Posted by  betsie letterle, raleigh, nc on 10/12  at  06:13 PM

I was born & raised in Bradenton, Florida and a trip to Maas Brothers in Sarasoto was always a very special event. Those were the days that you “dressed” to go shopping and topped the day off with dinner at the Suncoast Restaurant. I have searched the internet for a salad using sourdough and steak that was divine… and remember the pie for dessert? My mom made me feel like a princess and the staff at Maas always treated you so regal. Thank you Maas ... you are still missed!

Posted by  linda zuniga ollenbittle, godfrey IL on 08/14  at  09:41 PM

I too loved Maas Brothers. My brother worked for the Maas brothers furniture store around 1974. I am looking for anyone that worked there please email me lollenbittle@aol.com

Posted by  Mike Daniels, Tampa Fla. on 05/20  at  10:08 AM

I am 46 yrs. old and my Fathers Mother insisted there was only one place to shop that was Maass Bros. My father was in the Coast Gaurd and we lived away from Tampa , but no matter what your Birthday Present , and Christmas Presents would be in a Maass Bros. Box , even if she did not buy it there . It always felt like a piece of Tampa was there. To this day my mother has alot of her Christmas Ornaments stored in Mass Bros. Boxes . When I see them, or hear the word /name Mass Bros. I think of my Granmother June Daniels . Who said when Maass Bros. closed ” NOW WHERE ARE WE SUPPOSED TO SHOP ?”

Posted by  Kerri (Wegman) Orio, Tampa on 05/02  at  04:02 PM

My parents met at Maas Brothers - Mom (Dotty) sold cosmetics and Dad (Dick) sold shoes. As a young child, Maas Bros was the ONLY place to shop & “going downtown” was really something special.  When I was 12 & 13, Mom used to drop me & my girlfriends off at the Tampa Theater in the morning to see The Beatles’ movies and we’d sit thru them all day long while she was a work, promising to meet her outside at the car after she got off.  Of course we never made it - she always had to park the car and come in a get us!  Also, remember the elevator operators?

Posted by  Sharon Jones, Tampa, Fl 33647 on 04/11  at  02:25 PM

I remember Maas Bros as “The” place to shop in the 50’s & 60’s.  As a teenager, we loved to go downtown and shop with our friends.  I fondly remember the lady “elevator operator.”  She knew where everything was located.
My uncle was the Display Manager at the Tampa store.  I would go and visit with him and he would show me the latest styles he was showcasing.  What fun!

Posted by  BARB HANNAH, st. petersburg store downtown on 04/11  at  02:22 PM

My Mom actually worked for the store before I was born ..Shoe dept…it was a treat for me to go there when I was old enough…we also used to go to webbs city..Remember Webbs…those were the best of times…

Posted by  Chris Engel, Tampa on 04/11  at  02:05 PM

My father worked for Maas Brothers from 1971 until 1988 working his way up the ladder to vice president of operations. He was very loyal to the company. I remember complaining to him once about what the store should and shouldn’t sell and boy let me tell you what….. I got an earful!!! He was there and in charge when Maas Brothers took over Jordan Marsh in the 80’s. He still has nothing but good things to say about Maas Brothers!! I didn’t even know they tore it down. I just called my dad to tell him the bad news.

Posted by  Jackie Diaz Hall, Tampa, FL on 04/11  at  02:01 PM

What I remember most was the elevator and the wooden floors as well as the window displays. At times I can visualize standing on one of the floors shopping with my family. It is sad to see it being demolished but I will always have fond memories of this big place downtown. (50’s)

Posted by  Biff Loman, Hunters Green on 04/11  at  01:55 PM

Using my parents Maas Bros. charge card to buy a really “swift” toaster oven, so that I could take it back at a later date to return it for cash so I could use the money to help me buy beer, bread, hot dogs and macaroni and cheese while trying to put myself through HCC. 

Plan back-fired when they credited the card and gave me Zero-Cash !!!!!

