New Exhibition Evokes Nostalgia for the Hutzler’s Department Store BALTIMORE (December 10, 2019) – The Maryland Historical Society* is pleased to announce the opening of The Hutzler’s Experience: How a Small Dry Goods Store Became a Maryland Institution, an exhibition that revives Maryland’s iconic Hutzler’s department store. The Hutzler’s Experience recalls 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 will be a reimagined window display, like the Hutzler’s on Baltimore’s Howard Street, which will change with the seasons. The exhibition opens on Wednesday, December 11, 2019, and will be on view through December 2020. “Many Marylanders of a certain age remember with fondness visiting Hutzler’s and The Hutzler’s Experience embraces this nostalgia for the past,” says Mark Letzer, President and CEO of the Maryland Historical Society. “I remember shopping at Hutzler’s myself as a child and adolescent and the beauty of the Towson “Tea Room” and the wonderful high-quality merchandise.” Hutzler’s department store started as a small dry goods store on Howard Street in 1858 and 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. “Hutzler’s was a unique department store because it invoked emotion in so many Marylanders,” says Allison Tolman, Vice President of Collections at MdHS. “Hutzler’s cared about its customers and employees, and they cared about Hutzler’s. The Hutzler’s Experience exhibition celebrates this special relationship.” The Hutzler’s Experience will be on view during regular museum hours, Wednesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday 12-5 p.m., at the Maryland Historical Society, located at 201 W. Monument St., Baltimore, 21201. * Now the Maryland Center for History and Culture.
