Published May 17, 2025
By Rob Mellon
Quincy, known as the Gem City, boasts a rich legacy of department stores, particularly in its vibrant uptown district. However, by the late 1970s, commercial activity began migrating from the downtown area to newly developed shopping centers farther east. At that time, Quincy was not yet connected by the interstate, and alternative transportation options to Western Illinois were scarce. As a result, Quincy became the unofficial capital of the region, often called “Forgottonia.”
Berner’s Department Store viewed the area’s seclusion as a potential advantage and commissioned Hammer, Siler, George and Associates of Washington, D.C. to conduct a market analysis to assess the feasibility of expanding in Quincy. The three-month study found that 78% of Quincy’s business originated from Adams County and nearby communities in northeast Missouri. Despite its remote setting, Quincy occupies a central position in rural western Illinois, with Keokuk, Iowa, and Hannibal, Missouri offering only limited retail competition.
Moreover, the study found that 30% of Quincy’s women were leaving the area to shop, primarily traveling to St. Louis. In addition, 38% of all retail spending in the county was going to businesses in other communities. These trends highlighted a substantial opportunity for retail expansion in Quincy, particularly in the market for higher-end clothing and specialty items. At the time, Sears focused its sales on lower-income customers, while J.C. Penney and Carson Pirie Scott in Quincy offered only limited selections. In response, Bergner’s chose to expand into western Illinois by opening a new, 100,000-square-foot store, which would serve as the anchor for the planned Quincy Mall at 33rd and Broadway.
Bergner’s legacy stretches back almost a century, beginning with a single bold vision in 1899. Founded by Peter Alan Bergner in Peoria, Illinois, what started as one modest store quickly blossomed into a retail powerhouse-becoming the second largest retailer in Illinois outside of Chicago. Driven by ambition and a knack for understanding his customers, Bergner expanded his empire, opening new locations across Illinois and Wisconsin and cementing the brand as a regional shopping destination.
The 1970s marked a transformative era for Bergner’s, igniting a period of remarkable growth. Between 1973 and 1978, the company did not just expand, it doubled in size, capturing new markets and customers at a rapid pace. Energized by this momentum, CEO Thomas P. Liston set his sights even higher, unveiling ambitious plans to double the number of stores yet again by 1982.
The company expanded its presence by acquiring Myers Brothers stores in Springfield, Decatur, Danville, Mattoon, and Lincoln, Illinois. Additionally, Bergner’s purchased Weise Stores, further strengthening its footprint in central and northern Illinois. With the combined assets of Myers and Weise, Bergner’s rose to rank among the top 40 retailers nationwide. Around this time, the company began planning its expansion into western Illinois, a decision that sparked internal debate, as Quincy lay outside their traditional market area. Despite the location’s challenges, Quincy’s size made it an ideal match for Bergner’s strategy, which favored building in smaller cities surrounded by rural communities.
In 1978, Bergner’s proposed constructing a store in Quincy. However, a study conducted at the time identified several disadvantages to adding another retail location in the downtown area. Uptown Quincy was already home to J.C. Penney and Carson Pirie Scott stores, and while the city provided off-street parking at reasonable rates, the available parking was limited-posing a particular challenge for a large department store.
Bergner’s, already the premier retail destination in the communities it served, set its sights on retail supremacy in the Gem City. With ambitious plans in motion, the company weighed two bold options. The first was to anchor the highly anticipated new mall at 33rd and Broadway or the second was to spearhead the development of an entirely new shopping center at 48th and Broadway. Both strategies underscored Bergner’s determination to shape the city’s shopping landscape and cement its reputation as the region’s unrivaled retail powerhouse.
Although it may seem surprising today, community and business leaders once considered developing two malls simultaneously: one planned for 33rd and Broadway, and another proposed for 48th and Broadway, with Bergner’s as the anchor store. However, the Quincy City Council denied zoning approval for the second mall concept, prompting Bergner’s to concentrate their efforts on the 33rd and Broadway site. At that time, east Broadway was largely comprised of cow pastures and cornfields, making the 33rd Street location the most logical choice for retail expansion.
The summer of 1978 marked a period of significant change and evolving retail priorities in Quincy. Rumors began circulating that the Carson, Pirie, Scott store was preparing to close its doors. On October 1, the store halted all new inventory purchases, and departing employees were not replaced. Store manager Glen Lamb addressed the staff, urging them to remain with Carson and assuring them that the buying freeze was only temporary. However, the opening of the expansive 80-store Quincy Mall anchored by a large Bergner’s department store cast uncertainty over the future of uptown Quincy’s largest retailer.
Warsaw, Illinois native Don Larson was appointed as the first manager of the Bergner’s store in Quincy. Prior to this role, Larson gained valuable experience working at Carson, Pirie, Scott in Quincy and later served as manager of the Bergner’s location in Pekin, Illinois. His deep local roots and extensive retail background made him exceptionally well-suited for the position. Larson understood the regional shopping patterns, noting that residents from within a 50-mile radius frequently traveled to Quincy for their retail needs. As Dr. Faisal Rahman, an economics professor at Quincy College, observed, “Given the amount of money in Quincy and the surrounding area, a shopping complex like the Quincy Mall is already several years overdue.”
To be continued.
Rob Mellon is currently the Executive Director of the Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County and a U.S. Army Reserve Officer serving as an instructor with the University of Missouri ROTC program. He has served 27 years in the United States Army. He is on the Board of Directors of the Ulysses S. Grant Trail Association.
Sources:
“Quincy off ‘beaten path’ for Bergner’s Chain.” Quincy Herald-Whig, August 6, 1978.
“Quincy had ‘invasion’ by buyers for Bergner’s.” Quincy Herald-Whig, August 13, 1978.
“Bergner’s to set official opening dates,” Quincy Herald-Whig, August 14, 1978.
“Carson’s plans competition battle, not closing store.” Quincy Herald-Whig, August 14, 1978.
“Bergner’s sees more money coming into area.” Quincy Herald-Whig, October 22, 1978.
“Warsaw native Larson to manage Bergner’s.” Quincy Herald-Whig, May 23, 1978.
“Bergner’s chairman finds new store ‘an amazement.” Quincy Herald-Whig, October 19, 1978.
“Mall work 75-percent completed.” Quincy Herald-Whig, October 24, 1978.
“Quincy Bergner’s Store set to close.” Quincy-Herald Whig, April 18, 2018.
