Jordan Marsh

Boston, Massachusetts

Exterior of the former flagship store in Downtown Crossing

Circa 1950

Jordan Marsh was an American department store chain founded in 1841 by Eben Dyer Jordan and Benjamin L. Marsh.  It was headquartered in Boston and operated throughout New England.  The destruction of the historical flagship store on Washington Street in Downtown Crossing, built in 1861 and demolished in 1975, contributed to the creation of the Boston Landmarks Commission.  The suburban store at Shopper's World in Framingham built in 1951 and replaced in 1993, was a local landmark because of its large exterior dome. 

Allied Stores (1935-1992) opened the first Jordan Marsh in Florida on Biscayne Boulevard in downtown Miami in 1956.  It competed with Burdines in this market and was comparatively more upmarket than local competition.  The regional flagship in Miami, advertised as "the store with everything, with a Florida flair", featuring a swimming pool and boating dock to attract affluent customers.  Allied operated the Jordan marsh Florida division separately from the New England stores and it expanded to 13 stores in the Sunshine State.

Exterior of the former Jordan Marsh store at Palm Beach Mall

West Palm Beach

Circa 1971

Eventually, Jordan Marsh was converted to Burdines in 1991 and Federated Department Stores dissolved Jordan Marsh and converted stores to Macy's in 1996.

The Enchanted Village

From the 1940s until 1972 and again in the early 1990s, Jordan Marsh's flagship store in Downtown Crossing in Boston was home to The Enchanted Village, a lavish Christmas display which at its height consumed an entire floor of the department store and was spotlighted in the store's display windows. The display's centerpiece, besides Santa Claus was an eight-set Lionel electric train display.  This train display features a large vintage-style train which is a staple of the holiday exhibit.  It includes the traditional Lionel electric trains operating within the restored display.  

Christmas train layout at Jordan Marsh 

Circa 1957

Fifth Floor Annex was the toy department and the Lionel/American Flyer train layouts.  Always packed with kids and parents during the holiday season beginning at Thanksgiving for all ages.  It was "New England's Largest Toy Store".

"Jordan Marsh's Enchanted Village is an old Boston tradition.  Do you remember the excitement of riding the train into town and the anticipation for this annual event?  In the 1950s and 1960s, going to Village was something everyone did, and of course, there was some last-minute shopping involved in hopes of picking up a box of Jordan Marsh's blueberry muffins from the bakery in the Annex!"

In what started as a marketing gimmick, Enchanted Village quickly became a legendary Boston tradition and an annual mainstay of the city's holiday season. It originally appeared at the Jordan Marsh in downtown Boston starting in 1958, featuring intricate, bustling scenes with moving figures, teddy bears, Christmas characters and wintery, holiday-themed landscapes.  It was a nostaligic experience that transformed a department store floor into a magical, animated storybook town. Many nostalgic New Englanders enjoy it during the Christmas season. 

In 1998, Macy's  discontinued Enchanted Village when it moved to City Hall Plaza.  On June 16, 2009 Enchanted Village, including all its props and figures was sold at auction to Jordan's Furniture located in Avon, Massachusetts located at 100 Stockwell Drive after the City of Boston said it no longer could afford to sponsor the annual event.  Jordan's Furniture restored the surviving pieces in 2009 and continues to display the village.

Eliot Tatelman is the co-founder and retired president of New England furniture retailer, Jordan's Furniture.  Since 2009, the chain's Avon location has served as home to The Enchanted Village, a walk-through Christmas exhibit allowing patrons to re-live the Enchanted Village when it was enjoyed by Filene's patrons for many years.