The Story of Worcester’s Premier Department Store.

We all have a special someone in our lives. For me, that person was Josephine Carbone, or as I knew her, my grandmother. Part Auntie Mame, part Diana Vreeland, she was always the most fashionable woman in my world and had a larger-than-life influence on me.

Josephine started her career in 1947 as an entry-level stock girl and through tireless hard work and her innate eye for style, she eventually worked her way up the ladder to become Executive Vice President for the Denholm and McKay Company in Worcester, Massachusetts.

For over 103 years, the Denholm and McKay Company (eventually known simply as Denholms) was a Worcester institution. During the ‘golden years’ of retail (primarily the 1940’s through the1960’s), major department stores like Denholms anchored downtown shopping districts across the country and offered a wealth of retail goods geared towards a community’s specific demographics. Denholms was the city’s largest and most modern department store and offered countless ‘firsts’ in the realm of fashion and home decor to the citizens of Worcester. As a buyer and Executive Vice President, my grandmother would pull out her archive of photos and news clippings and I’d hungrily pour over every detail with fascination and wonder. The photos and clippings documented the store’s days during its golden years. I carefully studied images of the Couture salon, the gilded escalators, the meticulous window displays, and even at such a young age, I understood that it was an era that had long since disappeared. I loved hearing Grandma talk about Denholms; as if it was a long-lost friend she wished to revisit.

When my grandmother passed away, I knew I wanted to pay tribute not only to her legacy, but also to the history and significance of Denholms. I wanted to communicate the impact it had on the Worcester community and the tremendous influence it had on my life. In 2011, I co-authored ‘Denholms: The Story of Worcester’s Premier Department Store’. The book chronicles the amazing history of Denholms, from its start in 1870 as a dry goods store to a beloved New England landmark. Writing the book was a personal journey for me. It provided unique insight into my grandmother’s successful career when the city was bustling with people and times were a bit simpler. Overall, it was a labor of love and has been much appreciated by the citizens of Worcester as well as other department store aficionados throughout the country.

This book is not only a piece of history, but a homage to the men and women like my Grandmother who, over the span of many years, helped to build and sustain such a special cornerstone of the city. Even though my grandmother and her peers are gone, I want them to know that they are not forgotten and to give thanks to them for creating a bit of magic which still inspires me to this day.

In 2024, the Worcester Historical Society will be premiering a special exhibit documenting the history of Denholms and the impact it had on the Worcester community. Check back for updates on this special exhibit!