Nostalgia for a lost Connecticut holiday tradition has been running high this year thanks to pictures making the rounds on Facebook and in the media promoting an upcoming program. We’re talking about the legendary G. Fox department store in downtown Hartford. It closed 19 years ago, and the name G. Fox faded into the history books.
This Sunday in our Face the State Flashback, we’ll go inside the store courtesy of the Channel 3 archives. Dan Kain filed a fascinating report on September 11, 1992, the day May department stores announced it was closing the landmark, the last department store in downtown Hartford. Dan’s report, part of a half hour special report by Eyewitness News on that dark day, recalls the glory days of G. Fox, and we hear from then Senator Chris Dodd, who talked about what G. Fox meant to him.
We are also joined by Elizabeth Abbe, of the Connecticut Historical Society, who has researched G. Fox, and is an authority on the subject.
You can watch the entire flashback this Sunday morning at 11 on Face the State, only on Channel 3. Due to the fact Sunday is Christmas Day, we are granting viewers a special dispensation to DVR the broadcast!
http://www.wfsb.com/global/category.asp?c=208507&autoStart=true&topVideoCatNo=default&clipId=6573649
You can catch Abbe’s talk on G. Fox on January 10th. Contact the Connecticut Historical Society for more information.
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Dennis House blog 
My dad worked there for years, I remember waiting for Santa and all 11 floors of wonder.
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Thank you. My dad used to work there designing and putting up display’s including Christmas decorations. He remembers the Fox’s fondly and often talks about the good old days. He will be thrilled to see this..calling him right now.
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I remember every Christmas my Mom would dress us 3 kids up and take us on the bus “uptown” to go see Santa. I still have those special pictures tucked away somewhere 🙂 And I can’t wait to see this show.
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I worked at the Enfield store when it opened and my late Mother retired from there, having won numerous customer service awards. She was buried wearing the G. Fox name badge she was so proud of.
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Thank you for including the Connecticut Historical Society in this nostalgic walk down memory lane. The G. Fox program is an ongoing outreach program for us and in addition to the January 10 event in Glastonbury, there are numerous G. Fox events in 2012, see entire schedule here: https://www.facebook.com/CTHistoricalSociety?sk=events or contact us at (860) 236-5621 or http://www.chs.org
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I loved working there over the holidays. It was such a magical place.
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Here are some things on ebay for sale from G Fox & Co in Hartford.
G Fox & Co May Sale catalog 1991 Hartford CT –
http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-Fox-Co-May-Sale-catalog-1991-Hartford-CT-/390374573039?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ae42343ef
G Fox & Co Davison china confirmation Hartford 1912 –
http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-Fox-Co-Davison-china-confirmation-Hartford-1912-/370569328377?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5647a736f9
G Fox & Co Gift Card envelope ca 1940 Hartford CT2 3/4 –
http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-Fox-Co-Gift-Card-envelope-ca-1940-Hartford-CT2-3-4-/390374541358?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ae422c82e
G Fox & Co Hartford Magazine Price List 1943-44 –
http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-Fox-Co-Hartford-Magazine-Price-List-1943-44-/390371128567?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ae3eeb4f7
G Fox & Co Pharmacy Hartford CT match cover –
http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-Fox-Co-Pharmacy-Hartford-CT-matchcover-/370569360937?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5647a7b629
G Fox & Co Hartford Wool Beauty of Fall booklet 60s CT –
http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-Fox-Co-Hartford-Wool-Beauty-Fall-booklet-60s-CT-/390373039634?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5ae40bde12
G Fox & Company Temporary Fur Receipt 1941 Hartford CT –
http://www.ebay.com/itm/G-Fox-Company-Temporary-Fur-Receipt-1941-Hartford-CT-/370569892954?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&
hash=item5647afd45a
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