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Give the Lady What She Wants: The Story of Marshall Fields & Company
Presentation copy. Inscribed and signed by the President of Marshall Field & Company, Hughston M. McBain
A whole colorful century of American life is wrapped up in this vivid, zestful story of a little dry-goods store that started in the mud of Chicago's Lake Street in 1852 and grew up to become a world-famous personality. Against a background of turbulent times -wars, great fires, financial panics- the authors portray the battles of merchant princes, the fascinating changes of customs and fashions -especially women's fashions- the revolutionary merchandising methods of this unique store, the rise of militant Feminism, paced by the marching Bloomer girls.
[...]
Here, also in scores of fascinating photographs, is a unique pictorial record of the American way of life during the past hundred years -especially the ever changing panorama of women's fashions, and the development of modern merchandising methods. Accurate and authentic in its reporting of a fabulous era, marvelously entertaining in its wealth of anecdote, its human approach to the story of great enterprises, Give the Lady What She Wants is a book that will enthrall every reader.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1952
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews
April 18, 2012
Where I got the book: loaned by a friend. I will probably purchase my own copy!
I read this book for the purposes of research, as I needed to find out more about Chicago department stores for something I'm writing. I took copious notes from the first two-thirds of the book and then read through the rest out of interest. The style is lively and extremely easy to read, and there are plenty of interesting illustrations and photos. Even though this book was written in the early 50s it's still pretty useful for the student of Chicago history, and a good starting place for research.
I read this book for the purposes of research, as I needed to find out more about Chicago department stores for something I'm writing. I took copious notes from the first two-thirds of the book and then read through the rest out of interest. The style is lively and extremely easy to read, and there are plenty of interesting illustrations and photos. Even though this book was written in the early 50s it's still pretty useful for the student of Chicago history, and a good starting place for research.
April 19, 2008
Marshall Field was born in the year 1834 and died in 1906. He was raised in Conway Township Mass. Marshall Field's birthday is the same as mine, September 18. Field came to Chicago in the year 1856 and bought a partnership in a dry goods store.
Marshall bought his partnership in the store Cooley, Wadsworth and Co. Field was a commercial traveler, even though he didn't like traveling. He did this until 1881 when Field bought out his partners, and named the store Marshall Field & Co.
He had a slogan and it was, "Give the lady what she wants." Field developed new selling techniques. For example 1) he sold goods in the basement 2) specialized in selling to Ladies 3) used new advertising methods 4) marked prices on items.
Another way he pleased the ladies was to take the whiskey barrel out of his shop, because most stores had a barell of whiskey in their window. The ladies liked this because when they came in, the men didn't sass them.
He was very successful in business because of his techniques. The profit in 1903 was $1,445,000! Even when he made so much money he still paid attention to pleasing the ladies. For example, once when he found the retail manager speaking heatedly with a woman customer. "What are you doing here?" asked Field. "I am settling a complaint," he replied. "No you're not," snapped Field. "Give the lady what she wants"!
Marshall Field had two children named Ethel and Marshall the 2th. His wife was Nanny. He lived on Prarie Street in a Mansion. Nannie Field died about 1895.
He remarried in 1905 to Mrs. Delia Eaton (a widow). He married Mrs. Eaton in September, but in November, Marshall II died of a gun shot! That led to Marshall I's death. Because he got so sad (he died in 1906).
He gave money to charities like the University of Chicago and the Art Institute and to the Field Museum. (Which is still there.) As you can see he was a very generous man. He may well have given over 1,000,000 dollars to the Field Museum.
From this report I learned more about Field.
REFERENCES
Chicago's Famous buildings Ed. by Ira J bach. University of Chicago Press, Chicago 1980.
1988 Edition World book Encyclopedia Vol. 7 p. 91 1988.
Give the lady what she wants LLoyd Wendt, and Herman Kogan. Rand McNally, Chicago 1952.
Mcgraw-Hill Encyclopedia of World Biography Vol. 4 p. 104 1973.
