On October 26, 1959 the "Meier & Frank" department store opened its new "M&F Skyliner Monorail" which was suspended from the Toyland ceiling, 15 feet above the 10th floor. It took six months of planning and two months to install. The M&F Skyliner Monorail was the first of its kind West of the Mississippi. The "Rocket Express" monorail at Wanamaker's department store in Philadelphia had been in operation since 1946. The M&F Skyliner Monorail had three aluminum cars and carried 24 (children) passengers per trip. The Skyliner circled 300 feet of track around the auditorium every few minutes. Passengers were bolt locked in for safety.
Meier & Frank ads publicized the new aerial: "Ride The Exclusive M&F Skyliner Monorail. For boys and girls under 12. It's a thrill to see the panorama of the West's greatest Toyland from the fabulous monorail suspended from the ceiling! 10c." In 1962 Meier & Frank made it possible to "Write to Santa Claus, he will answer your letter or card and send you TICKETS FOR FREE RIDE'S ON THE SKYLINER MONORAIL. Address him in care of Meier & Frank's -- Downtown, Portland 4, Oregon."
Such fond and wonderful memories of "Santa Land" at Meier & Frank!! I am very grateful to have grown up when this and SO many other fun things like it were available to us in downtown Portland!!
Posted by: PLOG | December 18, 2011 at 06:16 AM
And now...just a boring chain store filled with overpriced stuff. I'd rather go to WalMart.
Posted by: tman | December 18, 2011 at 08:57 AM
Not to mention their window displays are a little frightening to look at...even on the spooky side! ....Gone are the days of fluffy snowmen, Santa's elves, gobs of Great Toys, teddy bears, dolls of every kind, little miniature towns decorated up for Christmas, and a very fun electric train that circled around them all!!
Posted by: Plog | December 18, 2011 at 09:20 AM
In the early '60's, children could call Santa Claus on certain evenings at Meier and Frank. My great-uncle, a furniture saleman at Meier and Frank downtown, was a phone Santa, and he had the perfect voice and laugh and good nature for it. I remember calling Santa.
Posted by: Allyson | December 18, 2011 at 09:52 AM