Boston Store, former department store, founded in Erie, Pennsylvania
The Boston Store is a department store building in Art Deco style completed in 1929 located downtown on State Street in Erie, Pennsylvania. It features a buff-colored brick exterior divided into eight vertical bays separated by brick pillars, topped by a distinctive four-sided clock tower approximately 40 feet tall with clock faces displaying Roman numerals on white glass backgrounds.
The original store was established in 1884 as Erie Dry Goods but closed after one year. It reopened under the new name The Boston Store and moved to State Street in 1886, growing into a major retail destination over subsequent decades. The current building was designed in 1929 by local architects Shutts & Morrison and has been protected since its listing on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.
The Boston Store served as a gathering place for Erie residents for decades. The phrase "meet me under the clock" became part of local culture, as the tower clock attracted people across generations and remains a reference point in conversation today.
The building is located in downtown Erie on State Street and visible from multiple street sides. The tower clock with its large faces can be seen from a distance and serves as a helpful reference point when navigating the area.
The clock tower served as a nighttime landmark for many years because the large clock faces were illuminated after dark, guiding people through downtown streets, especially during the holiday season. This lit clock was a cherished visual landmark that helped residents navigate and remains memorable in their recollection of the store.
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