth institution for more than 50 years — an anchor of downtown where you could buy anything from a piano to packets of pumpkin seeds, and it was where everyone went on Saturdays.
The store, which farmboy brothers Obadiah and Marvin Leonard started in 1918, grew to cover multiple blocks along Houston, Throckmorton, West Weatherford and West 1st streets. It had its own subway system to ferry shoppers to parking lots near today’s Panther Island Pavilion. And at Christmas, Leonards “Toyland” was the most spectacular show in town.
Oct. 19, 1950: B.C. Hathaway, 6, and Linda McClellan, 4, show each other the gifts they received in a surprise package at Leonard’s Department Store’s Toyland. They were among 375 youngsters getting a Christmas preview.
In 1979, the year Leonards was demolished, columnist Jack Gordon wrote in the Star-Telegram how adults of the time “remember when what was the greatest pre-Christmas excitement Fort Worth children ever have known was at the great toylands set up each year.” Santa always made an appearance, and a mechanical sleigh let kids “squeal in delight” as they rocked to and fro. One year, Gordon wrote, “a train was installed that ran above Leonards toyland, giving a thrilling view of the wonderland of toys beneath.”
1949: Leonard Brothers department store’s Toyland monorail
The family sold the store to Tandy Corp. in 1967 as the brothers’ health declined. Tandy sold it to Dillard’s in 1974, and the blocks were razed to build what’s today the Worthington Renaissance Fort Worth hotel.
Here are photos of Leonards through the years from the Star-Telegram archives.
1930: Aerial view of the Leonard Brothers department store. Also seen are the city jail and Fort Worth Welding Co.
May 18, 1942: The nations of the world flag display in Leonard Brothers department store.
Oct. 17, 1967: Leonard Brothers’ Department Store exterior in downtown Fort Worth.
Nov. 29, 1946: Leonard’s department store’s Santa Claus holds young Christmas shopper Walder Gray McElroy on his knee while Lavalla Bailey and Nancy Ann Foster wait their turn.
Dec. 20, 1949: Kenny and Stanley Bennett of Arlington ride Leonard Brothers department store’s Santa’s Rocket Express in Toyland
Dec. 5, 1945: Teamed with Santa Claus again to provide merry moments for struggling Christmas shoppers and the youngsters who accompany them is Paul Jung, circus clown. He is going through one of his many acts for a typical group of children at Leonard Brothers department store. The children on the table are Christine Clark, left, and Norman Webb. The others, left to right, are Gwenda Sue Lamb, Gerald Wayne Thompson, Sarah Jean Stephenson and Richard Garrett.
Nov. 17, 1971: M&O Subway car on the tracks by parked cars in Leonard’s Department Store parking lot, Fort Worth.
Sept. 3, 1952: Bobby Blankenship shown with caps and yo-yos to be given away by Leonard’s Department Store in Fort Worth. He’s wearing a Leonards Department Store cap.
Feb. 20, 1946: Among the rush of early registrants in the Better Baby show at Leonard’s Department Store’s infant department were Mrs. W.J. Smelley Jr., left, with her 3-month-old son, W.J. Smelley III; and Mrs. B.H. Blankenship and daughter, 2-year-old Billie Sharon. Seated is Mrs. Ruby Sones, Veterans of Foreign Wars auxiliary president. The show was put on by the Camp Bowie Post VFW.
Dec. 20, 1949: Santa Claus takes a break during duties at Leonard’s department store’s Toyland. He has worked at this location for 10 Christmases.
Nov. 18, 1953: “What little girl would find it easy to decide what to ask from Santa when she enters Toyland to be surrounded with shelves of dolls? Would she want a pretty doll to dress up and love, a pert monkey, cuddly bear or great white snowman with red stocking cap?” Leonard’s Department Store.
May 31, 1949: Ben Hogan, one of the best professional golfers in history who was from Fort Worth, autographs his book “Power Golf” for Charlie Schow at Leonard’s Department Store.
Feb. 23, 1951: American Airlines hostesses are shown as they get a preview from Martha Logan, right, of the techniques that she would introduce at the first session of the Leonard’s Department Store’s 10-day cooking school. The hostesses are, left to right, Sally Hudson, Betty Burnett and Jean Hill.
Dec. 26, 1958: Crowd gathers early for a “Today” telecast portion at Leonard’s department store.
March 14, 1950: Advance sale of tickets for the Texas Sports and Outdoor Show brought early buyers in the sports department at Leonard Brothers department store. Making the sales are Bob Leonard, right, department manager, and Doc St. Clair. Purchasers are, left to right, J.C. Roberts, H.J. Rippetoe, H.E. Willett, Mary Graves and Mrs. Beatrice Hollis.
Oct. 10, 1952: Jimmy Little from Arlington Heights, who works in sporting goods at Leonard’s Department Store, describes his work to two other student employees, Frances Spruill from North Side, and Bonnie Key of Paschal.
Oct. 20, 1950: C.J. Lauden of Tyler, president of the Texas Rose Festival, admires a rose worn by Mrs. Mary Daggett Lake at the second annual Rose Show at Leonard’s Department Store. The show attracted about 25,000 visitors.
June 13, 1953: Paul Leonard, one of the owners of Leonard’s Department Store, and Miss Pat Godby, advertising artist at the store, look over the Packard convertible that will be given away at the store in a contest starting Monday.
June 28, 1950: Paul Leonard, left, one of the owners of Leonard’s Department Store, presents keys to a new car awarded Harry Ottman, of 1333 Woodland, as first prize in a Tarrant County census estimating contest conducted by the store.
Oct. 11, 1950: A newly developed versatile piece of furniture finally is arriving in Fort Worth in quantity, announced E.L. Childers, furniture department manager at Leonard’s Department Store, after having made a hit at the recent Chicago Furniture Mart exhibition. Called the “all-purpose TeVe chair-bed,” the chaise longue-type item is particularly adaptable for televiewers, as shown here.
Feb. 18, 1959: Leonard’s Department Store’s Home Improvement Center will conduct an official opening Friday with various prizes to be given. L. G. Lacy, left, is manager of sales and installation. H.E. Willet is manager of sales and merchandising.
Nov. 17, 1971: Leonard’s Department Store’s M&O subway at the station with Tarrant County Courthouse in the background. The subway ran from the store to parking lots a few blocks away.
May 16, 1979: The demolition of Leonard’s Department Store.
MORE: Check out other historic photo galleries from the Star-Telegram archives here, including these:
