"I worked at Hall's when they just had the downtown store—the original store, which was on 13th and Grand. At that time, they said there would never be another Hall's store.

"They used to categorize Neiman-Marcus, Gump's in San Francisco, and Hall's as the three biggest, finest specialty stores in the nation. Mr. Joyce Hall used to have business meetings there. It was like a hobby for him, because he liked beautiful things. He wanted to bring good taste to Kansas City. In those days, the wealthy people in Kansas City used to leave their calling cards, and they could call for gifts and we'd put the cards in and send them. When we'd get down to so many cards, we'd call and get some more.

"The first big sale I had was a man who was a banker from a small town in Kansas. I guess the sales people in Hall's knew all the regulars, but I was new.  So, when I asked him his name to sign the sale, he was insulted because I didn't know him. I guess he was something important at his bank back in his hometown. I said, 'Well, you're not a Mellon, are you?' and he said, 'No,' and I said, 'Well, then I wouldn't know you!'"

Grace Satariano, Overland Park

Grace Satariano