This topic came back to life for me last night. I just read the John Collier short story "Evening Primrose" about...Living In A Department Store!
Turns out it was on TV too, so maybe this is what the original poster had in mind way back when.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0060384/

You might also enjoy Collier's "Green Thoughts" which I am certain was the basis for the eventual "Littel Shop of Horrors". Also, "His Monkey Wife" - very British and very witty. I found Collier one day when I was purchasing a Bradbury book from a collector, and he recommended John Collier as the inspiration for Ray's kind of fantasy. Then, Ray came out with the forword to "Fancies and Goodnights" when it was re-released a year or so ago. That was nice of him to pay homage.

I've just read "Green Thoughts. Great! And I certainly agree it must've been the basis for "Little Shop of Horrors". I read "His Monkey Wife" some time ago. Collier's writing is very entertaining and I can see his influence on Mr. B. By the way, the collection "Fancies And Goodnights" I got from the library has no introduction at all, alas.

Am I remembering this right? Is the name of Matheson’s playwright in “Bid Time Return” (filmed as “Somewhere in Time”), John Collier?

Chap, as Ricky Ricardo was wont to say, "I dunt thin so." Actually, I just looked it up, and the character is Richard Collier.

I love that movie and the story. I just watched it on cable for the umteenth time. I guess I am just a little romantic. I also cry at "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir". I own a lettered first edition signed copy of Matheson's book published by Gauntlet in 1999. I must buy the DVD. Christopher Reeve and Jane Seymour are too perfect in the movie - just hauntingly beautiful. The music is also right on target for the story and quite moving. And there is Richard Matheson in a cameo sceen.

I’ve seen it about ten times. Did you know that there is a web site and association for the movie and that at the hotel it was filmed at there is a monument at the site were Jane Seymour asks, “Is it you?”
**
“Take the ball outside, Arthur.”

I find myself shuddering with chills, not because of the creepiness the story you describe inducess, but because, in an attempt to find the audiobook version of said story, I was frustrated by my inability to name it. So, i said "ok google story about a man who lives in a mall display case and the mannequins come alive at night" and that is how i found this site. Forgive my long message, but i couldnt resist repyling. I first discovered this tale about a year ago when i heard it on a youtube channel called "horrorbabble". A great channel, I might add. But when tried to find it this morning, i couldnt remember the name. Anyway, Im sure that the description you gave will help in my search. A man who is fed up with his life of scratching an existence decides to live in one of the lavish display cases at some mall. At night, he finds he isnt alone. The mannequins have their own kind of ways and rules, and this man falls for some girl who is already in love with a man who visits her store. But when the other mannequins find out ( the main character betrays her or is tricked into doing so by another mannequin ( are they actually mannequins?) They summon some kind of monsterous things to come take her away. Is that kina right? Well, if i find the name i will inform you. Thanks

Welcome and thanks for posting, Lorenzo! If none of the story descriptions given above sound right, you might ask at the YouTube channel if there's a place to contact the owner or leave comments. My two favorite places for identifying unknown stories are as follows. You need an account at each to post.

http://forums.abebooks.com/dis...g/abesleuthcom?dbg=6

https://www.goodreads.com/grou...he-name-of-that-book

quote:

Originally posted by Chapter 31:
One of my favorite TZ’s. (My favorite is “One For The Angels”).

I saw my favorite again last night - The Obsolete Man.

How many times we gotta tell ya, the story is 'Evening Primrose' by John Collier. Read all his stories, please.

Actually, I asked Ray once if he was influenced by H. H. Munro aka Saki, and he said no, it was "all John Collier," and that his writing was a very great influence.

too much, your post from 2006, 17 years later, played a tremendous part in my journey to find the very answer you yourself were seeking!!

you may never receive this reply, but I have found the answer and feel indebted to sharing it with you, in case you never found your answer.

I heard the story on Selected Shorts, read by Neil Gaiman, around what I recall to be 2009. Hours of searching did not lead me to uncover a recording of that episode, but through many google searches, using key words from your recollection of the story, I finally found it.

Evening Primrose, by John Collier.

from the John Collier Wikipedia page,

“Evening Primrose — Probably his most famous; about people who live in a department store, hiding during the day and coming out at night. Betty Richardson wrote that the store is "the Valhalla, of course, of a consumer society ... populated by acquisitive people who pose as mannequins by daylight; by night, they emerge to grab what they want": "Happy to sacrifice all human emotions—love, pity, integrity—for the sake of consumer goods, these denizens have their own pecking order and police. The primary duty of the latter is to suppress any rebellion against this materialistic society."

—> https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wik...lier_(fiction_writer)

after discovering the title and author, I continued with my own journey to find the episode of Selected Shorts where Neil read the story, since that was my reason for this intensive search. I searched “selected shorts John Collier” and there appeared a description of that episode, “Dreaming Out Loud,” dated 2018, which I assume was a replay. Sadly, link to the episode itself is not provided.

—> https://www.wnyc.org/story/dreaming-out-loud/

so, dig deeper I did, and up popped a resource with links to past episodes, including episodes back to 2018 and “Dreaming Out Loud” where I first learned of this incredible story. Unfortunately, it won’t download and may be a dupe, but I won’t stop trying.


and after literal hours of searching, I found my answer, all thanks to you!

Wow, this is great, and to think my post just above yours was about John Collier's influence on Ray Bradbury!