Haggarty's

Haggarty's

Industry	Department store
Founded	1905
Defunct	1970
Fate	Bankruptcy
Headquarters	Los Angeles
Area served	Los Angeles

Haggarty's—also known as J. J. Haggarty, the New York Cloak and Suit House, and the New York Store—was a department store chain established in Los Angeles in 1906. The company ceased operations in May 1970 after failing to adapt to evolving fashion trends, which led to accumulated debts amounting to $4.4 million. At its height, the chain operated more than twelve locations.

History

File:19181116 New York Cloak Brockman Building 7th LAEx.png

Sketch from November 1918 showing Haggarty's new New York Cloak and Suit store on Seventh Street in the Brockman Building

The enterprise was launched by J. J. Haggarty (1860–1935), who, by 1905, had accumulated three and a half years of experience as a department manager and buyer at Jacoby Bros. department store. He then decided to inaugurate his own retail establishment, the New York Cloak and Suit House, situated at the former City of London store premises at 337-339 S. Broadway. The store opened its doors on March 6, 1905, targeting an upscale clientele as a sizable specialty retailer offering ready-to-wear apparel for ladies, misses, and children. The building featured four floors, each decorated with a distinct color palette: the first floor housed fancy goods; the second floor displayed evening gowns, opera wraps, cloaks, suits, and skirts; the third floor contained millinery, dressmaking parlors, and art; while the fourth floor included a café and restaurant.

On September 20, 1917, he unveiled his ambitious "uptown" flagship location at the southeast corner of West Seventh Street—an area that had evolved into a prestigious shopping district since 1915—at the intersection with Grand Avenue. At this point, the store abandoned the New York Cloak and Suit designation in favor of simply J. J. Haggarty Inc. This location occupied ground-floor spaces spanning two buildings: the primary structure now known as the Brockman Building and an adjoining newly constructed four-story edifice. The store featured an innovative 350-foot-long arcade with display windows—the first retail establishment in Los Angeles to incorporate such an architectural element. Meanwhile, the original Broadway location at 337-9 was later repurposed for a self-service outlet called the New York Dresseteria and subsequently Sweet Sixteen.

Following Mr. Haggarty’s passing, ownership transferred to Clyde H. DeAcres, formerly president of Sherman, Clay and Co., a San Francisco-based retailer specializing in musical instruments. In 1938, DeAcres expanded the chain by opening a four-story branch on Wilshire Boulevard near Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.

At the time of its closure, majority ownership rested with Mrs. Lila M. Ash—the spouse of Roy Ash, president of Litton Industries, a prominent defense contractor—who had invested approximately $9.5 million into Haggarty’s operations.

Branches

Just prior to its bankruptcy in 1970, the chain maintained stores in locations such as Beverly Hills—whose lease was subsequently taken over by Roos-Atkins—Pasadena, Palm Springs, Downey, Canoga Park, along with four Hafter's-Haggarty's outlets situated in the San Diego region. Earlier establishments had operated in Santa Ana and Bakersfield. Notably, the Downtown store at Seventh and Grand ceased operations in 1963.

Other

Mr. Haggarty commissioned a residence within the West Adams neighborhood of Los Angeles at 3330 West Adams Boulevard. Additionally, he constructed a lavish Mediterranean-style summer estate in 1928 on the Palos Verdes Peninsula located at 415 Paseo del Mar near Malaga Cove. This 32-room property featured meticulously designed lawns and gardens by the Olmsted Brothers and was furnished with Italian pieces.