Marshall bought his partnership in the store Cooley, Wadsworth and Co. Field was a commercial traveler, even though he didn't like traveling. He did this until 1881 when Field bought out his partners, and named the store Marshall Field & Co.
He had a slogan and it was, "Give the lady what she wants." Field developed new selling techniques. For example 1) he sold goods in the basement 2) specialized in selling to Ladies 3) used new advertising methods 4) marked prices on items.
Another way he pleased the ladies was to take the whiskey barrel out of his shop, because most stores had a barell of whiskey in their window. The ladies liked this because when they came in, the men didn't sass them.
He was very successful in business because of his techniques. The profit in 1903 was $1,445,000! Even when he made so much money he still paid attention to pleasing the ladies. For example, once when he found the retail manager speaking heatedly with a woman customer. "What are you doing here?" asked Field. "I am settling a complaint," he replied. "No you're not," snapped Field. "Give the lady what she wants"!
Marshall Field had two children named Ethel and Marshall the 2th. His wife was Nanny. He lived on Prarie Street in a Mansion. Nannie Field died about 1895.
He remarried in 1905 to Mrs. Delia Eaton (a widow). He married Mrs. Eaton in September, but in November, Marshall II died of a gun shot! That led to Marshall I's death. Because he got so sad (he died in 1906).
He gave money to charities like the University of Chicago and the Art Institute and to the Field Museum. (Which is still there.) As you can see he was a very generous man. He may well have given over 1,000,000 dollars to the Field Museum.
From this report I learned more about Field.
REFERENCES
Chicago's Famous buildings Ed. by Ira J bach. University of Chicago Press, Chicago 1980.
1988 Edition World book Encyclopedia Vol. 7 p. 91 1988.
Give the lady what she wants LLoyd Wendt, and Herman Kogan. Rand McNally, Chicago 1952.
Mcgraw-Hill Encyclopedia of World Biography Vol. 4 p. 104 1973.
November 11, 2020
Took me longer then I normally read a book of this length. I picked it for nostalgia value. I enjoyed my memories of visiting the Walnut Room at Christmas when growing up in the 60/70’s . So glad I was able to stop by there last Nov 2019 before Covid.
April 10, 2007
An interesting, if a tad bland, story of that beloved Chicago institution, Marshall Field's.
March 11, 2024
I enjoyed this book very much. It was strange tho. I was born and raised in Chicago, and have many fond memories of the Marshall Field stores. Seeing the window displays at Christmas, browsing thru the aisles of the elegant store, especially the main one on State Street. I still have at least two beloved items that were purchased there. (One seemed kind of expensive for me at the time, I remember, but the test of time has proven the quality.) Yet this book sat on my TBR shelf for a very long time—literally many years. I’m not sure why. Maybe because I’ve read similar books about other institutions that were too dry and detailed, and this book looked like that was a possibility.
But when I picked it up the other day and thought “Its now or never”, I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, there are parts that may have a little too much detailed info for some of us, but on the whole, it was so interesting. The different evolutions the store went thru before it even became what we knew as Marshall Field’s. Field himself wasn’t even in the picture in the very beginning, and later his name was just a part of the store’s name before he eventually took it over completely. The store was in other locations before it found its real home, and there’s much about all the money and buildings and the several fires that caused the owners to find other temporary locations before always returning to State Street. There are so many stories here. How their motto of the customer always being right (or “Give the Lady What She Wants”) sometimes cost them more than it honestly should have, yet they stuck to it. How different people who worked for Mr. Field fought for different things that he himself didn’t want at first, such as a restaurant in the store or a “bargain basement”, tho they didn’t like calling it that. He was open and fair tho, and let them try their ideas, as long as they brought in a profit. Sometimes his employees were paid less than at other stores, but many felt the prestige of just being able to say they worked there was worth it. How they worked to beat all the competition that came and mostly went. How they kept a close watch on changes in fashions in New York and Paris, to bring those to the Chicago stores. The many different heads of the store, after Marshall Field died, and how some things were changed and some stayed exactly as he had wanted them. There are also many photos in the book that show the store and the city during those times.
