America’s Oldest Department Store Shuts Down After 200 Years

For loyal shoppers and longtime employees, it feels less like a sale and more like a wake. Generations who bought their first suits, holiday dresses, and wedding outfits there are watching the doors close for good, sensing that something larger is disappearing too. This isn’t just the fall of a single store; it’s a stark reminder that the familiar rituals of in-person retail can vanish almost overnight, leaving only dark windows and fading signs behind.