Bride's Room at Field's

Marshall Field & Company evolved from Potter Palmer's enormously successful dry goods store located on Lake Street in the mid-1800s. Palmer was the first shopkeeper to cater primarily to women. His spacious and tastefully decorated stores and magnificent show windows on wide, safely-lit sidewalks were all aimed to make shopping a pleasant pastime rather than a burdensome chore. The enormous State and Washington Streets store was built by Palmer for Marshall Field and Levi Z. Lieter, whom he had hired earlier to manage his department store. Upon his retirement, they became its owners. With the withdrawal of Lieter in 1882, Field and Lieter's officially became Marshall Field's. Marshall Field adopted many business practices that had made Palmer a millionaire, including special attention to female shoppers. The Bride's Room at Marshall Field's was especially renowned. Here, a wedding counselor adjusts the fit of a bride's gown. An advertisement for this special room read as follows: "The entire trousseau is carefully planned and the prospective bride may obtain information on weddings, honeymoon retreats, and, if she wishes, how to care for a home."