Of course the book is dated, and doesn’t tell the end to the story of the great store up to when it was taken over by Macy’s, or all the other changes that came about between when the book came out and how it finally came to be. But for the beginnings and even after Marshall Field was long gone, it tells so much that I was happy to read about.
But when I picked it up the other day and thought “Its now or never”, I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, there are parts that may have a little too much detailed info for some of us, but on the whole, it was so interesting. The different evolutions the store went thru before it even became what we knew as Marshall Field’s. Field himself wasn’t even in the picture in the very beginning, and later his name was just a part of the store’s name before he eventually took it over completely. The store was in other locations before it found its real home, and there’s much about all the money and buildings and the several fires that caused the owners to find other temporary locations before always returning to State Street. There are so many stories here. How their motto of the customer always being right (or “Give the Lady What She Wants”) sometimes cost them more than it honestly should have, yet they stuck to it. How different people who worked for Mr. Field fought for different things that he himself didn’t want at first, such as a restaurant in the store or a “bargain basement”, tho they didn’t like calling it that. He was open and fair tho, and let them try their ideas, as long as they brought in a profit. Sometimes his employees were paid less than at other stores, but many felt the prestige of just being able to say they worked there was worth it. How they worked to beat all the competition that came and mostly went. How they kept a close watch on changes in fashions in New York and Paris, to bring those to the Chicago stores. The many different heads of the store, after Marshall Field died, and how some things were changed and some stayed exactly as he had wanted them. There are also many photos in the book that show the store and the city during those times.
Of course the book is dated, and doesn’t tell the end to the story of the great store up to when it was taken over by Macy’s, or all the other changes that came about between when the book came out and how it finally came to be. But for the beginnings and even after Marshall Field was long gone, it tells so much that I was happy to read about.
June 12, 2026
I was touring this famous Chicago historic department store a few months ago and one of the staff recommended this book to me! It was written in 1952 when Marshall Field’s was at the height of its popularity. I love that they republished the 1952 edition for us to read now, since the property is currently operated by Macy’s and looks a little different. The original store began in the 1850s and its footprint eventually covered an entire city block – 73 acres of floor space! The six-story tiered center atrium with an enormous Tiffany glass dome is worth the whole visit, but I also loved the 50-foot-high Ionic white granite pillars and Beaux Arts décor. It really is a breathtaking building.
Beyond the architecture, the story of the man, Marshall Field, is also fascinating. He started at the bottom when the retail dry goods industry was just beginning. In the mid-1800s, there were only 3 department stores in Chicago and each also sent traveling salesmen into the rural areas to sell dry goods to each town’s general store. Field worked for a couple of early Chicago entrepreneurs but set out on his own as soon as he could. He bought and sold both wholesale and retail dry goods, acknowledging that the real money was in wholesale, but he loved having a luxurious stunning retail store to show off the merchandise. During the year 1865 Field and his partners operated the largest downtown Chicago store which sold $8 million in revenue with $300,000 in profit!
“The counters were of walnut, the walls frescoed, and the gas fixtures were designed to throw shafts of light on the dazzling display…rich velvet cloaks lined with sable and a striped plush Bedouin opera cape trimmed with cord and tassels…” Field instituted shocking policies such as letting customers take home clothes, try them on, and then decide to either pay for them or return them. His slogan ‘Give the Lady What She Wants’ was taken literally. The store was famous for its customer service, including a help desk which solved all kinds of problems, from getting customers theater tickets to finding them the right novel to read.
“Even those who could not always afford to buy what Field’s store offered appreciated the service and the elaborate courtesy. Many who made only one small purchase every six months came to consider the store a place where the customer was always right.” This book is truly a love letter to the Marshall Field’s store, written to celebrate its business, not analyze it. I loved reading about all the unique marketing strategies, bold buying decisions, and unusual employee training programs. “Direct criticism of any patron was a ghastly sin.” The majestic department store era is a bygone world, but at least this lovely building still stands.
