Lord's T-Shirts -- More Than 1,000 Ordered

Lord's has received hundreds of pre-orders for its commemorative t-shirt.

  Updated: Jan. 22, 2013 -- More than 1,000 commemorative t-shirts have been ordered but orders are still being taken. If interested, fill out an order sheet at Lord's Department Store (which will be closing on Feb. 28 after 73 years in business) or call 508-359-2361.  Original story: Jan. 15, 2013 -- The response to the Lord's commemorative t-shirt has been unbelievable, says Nancy Kelly-Lavin who co-owns Lord's Department Store with her brother, Tom Kelly. "The response has been amazing," said Kelly-Lavin. "We're getting calls from all over -- from New Mexico and even London. I've gotten emails from Colorado and Florida, it's incredible. I definitely didn't order enough."  Soon after the community learned the family-run Lord's Department…

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Lord's Retirement Sale Starts Today

Owners say everything must go.

  And so it begins... The retirement sale at Lord's Department Store starts today. After 73 years in downtown Medfield, Lord's will close its doors on Feb. 28.  "We're going to start a store closing or retirement sale and just start to liquidate everything in the store, the fixtures and everything," said Nancy Kelly-Lavin who runs the store with her brother Tom Kelly. Store hours have been cut back to 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.  Also this week, patrons can pre-order t-shirts which are being sold to commemorate the store's longevity; and they can write down a special Lord's memory in the memory book/book at the front of the store.  Related Stories Stay up to date with great local stories like this, delivered straight to your inbox or smartphone …

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Customer Says: Dear Lord's, Thanks for the Memories

People have started to record their memories at Lord's Department Store. What's your favorite Lord's memory?

  The owners of Lord's Department Store have started a memory book in which patrons can preserve their memories of the iconic store that will close its doors on Feb. 28. The store, which was founded in 1940 by Raymond Lord then taken over by Bill Kelly in 1981, was sold on Dec. 31. People have started to fill the binder with memories and some of those memories are posted on the store's large front windows, like this one: Dear Lord's, I bought my baseball card collection from you -- one pack at a time. Stale gum included. All of my school projects were made with your markers and posterboard, and my friends and I always stopped off for a candy bar on half days. Thanks for the memories! Brad Harris, Charlesdale Road No matter if you've lived …

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Week in Review: Lord's to Close in February

Here is a quick look at the week of Dec. 30 to Jan. 5, and what a week it was.

  Last week was a chilly week in Medfield, in more ways than one. The last few days of December and the first few days of January brought snow to the ground (as we were finally able to use our sleds), and a chill to our hearts as we learned that Lord's Department Store will be closing its doors after 73 years in downtown Medfield. On Sunday, hundreds of Medfield folks hit Hospital Hill to take advantage of last weekend's snowfall.  Monday was the last day of business for Fresh Catch Seafood & Butcher Shop which closed its doors on January 1.  But the biggest news last week, bar none, was learning the town's beloved Lord's will be closing on Feb. 28.  It was not an easy decision, said Lord's store owners Nancy Kelly-Lavin and Tom Kelly -- …

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End of an Era: Lord's Will Close Next Month

Lord's Department Store is closing on Feb. 28. Retirement sales start next week.

It's the end of an era.  Lord's Department Store, the "little bit of everything" store that has anchored Medfield's downtown for 73 years, will close its doors on Feb. 28. Nancy Kelly-Lavin, who runs the business with her brother Tom, said the time is right to close the store. "It took us months and months and months to figure out what we wanted to do but we think the time is right," said Kelly-Lavin. "We have mixed emotions, it's sad, but we're trying to do what's best for our families." Kelly-Lavin said she and Tom discussed the future of the business with their father, Bill Kelly, before he passed away in May.  "My father actually talked to us about this and gave us his blessing," Kelly-Lavin said, adding that their mother, Kathryn …

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Discovering Medfield

Grab a Bite to Eat at Lord's Lunch Counter

Coffee Sensations of Medway runs the lunch counter at the back of Lord's Department Store, where folks can enjoy breakfast, lunch, desserts (including ice cream) and a bottomless cup of Arabica coffee.

On a recent steamy afternoon, we found ourselves in need of a milkshake and air conditioning and soon after, found ourselves saddled up to the lunch counter at Lord’s Department Store. It was noontime, so our plans for a simple shake turned into a full lunch including a grilled chicken Caesar wrap, tuna salad on light rye, and macaroni and cheese. While waiting for our lunch to arrive, we soaked in our surroundings.  Lord’s is an icon in the community as is the lunch counter itself. Originally run by founder Raymond Lord and then Bill Kelly, the counter at the back of the store is now run by Coffee Sensations of Medway - however not much else has changed since the store opened in 1940. Everything at the counter is original – including the …

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Lord's Department Store Celebrates Milestone

Small business stands the test of time for 71 years.

The secret to a successful business is being honest, treating people – customers, employees, neighbors – like family, being devoted to community, having the gift of foresight, and having a strong work ethic. These are all qualities that Raymond E. Lord, founder of Lord's Department Store, now in its 71st year – saw in a teenage Bill Kelly. "In 1940, I delivered his Opening Day circulars," said store's current owner, Bill Kelly, then 14, of the March 29, 1940 start of Lord's 5 and 10 store.  "I went into the service in 1942, got out in 1946 and came right back." Lord gave Bill Kelly good reason to return. "When he went off to World War II, Mr. Lord said, 'Billy, When you come back from overseas, I'm going to make you a manager' which was a …

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