Bond Clothing Stores
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Men's apparel manufacturing and retail |
| Founded | 1914 in Cleveland, Ohio, United States |
| Founder | Mortimer Slater, Charles Anson Bond, Lester Cohen |
| Defunct | 1982 |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Mortimer Slater (president), Barney S. Ruben (president) |
| Products | Men's suits and apparel |
Number of employees | Over 4,000 (by 1924) |
Bond Clothing Stores—also referred to as Bond Clothes or Bond Clothiers—was a manufacturer and retailer specializing in men's apparel aimed at the middle-income demographic.
History
Established in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1914 by Mortimer Slater, Charles Anson Bond, and Lester Cohen, the company originated as a retail outlet supporting their suit manufacturing enterprise. The brand name was selected for its commercial appeal, with Charles Anson Bond opening an additional location in Columbus, Ohio. Bond withdrew from company management following his 1907 election as mayor of Columbus. The initial store featured men's suits priced at $15. Under Mortimer Slater’s presidency, the business expanded to 28 stores in key urban centers and increased its employee base from 50 to over 4,000 by the time of his retirement in 1924. During the 1920s, Bond divested his ownership interests.
In 1937, Bond Stores, Inc. was formally incorporated in Maryland through the merger of Bond Clothing Company and its subsidiary, establishing its headquarters at 261 Fifth Avenue in New York City. Throughout the 1930s and 1940s, it grew to become the largest men's clothing retail chain in the United States, particularly noted for offering suits with two pairs of trousers. The company was acquired by international investors in 1975 and subsequently fragmented into smaller entities sold to management teams; for instance, Proud Wind, Inc. managed a group of 13 stores.
Manufacturing operations
In 1933, president Barney S. Ruben transferred production facilities from New Brunswick, New Jersey to Rochester, New York—his hometown and a hub for the garment industry. By the late 1930s, manufacturing employed upwards of 2,500 individuals and expanded its premises during the 1940s on North Goodman Street. By 1956, fully owned plants were operational in New Brunswick, New York City, and Rochester. Eventually, the Rochester facility was sold to General Dynamics and later repurposed by Bausch and Lomb. Manufacturing activities continued in Rochester until the factory ceased operations in 1979.
Retail stores
Bond Stores maintained a broad network of retail outlets throughout the United States, primarily focusing on men’s apparel. By the mid-1950s, some locations diversified into women’s clothing and were rebranded as "family apparel centers." In 1956, the chain operated close to 100 stores in major metropolitan areas alongside more than 50 agency stores serving smaller towns. The total number of outlets peaked near 150 during the late 1960s but had diminished to approximately 50 by 1982. Around 1970, new management with expertise in fashion took control; however, this strategic adjustment did not halt the company’s decline.
New York City
The flagship store in New York City was situated at 372 Fifth Avenue at 35th Street—previously Best & Co.’s main location. Known as "Bond Fifth Avenue," this site and its adjacent twelve-story office building were leased from Best & Co. beginning in 1947. In 1948, Bond undertook renovations featuring modern interior designs by Morris Lapidus and occupied this space until the mid-1970s. The building has since been transformed into a mixed-use commercial and residential property named "372 Fifth Avenue Loft."
Additionally, Bond operated a Times Square location opened in 1940 that earned the nickname "the cathedral of clothing." This store closed its doors in 1977. The structure was subsequently converted into a dance venue called Bond International Casino starting in 1980 and later served as a restaurant until 2015. Since 2017, this site has housed GAP and Old Navy retail outlets.
Greater Los Angeles
In 1939, Bond inaugurated its nine-story flagship store at 640 South Broadway, which was then recognized as the city's premier shopping area. This original flagship building is currently known as the Pavo Real Jewelry Center, although the Bond signage still remains intact. By the year 1960, Bond had expanded its operations across numerous locations throughout Greater Los Angeles, including sites along Wilshire Boulevard’s Miracle Mile, Crenshaw Center, Hollywood Boulevard, Anaheim Plaza, El Monte Shopping Center, East Los Angeles, Glendale, Huntington Park, Lakewood Center, Valley Plaza in North Hollywood, Panorama City Shopping Center, Eastland Shopping Center in West Covina, and Westchester.
Washington, D.C., and vicinity
Bond Stores made their entry into the Washington, D.C. market in 1925 with a flagship downtown location at 1335 F Street, NW. This store served customers from the early 1930s until it ceased operations in January 1982. The suburban market featured additional outlets such as Landmark Mall in Alexandria (opened in 1966) and Seven Corners Shopping Center in Falls Church (opened in 1956 and closed in 1976). In Maryland, Bond ran stores at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda, Prince George's Plaza in Hyattsville (which opened in 1959 and closed around 1982), and Marlow Heights Shopping Center.
Cleveland, Ohio
During the late 1940s, Bond erected a distinctive standalone store located downtown at the intersection of Euclid Avenue and East Ninth Street in Cleveland. This art moderne structure was notable for its illuminated red neon BOND sign atop a tower and featured a rose granite exterior. The building’s design prominently incorporated circular elements both internally and externally. This location remained operational until Bond’s closure and was subsequently demolished during the 1970s.
Chicago, Illinois
From 1954 onward, Bond Stores maintained a retail presence at 240 S State Street in Chicago.
Buffalo, New York
In Buffalo, Bond operated at least two stores: a downtown outlet at 452-54 Main Street acquired from Givens, Inc. in 1940 and a suburban location that opened in 1962 at Boulevard Mall.
Dallas, Texas
During the 1960s and 1970s, Dallas was home to two Bond Stores situated on Main Street—one at 1500 Main Street within the Southwestern Life Insurance Building and another at 1530 Main Street (currently The Joule Hotel)—in addition to a branch located at NorthPark Center on North Central Expressway.
Times Square sign
Between 1948 and 1954, Bond Clothes displayed a highly visible sign on Broadway between 44th and 45th streets within New York’s Times Square. This elaborate advertisement featured nearly two miles of neon tubing, flanked by two seven-story nude figures serving as bookends. A waterfall measuring wide with a capacity of 50,000 gallons of recirculated water flowed beneath these figures. Positioned below the waterfall was a news ticker illuminated by over 20,000 bulbs that scrolled messages continuously. Above this ticker sat a digital clock proclaiming: "Every Hour 3,490 People Buy at Bond." Elements of this iconic signage remained visible until the store’s closure in 1977.