There's not a lot on the internet about Mary Lester Fabrics or about Capitol Court for that matter. According to my pattern stamp -- apparently, Mary Lester originally had a shop on West Center Street at one time...
Google street view shows that building is now a day care center.
The Center Street shop location was long before my time.
Remember when patterns were only 50¢???
My family didn't become acquainted with Mary Lester until it was located in Capitol Court Shopping Center between 55th and 60th and Capitol Drive. Capitol Court was one of the first open air malls complete with some awesome promotional ideas like caged animals such as monkeys on display, the automated Kooky Cooky House with Santa, and my favorite - Funtown, a small amusement park. As I mentioned, my mother worked there for many years, but my sister, Barb and I also worked there in the 70s. The store was relocated within Capitol Court at least three times as the shopping center was first enclosed and then remodeled.
There were Mary Lester Fabric stores at all the malls in the area. As a matter of fact, people my kids age would find it hard to believe that most malls had about three fabric stores apiece: Mary Lester, Julie Ann, and Singers. And out there in the non-mall world there was always Minnesota Fabrics, too. That demand has changed as sewing has lost popularity with the masses.
This Milwaukee Journal ad shows that jobs and fabric stores
were both plentiful in 1969.
were both plentiful in 1969.
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Lemon tree very pretty, and the lemon flower is sweet-
But the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat.