A shopping story: Nylon stockings come to Edmonton, 1940s, by Audrey Engley

Edmonton women scramble over nylon stockings in WWII.

During the Second World War the Airforce used nylon to make their parachutes, so the powers that be continued to experiment until they came up with a formula for nylon stockings for women.


When these nylons were introduced to the ladies of Edmonton (around 1947/48) “The Hudson Bay Store” was the first to take on the hazardous task of presenting them to the public.


I say hazardous because when the day arrived for said introduction, there was a line-up of women from the south door facing Jasper Ave. back to 102 St. and north on 102 St. for a block or more.


“The Bay” opened its doors promptly at 9 am and the women flocked into the store.


The was such a rush of females pushing and punching one another to get to the hosiery counter that the clerks who were standing in the aisles ready to receive them, ran behind the counters for cover.


Needless to say that the next time nylons went on sale there was a restrictions to how many pairs you could have and how many ladies were allowed in the store at once.