(soft music) - [Narrator] But that heyday ended in the 1980s, when retail giants were ravaged by a wave of corporate restructuring and leveraged buyouts.

Field's held out, one of only a handful of independent department stores remaining.

That is, until 1982, when it was acquired by British American Tobacco Group, or BATUS, for $367 million.

The new guard closed underperforming stores and reinvigorated advertising.

Ads grew bigger, bolder, and young models saw Field's as a blue chip launchpad.

- One of the people who got their start at Marshall Field's as a model is none other than Cindy Crawford, who hails from DeKalb, Illinois.

(intriguing music) - [Narrator] Field's small army of display artists welcomed celebrities and even royalty for promotional appearances.

And they captivated Chicagoans with wondrous special events, sensational scenes inside and out that extended to the realm of fantasy.

- The elephant that was clutching the corner of State and Randolph gazing out under the great clock.

(elephant trumpeting) Then there was the time that we had the giant owl on top of the clock.

We had the vertical fashion show, recreating the Norman Rockwell painting of "The Clock Mender."

♪ Hey, Santa Claus ♪ - [Narrator] The city's favorite department store was such a part of the American psyche that it was affectionately reflected for decades in television and film.

- Can I take something out for you?

(Clark chuckling) - Well, I've had 4 1/2 years at Marshall Field's in lingerie.

- Marshall Field's?

That's a good background.

- Yes, I thought you would think so.

- "My Best Friend's Wedding" set in Chicago, and Cameron Diaz's character is going to get married.

How do you establish that we're in Chicago?

You have 'em shop at Marshall Field's.

- So do you think he'd really accept?

- Michael?

A job like that?

By any yardstick that involves sanity, it'd be the greatest thing that ever happened to him.

- In something as simple as "The Break Up."

- Give you a hug, but my hands are kind of full with all the bags here.

(Brooke laughs) - [Richard] With those famous bags walking by, you're, "Oh, that's Chicago.

It says Marshall Field's."

I mean, perfect.

And you talk about a movie like "Mahogany," when you see Diana Ross going through the store.

That was telling us in that movie, "Hey, this is an up-and-comer.

She's at Marshall Field's."

- I suggest you let the promotion to the display department satisfy any creative urge you may think you have.

- [Narrator] But beyond the silver screen, shoppers cherished longstanding traditions passed from generation to generation.

- It all contributes to something that's hitting all of your senses and most likely creating a really warm and happy memory.

- Oh my God, the brownies, the chocolate chip cookies, chocolate, but real chocolate chip cookies.

The fact that all of us don't weigh 8,000 pounds is a miracle.

- We were blue-collar family, and our grandparents would take us to get our clothes.

I distinctly remember that.

We would get London Fog coats at Marshall Field's, and then we always had lunch in the restaurant and would get my Frango Mint Pie, which is today still my favorite dessert.

- Frango Mints were not invented in Chicago.

It's such a Chicago institution.

People don't realize they actually started in Seattle.

- [Narrator] Frangos were born in 1927 in the candy kitchens of Seattle's Frederick & Nelson department store.

When Marshall Field and Company bought the store, Frangos found a new home in the candy department on the 13th floor.

- Women in starched white uniforms produced the candy right there in Marshall Field's.

You could watch it happen.

I have Frangos in my freezer right now.

I have them in my freezer at all times.

You just never know when you need Frango.

- [Narrator] Frangos are almost as beloved as another tradition, Christmas.

(festive ballet music) Each season, wide-eyed visitors, young and old, arrived in droves and marveled at the magnificent holiday windows.

And for more than two decades, they were designed by visual merchandise artist Amy Meadows.

- They were our gift to the city.

You could see them as many times as you wanted.

There was no admission fee.

They were for your pleasure and your entertainment.

- You just, you kind of nosed your way to the front and saw these amazing displays.

- It didn't matter.

You could have been from Mars with six legs, and if you were standing on State Street, you could look in the windows just like Mrs. Aster.

- I don't see people pressing their nose up against their computer screens at home.

They were magical.

- [Kid] Yeah, that's so cool.

- To hear the oohs and the ahs and to think like, "Yeah, I helped do that.

Isn't that awesome?

Are you enjoying it?"

"Yes."

How do you top that, you know?

How do you top that?

- [Narrator] Each year, an eager public awaited the reveal of the unique Christmas theme that would be carried throughout the store.

- Was it even a holiday story?

(festive ballet music continues) How could you essentially winterize the stories that you were going to tell?

- [Narrator] Planning could take months, even years, and yet a tireless set of elves from virtually every trade descended to decorate the entire store in just days.

- [Amy] Well, actually, there were 10 floors.

There were 10 city blocks to decorate for Christmas.

It took a freaking army, a village of people to execute this.

(bright festive music) - [Narrator] But perhaps the grandest display of all was the Walnut Room's towering Great Tree, a tradition that began in 1907.

Each year, the tree grew in height, topping out at 45 feet tall.

- But it's like when you look up, and you see that huge, think of a kid, you know, seeing that.

- The Great Tree was a real tree until 1963, when the fire codes changed and would be hoisted up the North State well and then carried over to the Walnut Room.

But after that, it became an artificial tree.

- When we'd go visit my father, he'd take us down to Marshall Field's, and if it was Christmas, we'd go eat under the Christmas tree.

I loved the tree, and what I wanted to do if I could, was go in when they were putting it up.

How they hauled in one section at a time and put this thing together was fascinating.

- [Narrator] Just like other visitors, the Field family passed down holiday traditions to their children too.

- We said, "This is what your great-great-great grandfather started and what made the family famous."

And they would go have a little tour of the store, and I tried to get 'em out before they'd start spending serious money.

(laughs) - [Narrator] After Montgomery Ward introduced Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer in 1939, Fields answered with a Christmas power couple, Uncle Mistletoe and Aunt Holly, instantly iconic characters that became a merchandising bonanza.

♪ The jolliest man I know ♪ ♪ With the merriest ho-ho-ho ♪ ♪ You're sure to love him so, your Uncle Mistletoe ♪ - [Narrator] Every year they joined Santa Claus, who listened to countless wishes in his Cozy Cloud Cottage.

And anyone who ever peered through a Christmas window, dined under the towering tree, or strolled the store among the twinkling lights took a piece of the Marshall Field's magic with them.

(crowd chattering)