One of the first chain stores in the U.S. opened its doors on this date (February 22nd) in 1879 in Utica, New York. For generations of Americans, Woolworth’s was known simply as the “five and dime.” Inside were wooden floors and display tables stacked with items that sold for up to a dime. Equally famous was the store’s lunch counter, featuring malted milk shakes. The distinctive red and gold signs were taken down in 1997. Woolworth’s was no longer able to compete with the growing number of discount stores, shopping malls, and food courts. Today, Americans have a choice of more than 1.1 million places to shop. Each person in the U.S. spends an average of nearly $12,000 in these stores annually.
Profile America for the 22nd day of Black History Month. Few people knew more about heating and air conditioning than David Crosthwait. When not many African-Americans did so, he had earned bachelor and masters degrees in engineering by 1920 and spent his entire working years improving the systems that make life easier for all of us today. He held 39 patents for heating systems, vacuum pumps, refrigeration methods and temperature regulating devices. His most famous job was designing the heating system for Radio City Music Hall and Rockefeller Center in New York City. In 1975 — the year before he died — Crosthwait was awarded an honorary doctoral degree from his old alma mater, Purdue University. There are 293,000 mechanical engineers in the U.S. today, just over 3 percent of them African-Americans.
Tuesday night, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hosted an incredible group of performers for a night of blues music as part of the PBS “In Performance at the White House” series. After a little encouragement from the legendary B.B. King, the President took the mic from Mick Jagger, and sang a few lines from, “Sweet Home Chicago.” Watch:
Here’s the full set list:
1. “Let the Good Times Roll” (Ensemble)
2.. “The Thrill Is Gone” (B.B King)
3. “St. James Infirmary” (Trombone Shorty)
4. “Let Me Love You Baby” (Buddy Guy, Jeff Beck)
5. “Brush With The Blues” instrumental (Jeff Beck)
6. “I Can’t Turn You Loose” (Mick Jagger)
7. “Commit A Crime” (Mick Jagger, Jeff Beck)
8. “Miss You” (Mick Jagger, Shemekia Copeland, and Susan Tedeschi,)
9. “Beat Up Guitar” (Shemekia Copeland, Gary Clark, Jr.)
10. “Catfish Blues” (Gary Clark, Jr.)
11. “In The Evening (When The Sun Goes Down)” (Gary Clark, Jr.)
12. “Henry” ( Keb Mo)
13. “I’d Rather Go Blind” (Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Warren Haynes)
14. “Five Long years” (Buddy Guy, Jeff Beck, Gary Clark, Mick Jagger)
15. “Sweet Home Chicago” (Ensemble)
Other “In Performance” events have honored Motown, country, and a concert celebrating the Hispanic musical heritage.
The entire concert will air on PBS next Monday, February 27.
Discuss and more on today’s Open Lines!
Phil,
I remember seeing a Woolworths store in Heidelberg, Germany. Taking a ride on Google Earth I was able to locate a current picture of that store located at Bismarckplatz in Heidelberg. A picture posted by a Chinese tourist. If memory serves me correctly the store is outside the area tour buses that service Americans travel.