F. W. Woolworth, Watertown Square.

F. W. Woolworth, Watertown Square.

Architecture -- Watertown -- Massachusetts.; Buildings -- Watertown -- Massachusetts.; Streets -- Watertown -- Massachusetts.; Historic buildings -- Watertown -- Massachusetts.; Neighborhood -- Massachusetts -- Watertown.; Watertown (Mass.) -- Social life and customs.; City and town life -- Massachusetts -- Watertown.; Watertown Square -- Watertown (Mass).; Businesses -- Watertown (Mass).;

F.W. Woolworth and Fox Drug Store on Main St. at the corner of Spring Street. The F.W. Woolworth Co. had the first five-and-dime stores, which sold discounted general merchandise at fixed prices, usually five or ten cents, undercutting the prices of other local merchants. Woolworth, as the stores popularly became known, was one of the first American retailers to put merchandise out for the shopping public to handle and select without the assistance of a sales clerk. Earlier retailers had kept all merchandise behind a counter and customers presented the clerk with a list of items they wished to buy. The stores eventually incorporated lunch counters a precursor to the modern shopping mall food court.

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