The Fair Store Mouse Pad
9" × 8" / Rectangle
$14.99
Product Details & Size Guide
GhostCorp Apparel - resurrecting iconic corporate ghosts.
Add a touch of Chicago retail history to your everyday workspace with this mouse pad inspired by The Fair. Founded in 1874, the store grew from a State and Adams flagship into a familiar regional name, opening branches from Oak Park to suburban shopping centers. Its eventual transition to a parent company's identity gives the story a memorable place in local history. A practical choice for collectors, Chicago enthusiasts, and fans of department store nostalgia.
The Fair was a discount department store founded in Chicago, Illinois, in 1874 by Ernst J. Lehmann. He chose the name because the store offered many kinds of goods at low prices. The business operated on a cash-only basis and used prices that were not multiples of five cents, a practice intended to save customers a few pennies. In 1875, its flagship moved to State and Adams Streets. A twelve-story building designed by William Le Baron Jenney was completed there in 1891. By the early 1900s, The Fair promoted itself as a discount department store. In 1925, Lehmann sold the business to a syndicate headed by S.S. Kresge. The new owners opened branches on Milwaukee Avenue and in Oak Park in 1929, at Evergreen Plaza in 1952, and at Old Orchard in 1956. Montgomery Ward bought the company in 1957 to expand its Chicago operations. The Fair name initially remained in use. A new store opened at Randhurst Mall in 1962; it became the first location to take the Montgomery Ward name, in August 1963. The other locations followed in 1964. The State Street flagship closed in 1984 and was demolished in 1985. A new building was constructed on the site in 2001.
Add a touch of Chicago retail history to your everyday workspace with this mouse pad inspired by The Fair. Founded in 1874, the store grew from a State and Adams flagship into a familiar regional name, opening branches from Oak Park to suburban shopping centers. Its eventual transition to a parent company's identity gives the story a memorable place in local history. A practical choice for collectors, Chicago enthusiasts, and fans of department store nostalgia.
The Fair was a discount department store founded in Chicago, Illinois, in 1874 by Ernst J. Lehmann. He chose the name because the store offered many kinds of goods at low prices. The business operated on a cash-only basis and used prices that were not multiples of five cents, a practice intended to save customers a few pennies. In 1875, its flagship moved to State and Adams Streets. A twelve-story building designed by William Le Baron Jenney was completed there in 1891. By the early 1900s, The Fair promoted itself as a discount department store. In 1925, Lehmann sold the business to a syndicate headed by S.S. Kresge. The new owners opened branches on Milwaukee Avenue and in Oak Park in 1929, at Evergreen Plaza in 1952, and at Old Orchard in 1956. Montgomery Ward bought the company in 1957 to expand its Chicago operations. The Fair name initially remained in use. A new store opened at Randhurst Mall in 1962; it became the first location to take the Montgomery Ward name, in August 1963. The other locations followed in 1964. The State Street flagship closed in 1984 and was demolished in 1985. A new building was constructed on the site in 2001.
| 9" × 8" | |
| Width, in | 9.00 |
| Height, in | 8.00 |
| Depth, in | 0.06 |
Product features
- Smooth, low-friction surface for effortless mouse movement
- Full-front color print with bright, accurate reproduction
- Ultra-thin 1/16" (1.58 mm) high-density foam core
- Non-slip rubber base that grips the desk
- Rectangular shape with one-sided print
Care instructions
- Use warm water and dish soap to clean spots off your pad. It's not necessary to soak the whole pad. For hard-to-clean spots use a soft-bristled brush.
EU representative: HONSON VENTURES LIMITED, gpsr@honsonventures.com, 3, Gnaftis House flat 102, Limassol, Mesa Geitonia, 4003, CY
Product information: Generic brand, two year warranty in the EU and Northern Ireland
Care instructions: Use warm water and dish soap to clean spots off your pad. It's not necessary to soak the whole pad. For hard-to-clean spots use a soft-bristled brush.