Folands and Service Merchandise

I was reminiscing about Christmases past, and got to thinking about shopping at those stores. Did Folands merge or otherwise get together with Service Merchandise?

I also recalled trips to Fretter's and Highland, but that's another story! Loved those commercials!

I recall the Westland Service Merchandise [[still vacant - you can see where the sign was) and my parents filling out the order sheet on a clipboard with a golf pencil, paying for the product, and the wait at the end of the conveyor for our purchase to roll on down. How times have changed - still is was fun waiting and trying to see through the rubber slats into the mysterious warehouse.

Best Products, Service Merchandise, and Folands used a business model which found a "wormhole' in the manufacturers "fair trade" restriction on retail pricing. Once stores like Walmart, Target, Best Buy, HH Gregg, and Circuit City overcame the "fair trade" strictures, the "catalog stores" could no longer compete. I never cared for Service Merchandise, I always thought they were a little less than Best Products. I bought a lot of stuff in Best products over the years beginning with their first store in Richmond, VA [[bought my wife's wedding ring set there).

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Originally Posted by Hermod

Best Products, Service Merchandise, and Folands used a business model which found a "wormhole' in the manufacturers "fair trade" restriction on retail pricing. Once stores like Walmart, Target, Best Buy, HH Gregg, and Circuit City overcame the "fair trade" strictures, the "catalog stores" could no longer compete. I never cared for Service Merchandise, I always thought they were a little less than Best Products. I bought a lot of stuff in Best products over the years beginning with their first store in Richmond, VA [[bought my wife's wedding ring set there).

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Bought several items at Service Merchandise when they where in business. The stuff was decently priced

I remember Christmas shopping with my Dad back in the early 60's. He loved Korvettes on 12 & Gratiot. Christmas was the only time he shopped there so it was almost like a road trip since we lived on Conner & Jefferson. Otherwise the only place he shopped was at Sears on Van Dyke and Gratiot & The Warren-Conner Shopping Center.

I shopped at the Service Merchandise store in the Southgate Shopping Center. They took over the building that was once Federal's. It was torn down years ago.

still have my patio set from service merchandise right before they closed about 11 years ago.

Speaking of catalog stores, anyone remember E.L. Rice and Co. on Wyoming north of 6 Mile, across from Mumford High School? I bought my first hi-fi stereo at that place.

I remember both Folands on 14 mile and Service Merch on Schoenherr. Highland Appliance used to be in the plaza @ Hall & Schoenherr. How about Montgomery Wards? Or the first warehouse club [[that I knew of) Pace on 14 mile?

I regularly shopped Service Merchandise - the one on Southfield that used to be a Korvette's [[at korvetty's!)

I remember SM fairly well and Rice, but only vaguely. There was another one where you had to fill out the order form, but I can't remember if that was Rice or not.

The name Arlan's popped into my head for some reason too.

We shopped regularly at Arlans on 8 mile/telegraph, Topps on Telegraph and Schoolcraft too. There was a discount department store for a while in the Northland roller rink, about 1965. After that went bust my friend Bill Holleman sold his Arcadia rink on Woodward and moved to the Northland rink bulding and the building went back to being a roller rink.

Service Merchandise was the only local place that carried HP calculators, which is pretty much the only thing I bought there. I vaguely remember them carrying electronics brands most other stores didn't carry, like high end Yamaha and Nakamichi stuff.

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Originally Posted by 65memories

Speaking of catalog stores, anyone remember E.L. Rice and Co. on Wyoming north of 6 Mile, across from Mumford High School? I bought my first hi-fi stereo at that place.

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YES!!!!! I was a kid when that store was opened, but I loved it. I think Foland's bought them out.

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Originally Posted by 65memories

Speaking of catalog stores, anyone remember E.L. Rice and Co. on Wyoming north of 6 Mile, across from Mumford High School? I bought my first hi-fi stereo at that place.

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How long ago was this store open? I graduated from Mumford in 1981 and that store was always closed.

I shopped Service Merchandise a few times. I had friend who worked there & would purchase stuff for me with her employee discount. Their stuff was okay.