Muir's Department Store

Muir's Department Store was the largest retail store in the downtown area of East Orange, New Jersey's Main Street shopping district in the 1920s.^[1] This store is now defunct.

The R.H. Muir Company (its official name), founded in 1882 was the flagship store of the large East Orange retail district along Main Street. East Orange was referred to as the first "suburban" retail district in New Jersey and was also home to a large branch of the upscale Fifth Avenue department store, Best and Company. A second retail district in East Orange ran along Central Avenue, and this area was home to branches of B. Altman & Co., as well as Franklin Simon.

Muir's was a truly upscale store that featured designer and couture departments for women known as Miss Muir and Lady Muir. The store featured a large (over 100,000 square foot) Street Floor, and 3 smaller upper levels that contained Home Store departments including furniture. The store was very popular with female shoppers and office workers from the area.

Muir's went through a number of ownership changes in the 1970s, before closing in early 1980s. The Muir's building was last used as a Flea Market before the main structure was destroyed in a fire, a couple of adjunct buildings remained, with the Muir label still visible.

References

1. ^ Hart, Bill East Orange, NJ Arcadia Publishing. 2006. 65.