The C.H. Parsons Company was a regional

department store A department store is a retail establishment offering a wide range of consumer goods in different areas of the store, each area ("department") specializing in a product category. In modern major cities, the department store made a dramatic app ...

chain headquartered in

Ashland, Kentucky Ashland is a home rule-class city in Boyd County, Kentucky, United States. The largest city in Boyd County, Ashland is located upon a southern bank of the Ohio River at the state border with Ohio and near West Virginia. The population was 21,6 ...

. Touted as "Eastern Kentucky's finest store", it served the entire eastern portion of the state from its large five-story "flagship" location on U.S. Routes 23 and 60, major regional arteries, in downtown Ashland. It was also known locally for its lavish seasonal window displays on the ground floor of the store. Parsons operated a smaller second location in

Morehead, Kentucky Morehead is a list of Kentucky cities, home rule-class city located along U.S. Route 60 in Kentucky, US 60 (the historic Midland Trail) and Interstate 64 in Kentucky, Interstate 64 in Rowan County, Kentucky, Rowan County, Kentucky, in the United ...

, for many years. In the early 1970s, Parson's continued with long-time growth when it acquired an adjacent storefront, which had previously been the Capital Theater, and reopened it as Parson's Men Store. On the left side of the men's store was Parson's Furniture, which is still in operation today under different ownership, many years after its parent company's demise. When a seven-story parking garage was built on the back side of the city block in 1976, a "

catwalk A fashion show ( French ''défilé de mode'') is an event put on by a fashion designer to showcase their upcoming line of clothing and/or accessories during a fashion week. Fashion shows debut every season, particularly the Spring/Summer and Fa ...

" was built connecting the Parson's store to the parking structure for the convenience of its customers who got free parking vouchers with any purchase. Parson's carried only the latest fashions for men, women, and children of all ages, along with shoes, toys, fur coats, and premium household furnishings. In 1994, the building became the Kentucky Highlands Museum. Parsons Furniture has started mailing notices to customers that its furniture store will be closing. As of late 2013, the store is no longer open for business.Daily Times – Google News Archive Search
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