Fifth Street Store

Fifth Street Store

File:Steelfariswalker.jpg Illustration from a 1905 Los Angeles Herald article announcing the launch of the "Fifth Street Store"
Company type	Privately-held company
Industry	Apparel
Founded	1905 (1905) in Los Angeles, USA
Defunct	1978 (1978)
Fate	Locations absorbed into Ohrbach's, Milliron's Westchester, or Walker Scott
Area served	California, USA

The Fifth Street Store was a prominent department store based in Los Angeles, established in 1905.

Name

Throughout its history, the company's official title and store branding underwent multiple revisions:

• 1905–1909: The company operated under the name Steele, Faris, & Walker Co. which was also used in its marketing.
• 1909–1925: Officially registered as Muse, Faris, Walker Co. but marketed primarily as the "Fifth Street Store," with the formal name appearing less prominently.
• 1926–1946: Renamed Walkers, Inc. in 1925, the store began promoting itself as Walker's, located at Broadway and 5th from mid-1926 onward.
• 1946–1953: Known as Milliron's, named after C. J. Milliron who served as president and majority shareholder during this period. Milliron initially joined as legal counsel in 1917 and became president in September 1943, acquiring ownership from William A. Faris. The Milliron's name persisted even after acquisition by The Broadway in 1950.
• 1953–1959: Functioned as a branch of Ohrbach's, which opened on November 30, 1953, and was marketed under the name Ohrbach's-Downtown.

Broadway, Los Angeles

Main article: Fifth Street Store Building

Situated at the southwest intersection of Fifth and Broadway, this location replaced an older structure with a newly constructed eleven-story retail building finalized in 1924. Starting in 1925, the store promoted itself under the name Walkers, named after co-founder Ralf (R. M.) Walker, who would later establish what became San Diego’s largest department store chain, Walker Scott. In 1946, the store was rebranded as Milliron's. The Broadway Department Store acquired this location in 1950 but shuttered it by 1956, following its purchase by Ohrbach's in August 1953. Under the direction of architect Welton Becket, the store underwent a $1,000,000 renovation and reopened as Ohrbach's-Downtown in November 1953. Ohrbach's eventually closed this branch and sold the property in 1959.

Westchester

Main article: Milliron's Westchester

The Milliron's Westchester location commenced operations on March 17, 1949, featuring a design by renowned retail architect Victor Gruen. The construction cost totaled $3,000,000. Its grand opening was a significant occasion, with architectural elements such as clean linear forms paired with sweeping curves at the corners, triangular window displays extending outward from the facade, and a rooftop parking deck accessible by a dedicated ramp. These features made it a notable example of innovative retail architecture. Shortly after its opening, in June 1950, ownership transferred to The Broadway.

Walker's Long Beach

File:Hugh A. Marti Co. department store new store 1929.jpg

Hugh A. Marti Co. prior to acquisition by the Fifth Street Store

File:401 Pine-Walker Building.jpg

Former Walker's Downtown Long Beach location

Walker's inaugurated their initial branch in Downtown Long Beach at the corner of 4th and Pine—Pine being the primary commercial street—in 1933. The building itself was originally constructed in 1928 and designed by Meyer and Holler in an Art Deco style for the Hugh A. Marti Co., which had ceased operations prior to Walker’s acquisition. In 1952, Walker’s invested $300,000 to enlarge the facility to 132,000 sq ft (12,300 m²), incorporating five escalators—a number exceeding all escalators then present in Long Beach combined. A second Walker’s outlet opened at Los Altos Center in Long Beach in 1954 but was sold to The Broadway by 1956. The Downtown Long Beach location was sold in 1960 but continued operating under the Walker’s name until 1978.

Walker-Scott San Diego

In 1935, Walker's established a branch in downtown San Diego, which later branched off in the early 1950s to become known as Walker Scott. The original Walker's store had a significant presence, with milestones such as its silver jubilee celebrated in 1930. Following the death of R. M. Walker in 1935, the company’s stores temporarily closed for his funeral services. Ownership of the building was transferred in 1937 for $1,400,000.

Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, Walker Scott expanded its footprint, including the construction of a new store in East Long Beach beginning in 1954 and its grand opening in 1955 with an investment of $4 million. Prior to this, H. F. Conrad acquired the Long Beach store in 1953.

Management changes occurred over the years, including a notable shift in 1957. In 1960, the Long Beach store was acquired by Butler Bros., a transaction also reported by national press outlets. The evolution of Walker Scott reflects a trajectory of growth and transition within Southern California’s retail landscape.

External links

• "The Fifth Street Store Transitions to Milliron's", J. H. Graham (blog), September 18, 2017