Famous Department Store
| File:Blackstone's Department Store, Los Angeles.jpg Blackstone's Department Store, primary location of Famous Department Store | |
| Predecessor | Cal Hirsch & Sons Mercantile Co. |
|---|---|
| Defunct | 1950 |
| Fate | Retail outlets acquired by J. J. Sugarman Co., brand later discontinued |
| Headquarters | , United States |
Number of locations | 8 (1950) |
The Famous Department Store was a retail chain headquartered in Los Angeles, California specializing in department store merchandise.
History
The origins of Famous trace back to Cal Hirsch & Sons Mercantile Co., established either in 1860 or 1871, which initially ran Army and Navy surplus outlets in St. Louis.
In 1913, the business expanded its operations to Los Angeles and shifted its main office there. Initially, it managed the "Army and Navy Store" at 526 South Main Street before relocating in 1916 to a more expansive site at 530-532 South Main Street, advertised as the "world's largest Army and navy store." By 1917, a branch had been launched in San Diego.
Famous inaugurated a downtown Long Beach store in 1929, housed in a building designed by Morgan, Walls & Clements; this structure has since been designated a city landmark.
Throughout the 1930s, U.S. Hirsch held the presidency, with Urban Hirsch, Jr. taking over by 1948.
In 1939, Famous acquired the former Blackstone's Department Store Building at 901 South Broadway, enlarging it to become a flagship location spanning 90,000 square feet that offered clothing, furniture, toys, as well as amenities such as a beauty salon and lunch counter. Afterward, the original Main Street store primarily served as a warehouse.
In 1950, J. J. Sugarman Co., an investment firm based in Los Angeles, purchased Famous for roughly $3.5 million—a sale considered one of the largest mercantile transactions in California at that time. At this point, the chain operated eight stores.
By 1952, advertising under the Famous name had ceased.
Timeline of geographic expansion
| Opened | City/area | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1913 | Downtown Los Angeles, 530 S. Main St. | Served as main store until 1939; subsequently functioned as Famous Army and Navy store |
| 1917 | San Diego | Branch of the Army and Navy Store operation |
| 1929 | Downtown Long Beach, Pine at 6th | Two-story plus basement facility covering 30,000 sq ft (2,800 m2), completed in 1929 at $350,000; art deco design by Morgan, Walls and Clements; recognized city landmark |
| 1926 | Glendale, Brand at Harvard | |
| 1932 | Santa Ana, 4th and Bush | Fourth location with 15,000 sq ft (1,400 m2) on main floor; opened Dec 10, 1932 with approximately 100 staff; basement expanded in 1937; second retail floor for furniture and appliances added in 1940; modernization included third floor and elevator by 1941 |
| 1933 | Pasadena, 268 E. Colorado Boulevard | Opened Sept 7, 1933 employing around 250 workers |
| 1935 | Fresno, Fulton at Tulare in former Radin & Kamp building | Five-story building housing sixth store; opened Nov 2, 1935 with construction costs of $750,000; over 100,000 sq ft (9,300 m2) of retail space; staffed by more than 200 employees |
| 1937 | Fullerton, Spadra at Wilshire | |
| 1939 | Downtown Los Angeles, 901 S. Broadway | Flagship store inauguration |
| 1948 | Porterville, Tulare Co. | Opened May 1948; situated on east side of Main St., between Putnam and Mill streets; managed by George Noonan |
| 1948 | San Bernardino, 393 E St. | Opened Dec 17, 1948 under manager Peter Moses |
External links
- Blackstone Department Store Building (location of Famous Department Store), Los Angeles Conservancy
- Google Maps Street View showing Long Beach store (Art Deco style, 1929, designed by Morgan, Walls & Clements)
- "Famous Department Store, Long Beach, CA" entry in the Pacific Coast Architecture Database
- Image of Famous Department Store signage on the Chapman Building
