Does anyone know the year Blum's restaurant in Macy's basement closed?

-- Debora Hill (debhill@att.net), December 31, 2003

Answers

Does anyone else remember the true Bavarian style cheese cake that you could get at Blum's? Even better, does anyone have a recipe for it. It is not one of the "cream cheese pies" that call's it's self cheese cake in this day and age.

-- Geraldine Duncann (gduncann@yahoo.com), February 18, 2004.

Blum's wasn't actually in Macy's basement; it was on Geary Street and had a back door that opened into Macy's. It closed in the mid- 70's. My guess is 1974 or 1975. It became a designer womens' department of Macy's, trying to siphon business away from I. Magnin down the block. The building was torn down a few years ago and Macy's built a huge new glass building facing Union Square. There is a small bakery on Sutter Street in Japantown called Sweet Stop which has the old Blum's coffee crunch cake and lemon crunch cake receipes and makes them daily (except, like Brown & Haley, on Sunday)

-- Paul Engel (pengel@sharperimage.com), March 29, 2004.

Whaaat? It's been six years since I was in Union Square, and a lot can happen in that time, but are you telling me that Macy's knocked down the old I Magnin store? Please say it ain't so. I hope you're just referring to the glass fronted shoe department at Macy's.

-- Rosa (rosadebon@yahoo.com), March 30, 2004.

Yep, at least 6 years ago

-- Laurie (NatashaF@AOL.com), June 09, 2004.

What was in Macy's Original Basement in San Francisco and the original building before it was torn down?

-- Mike (oreo37@comcast.net), August 01, 2004.

I remember the basement was a Fresh Choice Restaurant not too long ago,I even remember the retailer name Liberty House, must been under 10 years I believe.

-- sanfranciscan (tap2send@aol.com), August 15, 2004.

Macy's just knocked down the old shoe store on Union Sq and the 70's era addition to the main store. The I Magnin store still stands, with I think Louis Vitton on the ground floor, Macy's on the upper levels. The Men's store occupies the former Liberty House building across Stockton St.

Steve

-- steve (stevef-dc@att.net), August 26, 2004.

What I wouldn't give for the recipe to an ice cream sundae we used to share at Blum's called a Peppermint Drizzle. Does anyone remember the ingredients?

-- Sammi Martinez (the-gnat@pacbell.net), October 20, 2004.

The Macy's basement included a "Mama's" restaurant years ago (Mama's is a restaurant in North Beach; a branch operated at Macy's for several years)

-- Caryl Arnese (carylarnese@aol.com), December 08, 2004.