Five-and-ten stores were immensely popular during the middle fifty years of the twentieth century, selling cheap, dependable goods to people from all walks of life. Now the product of a bygone era, these stores were revolutionary in their time, but few today appreciate how important they were in creating our present-day consumer culture. In this caring but honest look at one of the best-known chains of five-and-tens, Jason Togyer traces the history of the G. C. Murphy Company, headquartered in McKeesport, Pennsylvania. Though not the largest chain, nor the first, Murphy's is remembered today as a commercial trailblazer, a corporation run with honesty and integrity, and, at its peak, a retailer whose more than 500 stores managed to outsell those of the giant F. W. Woolworth Company by a factor of three to one. Making extensive use of both the company archives and anecdotes from former employees and customers, McKeesport native Togyer recreates with outstanding detail the world in which the G. C. Murphy Company emerged; its survival and growth during the Great Depression; its response to a strained economy during World War II; its fight against rapidly expanding competitors such as K—Mart; its struggle and recovery in the 1970s; and its unsuccessful battle to stave off Wall Street raiders in the 1980s. Though modern-day shoppers may not know the Murphy name, they know the legacy it left behind. From its adventurous selling tactics to its strict code of corporate ethics, the G. C. Murphy Company should be remembered not as a dusty relic, but as a pioneer in the American business world.
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For the Love of Murphy's is an excellent account of the history of a great five-and-ten. Jason Togyer has truly captured the 'behind-the-counter' view of an innovative retail organization.
The G. C. Murphy Company is very special to me. My management style and work ethic grew from the experience and training I acquired over a sixteen-year period as a G. C. Murphy employee. I worked as a part-time stock boy in the early 1950s and then spent five years full time in the management training program, working in seven different stores. After serving in the Marine Corps, I returned part time to the G. C. Murphy Company--and while attending Penn State University, I worked in the downtown State College store.
I highly recommend For the Love of Murphy's to anyone who has had the experience of working in a five-and-ten retail store. Students of marketing management and merchandising, young entrepreneurs, and small-business owners will also gain immensely from the wealth of information in this book. --Larry R. Pollock Chancellor Emeritus, Penn State-New Kensington
I grew up with the G. C. Murphy Company. My grandfather, dad, and uncle all worked as electricians and traveled all over the country to stores, and I later became a secretary at the G. C. Murphy Company 'home office.'
Going to Store No. 12 in Downtown Pittsburgh was a real treat! Ah, those wooden plank floors, the lunch counter, the bulk candy counter. . . . I now work in the executive offices of PNC Bank in Pittsburgh and every time I go past that Murphy store now I could cry--knowing what it used to be and seeing what it has become.
All of us old ex-Murphyites who lost our jobs because of the Ames takeover say we'd still be there if Murphy's was! We'd never have left what a great job we had! --Patricia Smith, Elizabeth, Pennsylvania
The G. C. Murphy Company is very special to me. My management style and work ethic grew from the experience and training I acquired over a sixteen-year period as a G. C. Murphy employee. I worked as a part-time stock boy in the early 1950s and then spent five years full time in the management training program, working in seven different stores. After serving in the Marine Corps, I returned part time to the G. C. Murphy Company--and while attending Penn State University, I worked in the downtown State College store.
I highly recommend For the Love of Murphy's to anyone who has had the experience of working in a five-and-ten retail store. Students of marketing management and merchandising, young entrepreneurs, and small-business owners will also gain immensely from the wealth of information in this book. --Larry R. Pollock Chancellor Emeritus, Penn State-New Kensington
I grew up with the G. C. Murphy Company. My grandfather, dad, and uncle all worked as electricians and traveled all over the country to stores, and I later became a secretary at the G. C. Murphy Company 'home office.'
Going to Store No. 12 in Downtown Pittsburgh was a real treat! Ah, those wooden plank floors, the lunch counter, the bulk candy counter. . . . I now work in the executive offices of PNC Bank in Pittsburgh and every time I go past that Murphy store now I could cry--knowing what it used to be and seeing what it has become.
All of us old ex-Murphyites who lost our jobs because of the Ames takeover say we'd still be there if Murphy's was! We'd never have left what a great job we had! --Patricia Smith, Elizabeth, Pennsylvania
About the Author
Jason Togyer is managing editor of The Link, the magazine of the School of Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
a unique balance,
By Steven Swain "friendly neighborhood mall geek" (Rocky Mount, VA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)
This review is from: For the Love of Murphy's: The Behind-The-Counter Story of a Great American Retailer (Hardcover)
Jason Togyer`s book "For the Love of Murphy's: The Behind-The-Counter Story of a Great American Retailer" strikes a unique balance through its telling of the history of the storied McKeesport, Pennsylvania-based chain.
Neither a treacly nostalgic tome nor a bland business history, "For the Love of Murphy's" captures the true love that customers and employees alike had for the store while discussing in detail how the Murphy business model evolved over the years. The reader experiences the highs and lows of the storied dynasty with the sights and smells as well as the triumphs and blunders that created the chain once billed as "the Macy's of Appalachia" The only misstep in "For the Love of Murphy's" involves the lack of color photos. My suspicion is that there were budgetary issues involved, but a livelier presentation would have made the book a little more appealing. This is still a marvelous book, color or no color, perfect for Murphy fans, retail history buffs and those interested in business or the history of Western Pennsylvania. Buy this book without hesitation.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Wonderful Retrospective,
This review is from: For the Love of Murphy's: The Behind-The-Counter Story of a Great American Retailer (Hardcover)
I ordered For the Love of Murphy's because I grew up with the store as an integral part of my childhood. Throughout elementary school and junior high, Murphy's was THE place to eat lunch, buy back-to-school supplies, wander through the toy department downstairs, and play Pac-Man. Togyer did an excellent job capturing personal vignettes from employees of this venerable institution. I never realized just how cutting edge Murphy's was in terms of marketing and business strategies, while at the same time remaining true to its small-town roots.
My only criticism of the book is that I wish more photographs could have been included. Reproductions of menus, newspaper ads, and so on would only enhance what is an already stellar publication.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A Great Look Back at a Bygone Era,
By
This review is from: For the Love of Murphy's: The Behind-The-Counter Story of a Great American Retailer (Hardcover)
For the Love of Murphy's is more than a chronicle of the birth and death of a store. It's a celebration of what Murphy's and stores like it meant to small towns and cities in the 20th century. If you grew up going to the "Five and Ten," you'll find something familiar in the book, from the smell of popcorn upon entering to the notions and everyday items that these stores supplied at a reasonable price. Murphy's was the "department store" for hundreds of towns, and no matter where you lived, you'll recognize your town in this book.
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