Beyond the architecture, the story of the man, Marshall Field, is also fascinating. He started at the bottom when the retail dry goods industry was just beginning. In the mid-1800s, there were only 3 department stores in Chicago and each also sent traveling salesmen into the rural areas to sell dry goods to each town’s general store. Field worked for a couple of early Chicago entrepreneurs but set out on his own as soon as he could. He bought and sold both wholesale and retail dry goods, acknowledging that the real money was in wholesale, but he loved having a luxurious stunning retail store to show off the merchandise. During the year 1865 Field and his partners operated the largest downtown Chicago store which sold $8 million in revenue with $300,000 in profit!
“The counters were of walnut, the walls frescoed, and the gas fixtures were designed to throw shafts of light on the dazzling display…rich velvet cloaks lined with sable and a striped plush Bedouin opera cape trimmed with cord and tassels…” Field instituted shocking policies such as letting customers take home clothes, try them on, and then decide to either pay for them or return them. His slogan ‘Give the Lady What She Wants’ was taken literally. The store was famous for its customer service, including a help desk which solved all kinds of problems, from getting customers theater tickets to finding them the right novel to read.
“Even those who could not always afford to buy what Field’s store offered appreciated the service and the elaborate courtesy. Many who made only one small purchase every six months came to consider the store a place where the customer was always right.” This book is truly a love letter to the Marshall Field’s store, written to celebrate its business, not analyze it. I loved reading about all the unique marketing strategies, bold buying decisions, and unusual employee training programs. “Direct criticism of any patron was a ghastly sin.” The majestic department store era is a bygone world, but at least this lovely building still stands.
December 6, 2020
I saw this book in the window of a used store near me and was surprised by how old it looked. I eventually got the book from the library, only to discover that it's close to 70 years old -- it was published in 1952! The core story itself is interesting, particularly all the non-obvious ways that Marshall Field's legacy is still visible in Chicago today -- the Field Museum, the Merchandise Mart, and the Shedd all trace their origins to Marshall Field. But where it really shines is the fact that by now the book also serves as a time capsule, capturing a glimpse of how the world was viewed in the 1950s and the bullish view of retail that seems so at odds with how we think about the industry in the age of the Internet. The "contemporary" photos are a delight. I'm glad I picked this book up.
July 21, 2021
Having been to Field's to see the windows and the big tree when my kids were younger, I thought this would be an interesting book. It did not disappoint; It was both interesting and educating. And now if I every hear a visitor comment on how the mob built Chicago, I'm now totally prepared to counter with Field's and it's profits built the city. Some of the sales figures and leadership succession was a bit dry in the last 70 pages, but learning the beginning of revolutionary business ideas (now more commonplace), risks taken, recovery achieved and just the vivid images(both written and pictures) of shoppers and employees past was well worth the read. I'm not a big history person so for me to enjoy a book of this length about the history of a store I don't shop in means the author did his job holding my attention.
Read
December 28, 2023This story brought back so many good memories of going downtown Chicago to Marshall Fields to see the windows as a child and taking the "L" right to the doors of Fields on State Street. Also, taking my children downtown to eat at the Walnut Room, sometimes walking up the marble staircase or taking one of the many elevators to the Walnut Room to eat lunch. After lunch we would view the windows and famous clocks. It made me recall a memory of my mother's, who grew up in the 40's and 50's and would meet her friends under the clock. The success of Marshall Fields and the other big names who got their start with him was something I hadn't heard before and his determination to succeed through many hardships was so encouraging. I highly recommend this book!
February 9, 2022
For anyone who grew up dreaming of or actually shopping at Marshall Field's, this book is a look back at what retail shopping offered at its best. The book was written in 1954, so a rich history is shared from the 1850s, and the one hundred years following. The level of detail in this historical treasure is astounding.
February 11, 2022
I admit to skimming many sections of this book but on the whole it was pretty interesting. I didn’t realize that it was actually Potter Palmer who opened the first store that eventually became Marshall Field’s.
