Chess King: The 1970s Fashion Store Dartmouth Loved

The 1970s produced some interesting styles. There were platform shoes, bell-bottom pants, and Afro hair picks, to name a few. And that was just for the guys.

In addition to bell-bottomed hip-hugger blue jeans, gals felt at home in Dr. Scholl's, peasant blouses, and maxi skirts, among other things.

The 1970s Fashion Scene in Dartmouth

Jeans and casual wear dominated the wardrobes of young men and women, unless of course they were heading to the Friday night dance at the local church hall or the Sunday evening dance at the Lincoln Park Ballroom in North Dartmouth.

In that case, it was time to dress to the nines.

So where did young men hoping to attract ladies find the attire required to make an impression on the dance floor? Chess King, of course.

Dressing for the Dance Floor

Anderson-Little, Zayre, Cherry & Webb, Peerless, and The Outlet Company attracted their share of customers to the then-North Dartmouth Mall in the '70s, but for young, stylish guys heading to the dance or the disco, Chess King ruled.

Who can forget those high-waisted, bell-bottomed pants with the narrow belts, high platform kicks, and gaudy, flowery shirts with massively wide collars?

A Mall Full of Memories

Chess King was one of the original group of stores that occupied mall space in Dartmouth. If Smuggler's Den at Billy Wood's Wharf was more your style, perhaps you bought a leather jacket from another early mall tenant, Wilson's Leather.

The Rise and Fall of Chess King

The first Chess King store opened in Dedham, Massachusetts, in 1968. By 1984, there were 500 stores across the nation.

Ah, but times change, as do tastes in clothing. Chess King filed for bankruptcy protection, and in November 1995, the chain closed. I don't recall when the local Dartmouth store closed. I might have been across the street at York Steak House at the time and missed it.

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