Posted by  Leslie F. McElvy, Belleair FL on 04/11  at  12:36 PM

~ What a wonderful passing of memories.  My dearly beloved GrandMother, (Paternal) taught me to shop in Maas Bros.grad store.  I have among my possesions, and original Maas Brothers shopping bag.  As a young girl I learned fine etiquette - fine dining in the SunCoast restaurant.  I will always treasure special memories of shopping on the mezzanine floor for spring and winter clothing.  Thank you Maas Brothers… Thank you Tampa!

Posted by  Gary Hunter, Brandon, Fl. on 04/11  at  11:29 AM

Maas Brothers…of course! I worked in the downtown building briefly as an assistant buyer in 1990. It should have been demolished then. The upper floors were miserable. Yet, the Maas Brother’s family of employees were proud people and would have done anything for the company, even as Al Campeau and his Allied Dept. Store chain ran it into bankruptcy. I met my wife, (formerly Janie Bingham) while working for Maas Bros. She had started in the downtown Clearwater store. I got my start in the downtown Lakeland store. Those downtown stores are gone now too. Janie is currently the General Manager at Macy’s in Bradenton’s Desoto Square Mall. 23 years with the company. If you are still looking for the Maas experience go see here there!

Posted by  Irene C. Clyatt, Tampa Fl on 04/11  at  10:28 AM

I was born and raised in Tampa, Fl. I can remember my grandmother taking me to shop for summer and school clothes. It was the best place to shop in Tampa. I loved going into the city since we lived in Ballast Point at the time and that was in the county. I am now 64 years old. I was 8 at the time I can remember going. It was a wonderful adventure for me at that age.

Posted by  Janis Grace, Plant City on 04/11  at  09:28 AM

As young girls of a very proper southern mother we often visited downtown Maas Brothers.  Mom always was dressed to the nines.  We loved shopping for the prettiest dresses.  Later when I was in High School I would go to town with girlfriends.  I liked the old elevator that had the gate that had to be closed to go to the Mezzinine or second floor.  What great memories.

Posted by  M. Collins, Tampa, FL on 04/11  at  08:55 AM

I am 32 yrs old and remember the long escalator (skinny) as a very young girl.  My grandfather and father were tugboat captains and I would come with my mother shopping when we would drop them off or pick them up at the docks.  Christmas and Easter Dresses… mother would drag me in to try on.  I miss the Maas Brothers at Westshore too… I remember the Parrot from that store and I was in the beauty salon getting my hair done when Desert Storm kicked off.  I joined the Army a year later after I graduated highschool.

Posted by  Nancy Porter Wheeler, Brandon on 04/11  at  08:50 AM

My aunt worked at Maas Bros. from the 40’s up until she retired from the West Shore store. She worked in the cosmetics dept. I remember her mixing the loose powder for my Grandmother and every time we came in to visit, she would reach back and give me one of the free gifts. I also remember the wonderful escalators, it was the highlight of our visit. Also, I bought my wedding ring there, it was a small band of gold for $11.00.

Posted by  Woody Dubowski, Tampa on 04/11  at  03:52 AM

Mass Brothers at Christmas was magical!

As a mid-50s Tampa native, I recall to this day, that ride up that magnificent escalator to the Christmas floor when I was but a youth. Many, many years later, I was at Macy’s in New York City during Christmas and that same magic conjured visions of Maas Brothers.

My father worked at the W.T. Grant store downtown for decades and Maas Brothers was always a moment my brother and I treasured as we walked past the elaborate window displays and then inside and everyone inside was always so gracious.

All such fond memories.

Posted by  Gail Frisco Lavallee, 4509 Wishart Blvd. Tampa, FL. 33603 on 04/09  at  02:33 PM

I use to shop at Maas Brothers Down Town Tampa as a young girl (born in 1951) Then the man I mailed became a buyer for Maas Brothers in the 70’s He use to buy for Mens dept.  He died in 2000.  He also worked at the St Petersburg Maas Brothers and The West Shore Maas Brothers.