Photo Gallery
A walk down memory lane, when this building was first built and opened by the Katz drugstore corporation in 1961. Described by board chairman Michael Katz, the Springfield store would represent “the most ambitious
and spectacular venture in the firm’s history.”
Constructed in one hundred and twenty-four days the drugstore was completed on December 1st 1961 and formally opened six days later on December 7th following the employment of over 200 store clerks and staff to sell more than 50,000 items across fifty departments.
The immense square footage of the store was only surpassed by the project statistics published by The Springfield NewsLeader including the use of 120,000 bricks, 540,000 pounds of structural steel, 35,100 cubic feet of concrete, two miles of continuous light bulbs, fifty miles of electrical wiring and parking to accommodate more than 1,000 vehicles.
The most striking feature of the store was the design of the 260-foot façade fronting Glenstone Avenue, becoming the most
recognizable storefront within the city due to its covered canopy and expansive wall of glass,
providing an unobstructed view into the entirety of the store.
No 1960's drug store was truly complete without the quintessential soda fountain, and this flagship Katz store was no exception. The photo shown here is the actual one in this location. While it's been over 50 years since its operation, it is firmly in our plans to bring back this classic feature to Retro Discount City.
As the Katz brothers and their family passed on, the remaining members sold the company and merged with Osco and Skaggs, which ultimately became part of the CVS corporate family.
From there we take our place as the next stewards of this building which is an important piece of Springfield, Missouri's rich history.
From the new store name which continues
the use of "Discount City" to the signage colors and design which pay homage to the original, and of course continuing to be the "Kings of Cut Rate" which was the sales and business motto of the Katz brothers. With the help of the Springfield community and their support we plan to restore and uphold the legacy of this historical landmark.