Parson's
Encyclopedia
The C.H. Parsons Company was a regional department store chain headquartered in Ashland, Kentucky
. Touted as "Eastern Kentucky's finest store", it served the entire eastern portion of the state from its large five-story "flagship" location on U.S. Routes 23 and 60, major regional arteries, in downtown Ashland. It was also known locally for its lavish seasonal window displays on the ground floor of the store. Parsons operated a smaller second location in Morehead, Kentucky for many years. In the early 1970s, Parson's continued with long-time growth when it acquired an adjacent storefront, which had previously been the Capital Theater, and reopened it as Parson's Men Store. On the left side of the men's store was Parson's Furniture, which is still in operation today under different ownership, many years after its parent company's demise. When a seven-story parking garage was built on the back side of the city block in 1976, a "catwalk" was built connecting the Parson's store to the parking structure for the convenience of its customers who got free parking vouchers with any purchase. Parson's carried only the latest fashions for men, women, and children of all ages, along with shoes, toys, fur coats, and premium household furnishings. It was known in the eastern part of the state as "The Store" as it carried only the very best name brands made of the highest quality materials. Many employees worked there for decades and made successful careers of selling goods at Parson's on a commission basis.
In late 1988, it was announced that Ashland would receive two new enclosed shopping malls. The Ashland Town Center was to be built just north of the downtown shopping district on U.S. 23. Another mall of similar size was planned for the suburban Cedar Knoll area of Ashland. Parson's was offered the anchor spot in the new Town Center Mall, but declined and upscale Hess's gladly took the spot. With the new plan for both malls to open for the 1989 holiday season, Parson's quickly announced it was going out of business after 54 years. It felt it did not have the resources to fight two new malls and did not wish to occupy a new store in the malls. In January 1989, liquidation of merchandise began and the store closed by late March of that year. Many of its longtime employees were offered full-time positions at Hess's, which was considered Ashland's "replacement" for Parsons.
Although the mall has thrived since its 1989 opening, it has never had any store comparable to C.H. Parson's in sales floor size nor depth of merchandise offerings. Belk is now the only premium department store in Ashland and is located at the mall in the former Hess's location.
Ashland, Kentucky
Ashland, formerly known as Poage Settlement, is a city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States, nestled along the banks of the Ohio River. The population was 21,981 at the 2000 census. Ashland is a part of the Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH, Metropolitan Statistical Area . As of the 2000 census, the...
. Touted as "Eastern Kentucky's finest store", it served the entire eastern portion of the state from its large five-story "flagship" location on U.S. Routes 23 and 60, major regional arteries, in downtown Ashland. It was also known locally for its lavish seasonal window displays on the ground floor of the store. Parsons operated a smaller second location in Morehead, Kentucky for many years. In the early 1970s, Parson's continued with long-time growth when it acquired an adjacent storefront, which had previously been the Capital Theater, and reopened it as Parson's Men Store. On the left side of the men's store was Parson's Furniture, which is still in operation today under different ownership, many years after its parent company's demise. When a seven-story parking garage was built on the back side of the city block in 1976, a "catwalk" was built connecting the Parson's store to the parking structure for the convenience of its customers who got free parking vouchers with any purchase. Parson's carried only the latest fashions for men, women, and children of all ages, along with shoes, toys, fur coats, and premium household furnishings. It was known in the eastern part of the state as "The Store" as it carried only the very best name brands made of the highest quality materials. Many employees worked there for decades and made successful careers of selling goods at Parson's on a commission basis.
History
Parson's decades-long success started to falter in 1981 when the enclosed Huntington Mall opened its doors just 20 miles east of Ashland. Parsons had been the area's premier department store until the new mall opened featuring "super regional" chains such as Lazarus and Stone and Thomas, which were newer and slightly upscale in image with the same merchandise as Parsons carried with more frequent discount sales. To retain its stronghold on Eastern Kentucky, management at Parson's made adjustments, adding more departments and a different mix of merchandise. They leased new departments within the store to retailers like "The Mole Hole" and Old Orchard photography studio. Surviving throughout the 1980s, with increasingly lower but acceptable sales volume, Parson's remained the most popular shopping destination for area residents.In late 1988, it was announced that Ashland would receive two new enclosed shopping malls. The Ashland Town Center was to be built just north of the downtown shopping district on U.S. 23. Another mall of similar size was planned for the suburban Cedar Knoll area of Ashland. Parson's was offered the anchor spot in the new Town Center Mall, but declined and upscale Hess's gladly took the spot. With the new plan for both malls to open for the 1989 holiday season, Parson's quickly announced it was going out of business after 54 years. It felt it did not have the resources to fight two new malls and did not wish to occupy a new store in the malls. In January 1989, liquidation of merchandise began and the store closed by late March of that year. Many of its longtime employees were offered full-time positions at Hess's, which was considered Ashland's "replacement" for Parsons.
Although the mall has thrived since its 1989 opening, it has never had any store comparable to C.H. Parson's in sales floor size nor depth of merchandise offerings. Belk is now the only premium department store in Ashland and is located at the mall in the former Hess's location.