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Arlans Department Store Opens
Tribune photo from December, 1965
Arlans Department Store Opens
Tribune photo from December, 1965
A new shopping venue was introduced to Ames in October of 1965 when Arlan’s Discount Department Store opened. Lincoln Center replaced the old Ames High Fieldhouse and athletic grounds south of the intersection of Lincoln Way and Grand.
This is Arlan's self-service discount dept. store. Now in Ames, another great Arlan's one-stop shopping center. With more of everything for you, your family, hour home, your car, your recreation! You'll find everything from pillows to pearls at Arlan's, a name famous for value from Maine to Colorado!
Your new adventure in shopping! No imperfects, no seconds ever, just first quality at Arlan's! Every purchase you make at Arlan's is backed by the reputation of one of America's fastest growing retailers. Arlan's prices are lower, not just weekends and special days, but everyday, on every item!
| Ames Daily
Tribune, October 5, 1964
ARLAN'S TO OPEN NEW STORE HERE - Plans for construction of a new 50,000 square foot retail store here have been announced by Arlan's Department Stores, Inc., of New York City. Herbert Palestine, chairman of the board, said the building would be located in the Lincoln Way Shopping Center at Lincoln Way and Walnut Ave. The site, purchased by Mace Seigel of Middle Western Shopping Center Corp. for $193,000 last July 1 has been used as an athletic field by the Ames school district. Arlan's unit will be part of a new shopping center complex which is to include a supermarket, variety store and other specialty and apparel stores, the announcement said. Total area for retail use is to be about 150,000 square feet; parking will be provided for 1,000 cars. Arlan's, which now has a store operating in Bettendorf, also has announced the opening of units in Clinton, Council Bluffs and Mason City. Opening of the new store in Ames is scheduled for late spring. The store will have more than 120 departments, Palestine said. |
 This 1958 aerial view shows the Ames High Fieldhouse
and Lincoln Way/Grand intersection from a viewpoint facing east.
The Arlan's store would be constructed on the Ames High stadium field.
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| Ames Daily
Tribune, December 10, 1964
BUSINESS NEWS - An opening date of September, 1965 has been set for the new Arlan's Discount Department Store in the Lincoln Way Shopping Center on the site of the old Ames High School Athletic Field. When completed, the center will have 165,000 square feet of retail space and parking for 1,150 cars. The first stage of 75,000 square feet will include a supermarket, drugstore and service stores as well as Arlan's. |
| Ames Daily
Tribune, October 22, 1965
ARLAN'S TO OPEN STORE THURSDAY - Arlan's Department Stores Inc. announced today they will open their 50,000 square foot store at Lincoln Way and Grand Ave. here next Thursday. Lou Gordon, formerly manager of Arlan's store in Tiffin, Ohio, has been appointed manager of the Ames store, the announcement said. Opening ceremonies for the new store, under construction during the late summer and fall, will be held at noon. Arlan's, a New York-based store chain, will have 55 units in operation at the end of the year. In addition to the opening here, the company opened a store in Waukesha, Oct. 14 and will open a store in New Castle, Ind., Nov. 4. Gordon, a native of Brownsville, Pa., joined Arlan's as assistant manager of their Ypsilanti, Mich., store. He attended the University of Michigan and is a veteran of the Marine Corps service during the Korean War. He and his wife, Marjorie; daughter, Nancy, 6 and son louis, Jr., 4, live at 315 East 13th St. |
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| Ames Daily
Tribune, October 27, 1965
CONGRATULATIONS ARLAN'S - We congratulate Arlan's Department Store and wish them success in our fine city. Our company was proud to be part of the team. We demolished the old fieldhouse to make way for the store and installed storm sewers, the water main, sanitary sewers, and did the excavating and grading. PAUL LORENZ CONST. CO. |
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Men's flannel pajamas - $1.00 Permanent press sport & dress shirts - $1.99 Gilbert Banshee Sound roller skates - the sound is in the wheels - 59 cents Little Golden Books, your choice of titles - 9 cents Print and solid dress cotton fabrics - 19 cents per yard Zippers, three sizes - 9 cents each Light bulbs, (25, 40, 60, 75, 100 watts) 3 year guarantee - 10 cents Latex flat interior paint - $1.00 per gallon Stretch corner fitted sheets, fine quality 180 thread percale - 99 cents for twin, $1.29 for full size 45 RPM records - 19 cents each - Assortment
includes these Hit Values:
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| Ames Daily
Tribune, October 30, 1965
ARLAN'S OPENS - While local businessmen and store officials look on and a crowd of customers waited in the background, Mayor Pearle De Hart cut the ribbon Thursday for the grand opening of Arlan's discount department store at the intersection of Lincoln Way and Grand Ave. Watching the ribbon cutting were Arlan's district manager Ken Gray, sales promotion manager Leonard Feinestein, manager Lou Gordon, executive vice president Warren Eisenberg and Chamber of Commerce president Fred Bunce. |
Full page advertisement in the Tribune, November 4, 1965 |
 This 1965 aerial view shows the location of the new Arlan's Department Store. Willson School (now Heartland Senior Services Center) has by this time been constructed adjacent to the old Franklin Opportunity School site. Learn more about Franklin School. Goodrich Construction Corp. and Overland Builders were building contractors for the project. Ed Franck installed the plumbing. Arlan's did not long remain the only Lincoln Center business. Safeway Grocery joined the shopping strip in 1967, several years after the construction of Arlan's. The following year, Walt's News Stand was added. Scott Store joined in 1969, followed the next year by both World of Fabrics and the office for Overland Builders. The Target Store took over the Arlan's Store site in 1972. In 1972, Hobby Lobby occupied the Arlan's Store site. |