Downtown Cleveland's Euclid Avenue was once ranked among the largest retail districts in the country. At its peak, several department stores known as the "Big Six" drew thousands of visitors Downtown, especially during the holidays.
Among them was Sterling Lindner Davis, located at 1255 Euclid Ave., in the building that housed Higbee's before it moved to Public Square.
Many remember the famous Christmas tree in the store's atrium. At nearly 50 feet tall, it took a volunteer crew 650 hours to hang 1,000 yards of tinsel and 2,500 ornaments, according to at 1952 advertisement in the Plain Dealer.
After World War II, people began moving to the suburbs and many downtown department stores like Higbee's and Halle's followed, but unfortunately, not Sterling Lindner.
In 1968, it went out of business and closed. Today, the building is mostly empty office space.
