Someone Else's Department; Stores That Once Had Everything Are Now Missing Something From: The Washington Post | Date: April 27, 2003| Author: Margaret Webb Pressler | Copyright 2003 The Washington Post. This material is published under license from the Washington Post.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Washington Post.Copyright information

I frequently go to department stores looking for something specific -- makeup, kids' clothes, shoes -- but I rarely head to one when I simply want to shop. If I'm just browsing and looking for something wonderful through pure serendipity, I find department stores confusing and, usually, disappointing.

It makes me wonder what the role of department stores is today for the American shopper. How do we use them? How do department stores expect to be used?

As the name implies, the big...