Gump's

Gump's

Company type	Private
Industry	Retail
Founded	1861 in San Francisco, California, United States
Founder	Solomon Gump, Gustav Gump
Headquarters	San Francisco , United States
Products	Home furnishings, décor, luxury goods, jewelry, artworks
Owner	Chachas family (since June 2019)

Template:Use American English

Gump's is a high-end American retailer offering home furnishings and décor, established in 1861 in San Francisco, California. In June 2019, ownership transferred to the Chachas family, who announced plans to reopen a San Francisco store during the holiday season alongside launching an online retail platform.

History

Solomon Gump

Solomon Gump, circa 1901

Originally founded as S & G Gump in 1861 by brothers Solomon and Gustav Gump, the business began as a shop specializing in mirrors and frames. Over time, it expanded its offerings to include moldings, gilded cornices, and European artworks catering to individuals newly affluent from the California Gold Rush.

The enterprise thrived by retailing an array of items from jade jewelry and precious gemstones to cultured freshwater pearls. It also featured luxury brands such as Hermès and Buccellati. Among its clientele were notable figures like Franklin D. Roosevelt, who purchased model ships and smoking jackets, and Sarah Bernhardt, who acquired a 17th-century Chinese bronze snake as part of her preparation for portraying Cleopatra. Leadership passed to Solomon’s son, Alfred Livingston Gump. After the 1906 earthquake and subsequent fire destroyed the store and its inventory, assistance came through Dodie Valencia securing $17,000 for one of A.L.'s paintings, enabling the shop’s reconstruction and restocking. Driven by his enthusiasm for Oriental art, A.L. focused on importing exotic collectibles from Asia, dispatching agents to Japan and China who procured rare rugs, porcelains, silks, bronzes, and jade pieces for California’s emerging wealthy clientele.Template:Fix/category

Following A.L.’s passing in 1947, his son Richard Gump assumed the presidency of the company. He upheld the family tradition by overseeing operations until retiring in 1975. Subsequently, Gump's was sold to publisher Crowell Collier, which eventually merged into Macmillan Publishers. By mid-1989, ownership changed hands again, this time involving an investment consortium including Japan’s Tobu Department Store along with the Charterhouse Group.

Facing financial difficulties in 1993, Gump's was acquired by the company later known as Hanover Direct. They streamlined product offerings and conducted a liquidation sale on May 24 of that year before revitalizing the brand. In 2005, an investment group purchased the business for $8.5 million.

Beginning catalog sales in the 1950s, by May 2018 over three quarters of Gump’s revenue was generated through catalog and online channels.

On August 3, 2018, Gump's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. One week later on August 10, liquidation sales commenced both on its website and at its remaining San Francisco location; ultimately closing its doors on December 23 of that year. In 2019, the Chachas family revived the brand by reopening its long-standing address at 250 Post Street in Union Square. Nevertheless, due to San Francisco’s COVID-19 restrictions in 2020, this location was temporarily shuttered.

As of 2022, Gump’s operates Monday through Saturday.

Buddha statue

Within the San Francisco location, a statue of the Buddha was prominently exhibited. The initial sculpture, crafted from bronze and obtained in 1928, was gifted by Gump's in 1949 to the San Francisco Parks Department to honor Alfred Livingston Gump. This piece now resides in the Japanese Tea Garden situated in Golden Gate Park. Subsequently, it was replaced by a notably large gilded wooden Buddha from the Qing Dynasty. Originating from the Chengde Mountain Resort, which served as the Qing Emperors' summer residence during the early 1800s, this statue was the largest of its type outside of a museum setting.Template:Fix/category The piece was acquired by John Chachas, a New York investment banker and one of the buyers in 2005, who lent it to the store up until its closure.