Amling's Flowerland

Amling's Flowerland, an historical establishment on North Avenue in Melrose Park, Illinois, used to be a key holiday shopping stop. A newer housing development popped up near Amling's in the late 1950s. The Amling's property took up several acres in Melrose Park's commercial zone.

(Melrose Park's motto was "Corporate King of the Suburbs.")

Amling's, like Kiddieland, played a part in building my early memory bank. I think it had a role in other people's recollections, too. Today, for example, when I searched for additional historical information about Amling's, I encountered an interesting detail. Many families mentioned in a decedent's obituary that the loved one had worked at Amling's.

When prom season arrived, the cool teenagers visited Amling's to buy expensive corsages and boutonnières. I remember following a relative to the back of the store, where the artists arranged the corsages. The smell of the ripe orchids, mixed with the humid, florist's air, made me queasy.

During the summer months, parents took children to the Amling's pond, which had a small raft of ducks. We fed Wonder Bread to the fat, white ducks. They were friendly ducks, and they never snapped at us.

In October, we visited the elaborate—and awesomely scary—Amling's Haunted House. After the fear of the haunted visit had caused us to "crawl out of our pelts," as Lithuanians say, we stepped outside and rode the Ferris Wheel on the Amling's property.

At Christmas time, Amling's sold "flocked" natural Christmas trees. One rarely sees flocked, real trees any longer.

The most fascinating Christmas tradition that Amling's maintained was its life-size Bethlehem village. The display consisted of (a 1960s understanding of) a Bethlehem replica, complete with statutes of all the players in the Christmas story. To a toddler, it was an impressive site.

"Amling's for … 'Every Bloomin' Thing'."

Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1960. Amling's erected the Christmas stable near its pond.

Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1960. The display featured life-size statutes of the Wise Men.

Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1960. A camel followed the Wise Men to the stable.

The Nativity display opens.

Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1960. The best part about a December visit to Amling's is the sheep. (I'm wearing those Mickey Mouse mittens.)

Related by Marriage: This would never happen today.

Melrose Park, Illinois, 1963. Mr. Irene takes a ride on a baby elephant at Winston Plaza. Winston Plaza is on the other side of North Avenue, across the street from Amling's Flowerland.

A Holiday Spot

Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1960. It's time again to visit the Nativity at Amling's Flowerland.

A Crèche without Controversy

We visited the life-size Nativity display at Amling's Flowerland every December. Looking back at those photos now, I realize what a big impression the little Bethlehem made on me.

Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1965. It's a good thing I brought my Brownie camera.

Melrose Park, December 1965. This is my favorite place to be at Christmas time.

Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1965. I seem to have a sense of the meaning of Christmas.

The Annual Visit to the Nativity Display

Suburban Chicago, December 1961. Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1961. We're at Amling's again to visit the life-size Nativity display.

Let's go to "The Plaza."

A Melrose Park landmark, Winston Plaza stood at the intersection of Ninth Avenue and North Avenue. "The Plaza," as we called it, was across the street from Amling's Flowerland.

The Plaza was a hub of many activities, but at its heart, it was a shopping center. Most Melrose Parkers did all of their shopping at The Plaza. Two grocery stores—Dominick's (originally a Kroger) and Jewel—anchored the mall. Moms usually shopped at either Dominick's or Jewel, but never at both. We were a "Jewel family." (I leave discussions of "Foodtown" and "Bonnie Bee" for later posts.)

The Plaza had a Walgreen's and a number of other stores that attracted preteens and teens. There was, for example, a record shop, a Lerner Shop, and a discount store, Newberry's. Newberry's had wooden floors similar to those one usually found in a Woolworth's. 

The higher-end, department-style, store was Madigan's. My Mom bought shoes and underwear there occasionally. Madigan's had a small book department—toward the back, near the bathrooms. After my Parents took me to see Mary Poppins at the movie theater, they bought the official Walt Disney Mary Poppins book for me when we visited Madigan's one evening. I remember feeling very special that day.

One of the undercover security guards at Madigan's was a patient of my Mom's. We'd see her walking around the women's department, looking cosmically bored, spinning the dress carousels as she feigned interest in the merchandise.

My childhood home was less than one mile from The Plaza. I was not allowed to go there alone, or with my Best Friend, until I reached the Seventh Grade. After I got my big-girl bicycle, however, my Best Friend and I sometimes snuck away to The Plaza and illicitly bought things like lip gloss, Fritos, and Creedance Clearwater Revival records.

When I was much smaller, my Dad sometimes walked with me to The Plaza. One year, The Plaza featured an "attraction" for kids: an "Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe" structure.

Suburban Chicago, February 1964. There's still snow on the ground, but Dad decides it's warm enough to make the 0.84-mile walk to Winston Plaza. "The Swan" stands in our open garage.

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Suburban Chicago, February 1964. We walk near Silver Creek as we make our way down Andy Drive, and across Fifth Avenue.

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Suburban Chicago, February 1964. We're getting close! There's the baptist church on the corner of Andy Drive and Ninth Avenue.

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Suburban Chicago, February 1964. We've reached the "Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe" attraction.

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Suburban Chicago, February 1964. It's a lame, walk-through lure of nothingness.

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Verona, Wisconsin, February 2012. But cheer up! I still can go home and read Mary Poppins.

Christmas Manners: It's never too early to get excited about Santa Claus.

Melrose Park, Illinois, December 1962. Dad has taken me to Amling's, where I will meet Santa.

Duck-Pond Reunion

Suburban Chicago, May 1961. We're back at the Amling's duck pond. Did I remember to bring the Wonder Bread?

Duck Pond

Melrose Park, Illinois, May 1961. We stop to feed the ducks at Amling's Flowerland.