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A display in the Hutzler's Experience exhibition.
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The Hutzler’s Experience

How a Small Dry Goods Store Became a Maryland Institution; Presented December 2019-May 2021

Hutzler’s was a department store dynasty that dazzled generations of shoppers in Maryland. Hutzler’s was more than a store. It was an experience.

Evoking Nostalgia for "The Hutzler's Experience"

Hutzler’s department store was a Maryland icon for more than a century. Starting as a small dry goods store on Baltimore’s Howard Street in 1858, Hutzler’s grew into a Maryland dynasty that dazzled and delighted for generations. In total, Hutzler’s operated 10 stores in Maryland, including its downtown flagship store known as the “Palace,” and its first expansion store in Towson that opened in 1952. The company closed in 1990.

The family-run business was thoughtful and innovative, instilling pride and affection from patrons and employees alike. Hutzler’s was more than a store. It was an experience.

The Maryland Center for History and Culture revived Hutzler’s in the exhibition, The Hutzler’s Experience: How a Small Dry Goods Store Became a Maryland Institution. The exhibition recalled what was an all-day experience for customers when they visited Hutzler's, displaying products, ephemera, employee uniforms and handbooks, drawings, video from behind-the-scenes at Hutzler’s, and items from the iconic Towson “Tea Room.” A highlight of the exhibition was a reimagined window display, like the Hutzler’s on Howard Street, that changed with the seasons.

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Since 1844, we have collected, preserved, and interpreted Maryland's diverse history, art, and culture. Visit and see it at the Maryland Center for History and Culture.

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