Imagine a building so vast it once held the title of the world’s largest. That’s The Merchandise Mart. This Chicago landmark is more than just a building. It’s a city within a city.
The Merchandise Mart has a fascinating story. It began in the roaring twenties. Retail giant Marshall Field & Company wanted a central marketplace. James Simpson envisioned consolidating wholesale goods. Construction started in 1928. By 1930, The Merchandise Mart stood tall. It dwarfed everything around it.
Alfred P Shaw designed The Merchandise Mart. He was from Graham Anderson Probst & White. The Mart embraced Art Deco aesthetics. Sleek lines and geometric forms defined it. Limestone terracotta cladding exuded modernity.
The Merchandise Mart was self-contained. It housed Field’s wholesale showrooms. It also had manufacturing facilities. Amenities included restaurants and banks. There was even a post office and telegraph office. The Merchandise Mart bustled with activity.
The Great Depression hit soon after opening. It made filling the space challenging. The Mart diversified over the years. It welcomed office tenants and other businesses.
During World War II, The Merchandise Mart changed again. It housed manufacturing for war materials. The Kennedy family acquired The Merchandise Mart in 1945. They ushered in a new era.
In the 1950s, The Merchandise Mart found new life. It became a center for design and architecture. It also became a media hub. Numerous radio and television stations called it home.
NBC’s Chicago studios were located here. In 1956, Channel 5 broadcast in color. It was the first station to do so. The program “Wide Wide World” broadcast from The Merchandise Mart. It reached over a hundred affiliates.
The Kennedy family owned The Merchandise Mart for over 50 years. They sold it to Vornado Realty Trust in 1998. Christopher Kennedy was president from 2000 to 2011.
The Merchandise Mart’s design is unique. It combines Art Deco with other styles. It has the blockiness of a warehouse. It also features department store windows. A central tower rises like a skyscraper.
Originally, the tower had sculpted heads. They depicted American Indian chiefs. This referenced the site’s history as a trading post. The sculptures were removed in 1961.
Joseph Kennedy commissioned bronze busts in 1953. He wanted to honor American merchants. These busts form the Merchandise Mart Hall of Fame. They stand along the Chicago River.
The honorees include Frank Winfield Woolworth. There is also Marshall Field. Aaron Montgomery Ward is there too. So are Julius Rosenwald and Robert E Wood. John Wanamaker is included as well as Edward A Filene. Finally, there is George Huntington Hartford.
The Merchandise Mart opened the Chicago Apparel Center in 1977. A pedestrian bridge connected the buildings in 1988. The Merchandise Mart received LEED Silver recognition in 2007. It was the largest building to be certified.
Today The Merchandise Mart continues to adapt. It remains one of Chicago’s largest buildings. It is a testament to commerce innovation and adaptation. As you stand before it consider its rich past and its enduring presence. The Merchandise Mart is not just a building. It’s a living piece of Chicago history.