It was fun to reminisce about Marshall Field’s. We had a fun discussion f the book and the store at book club
It was fun to reminisce about Marshall Field’s. We had a fun discussion f the book and the store at book club
November 19, 2024
Fantastic book about the history of Chicago's famous department stores. Times have changed since the founding of the store and I wish some of the services were available today. Marshall Field and his successors brought shopping to a new level and taught other retailers how cater to all shoppers needs. Feel blessed that I was able to enjoy the Walnut room.
October 4, 2019
The details were so well written I feel like I saw the movie. Having worked in Marshall Fields on State Street I could easily imagine what took place there in his time. The fiction mix with history was fascinating!
February 10, 2021
The depth of the research is palpable but in an effort to incorporate it all it becomes a bit tedious. In the end, one wonders if the protagonist deserves all the grace and sympathy awarded by the author, or not. ?
November 16, 2021
Read on recommendation of daughters book group... and the tie in to the Chicago Fire.... is a great review of the time and the people... I developed a love/hate relationship of Marshall Field and his ladies... The book is well done and a good read
January 14, 2022
Just bought while lunching at the Walnut Room over Christmas, but was published in 1952.
History of Marshall Field's since beginnings with Potter Palmer. Fun to read names and places that I know. Appreciate the Co's integrity. In the end, quality lost out to cheaper and more convenient.
History of Marshall Field's since beginnings with Potter Palmer. Fun to read names and places that I know. Appreciate the Co's integrity. In the end, quality lost out to cheaper and more convenient.
October 9, 2023
I loved this book. It tells much of the story of the early days of a beloved Chicagoland department store that was later absorbed by a New York department store. Marshall Fields is sorely missed by me to this day by me.
April 23, 2026
Read this one for one of my book clubs. Set during the "Gilded Age" of Chicago, it focuses on Delia Spencer, long-time mistress of Marshall Field. Many of the details in this novel are real, but some have been fabricated or changed to make it a more "believable" story. I enjoyed it a lot!
June 17, 2017
Interesting story about Marshall Field and History of Chicago
July 12, 2017
Enjoyable story and very interesting chicago history. Interesting history on what it was like being a woman in the 180Os. I did the audio book.
March 20, 2018
Very fun read, especially for Chicagoans.
November 9, 2018
A great historic love story about Marshall Fields
July 3, 2020
Learned a lot about Marshall Field and Chicago!
April 7, 2021
Very interesting, still miss Fields, wish it never closed
September 3, 2021
Mildly interested in the topic but way too much detail.
January 12, 2023
Fascinating read especially for those who grew up in Chicago with this iconic department store!
April 6, 2023
Fascinating history of the greatest department store ever! I loved shopping at Fields and miss it to this day.
December 25, 2024
Just could not get into this book.
January 18, 2026
Great text that includes the history of Chicago and how Marshal Field developed some enduring qualities of what we now know to be retail sales and department stores.
August 6, 2007
This isn't on my desert island (personal most-important/favorite books) shelf because I plan to read it again soon, or because of its literary value, but because it had such an influence on me. This was the first of the Chicago books I read. My mom had a copy that someone had gotten as a giveaway at the store during their anniversary celebration in the 1940s. (they lived in the suburbs of chicago during my mom's teen years.)
I read that book over and over again starting when I was about 10 or 11. I can't explain why, exactly, but the story of the growing city and the entrepeneur Potter Palmer, the Great Fire, was fascinating to me. By the time I moved to Chicago, my mom's copy was in tatters (luckily I found a new one at the Printer's Row Book Fair the first year I lived there - same edition but less well-loved.)
I read that book over and over again starting when I was about 10 or 11. I can't explain why, exactly, but the story of the growing city and the entrepeneur Potter Palmer, the Great Fire, was fascinating to me. By the time I moved to Chicago, my mom's copy was in tatters (luckily I found a new one at the Printer's Row Book Fair the first year I lived there - same edition but less well-loved.)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 45 reviews