Waldenberger Luggage Shop

Waldenberger Luggage Shop was one of the oldest retailers in the city of Little Rock, Arkansas. The business occupied frontage at 704 Main Street under the name Gilmore Trunk and Harness Co. beginning in 1875. The shop was originally owned by William Gilmore and sold harness, saddles, and horse blankets. Gilmore sold the store to his son-in-law Joe Waldenberger. In 1952 the store was still at its Main Street location.

Other owners were Madine Baldwin and Dan Baldwin. The store was also owned at one time by James Edward Wirtz.

The store eventually moved R Street and then in 1983 to 5915 Kavanaugh Boulevard in The Heights neighborhood. The store was owned and operated by Prather Reyburn Reynolds Jr. from 1983 to 1996. Reynolds opened a second store in the Market Place Shopping Center but within a few years returned to service in a single store in The Heights. In 1991 the store moved again to 200 North Bowman Road in west Little Rock before returning to 5600 Kavanaugh and settling in the renovated Heights Theater Shopping Center.

References

• Leroy Donald, "Merchant Returns to Heights," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, June 14, 1994.
• Jeff Thompson, "Waldenberger Moving West," Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, September 20, 1991.
• Mike Trimble, "30 Years Create Downtown Differences," Arkansas Gazette, May 2, 1982.