Store Profiles: L.S. Ayers

L.S. Ayers, officially "L.S. Ayers & Company", was founded in 1872 in Indianapolis, Indiana by Lyman S. Ayers. In 1896, control of the company transfered to Lyman's son Frederic. In 1905, the company opened a large flagship store in downtown Indianapolis.

In 1972, the chain was sold to Associated Dry Goods. In 1984, Associated merged Cincinnati-based Pogue's into L.S. Ayers; doing the same the next year with Louisville-based Stewart's. In 1986, Associated was sold to May Department Stores, which closed underperforming former Pogue's and Stewart's locations in 1987 and 1988. In 1991, L.S. Ayers' Indianapolis headquarters was shuttered, as operations were consolidated with St. Louis-based Famous-Barr, and the flagship store and three others were shuttered.

The flagship store also hosted the L.S. Ayers Tea Room. Although the restaurant was closed in 1992 with the rest of the store, the restaurant's furniture has been brought back to life as part of a recreation at the Indiana State Museum.

Ayers also ran a discount chain, known as Ayr-Way, which was launched in 1961. The store was spun-off as part of the Associated acquisition in 1972, and was acquired by Dayton-Hudson Corporation in 1980; the stores were re-branded as Target the following year.

L.S. Ayers: 1872 to September 9, 2006 at 9:30 EST