John Shillito Company
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (department store) |
| Predecessor | Blatchley & Simpson (employer of founder) |
| Founded | 1830 |
| Founder | John Shillito |
| Defunct | 1986 |
| Fate | Merged with Rike's to form Shillito-Rike's, later rebranded as Lazarus and then Macy's |
| Successor | Lazarus |
| Headquarters | Cincinnati , United States |
Area served | Cincinnati and surrounding areas, including Kentucky suburbs |
Key people | John Shillito, Stewart Shillito |
| Products | Department store goods |
Number of employees | Over 1,000 (circa 1879) |
John Shillito & Co., widely recognized as Shillito's, holds the distinction of being Cincinnati's inaugural department store.
History
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John Shillito, born in November 1808 and deceased in September 1879,[1] arrived in Cincinnati from Greensburg, Pennsylvania in 1817 at the age of nine. Early on, he found employment with the local firm Blatchley & Simpson. By 1830, he ventured out to establish a dry goods partnership with William McLaughlin. The following year, McLaughlin departed, and Robert W. Burnett along with James Pullen joined as new partners.
The enterprise known as Shillito, Burnett & Pullen quickly expanded beyond its initial premises and relocated in 1833 to a site across Main Street between 4th and 5th Streets. In 1837, Shillito assumed full control by purchasing his partners' shares and moved operations to a larger space on the north side of 4th Street. He became sole proprietor in 1842.[1]
In 1857, Shillito acquired land opposite his existing location and commissioned a five-story department store—the largest in Cincinnati at that time—designed by architect James W. McLaughlin, son of his former partner McLaughlin. After Shillito's company vacated this building in 1879, it was taken over by competitor The McAlpin Company. By 2018, this structure had been transformed into condominium residences known as "The McAlpin".[1]
Despite its impressive scale, the Fourth Street building eventually proved insufficient for the growing business. Once more partnering with architect McLaughlin, Shillito constructed an L-shaped six-story edifice with basement and sub-cellar levels on the southwest corner of Race and Seventh Streets, moving there in 1879.[1] This building featured a fireproof iron framework, gas lighting throughout, a skylight dome measuring 58 feet in diameter, and marble staircases complemented by two passenger elevators and two freight elevators.[2] The establishment employed over one thousand workers.[3]
Shortly after inaugurating this new flagship store, John Shillito passed away. Leadership then transferred to his son Stewart Shillito. Upon Stewart's death in 1925, ownership was acquired by the Lazarus Company, though the Shillito brand continued to be used. Expansion included branch locations at suburban shopping centers such as Tri-County Mall (1960), Western Woods (1963), Beechmont Mall (1969), Oxmoor Mall in Louisville, Kentucky (1971), Fayette Mall in Lexington, Kentucky (1971), Florence Mall in Florence, Kentucky (1977), and Jefferson Mall in Louisville (1979).[4]
In 1982, the Shillito brand merged with corporate sister company Rike's, forming Shillito-Rike's. Four years later, in 1986, the Shillito name was retired entirely in favor of Lazarus.[5] On March 6, 2005, the Lazarus brand was replaced by Macy's across all stores.
The store served as a filming location for the fictional Millimans department store depicted in the 1990 movie A Mom for Christmas.
The historic Shillito’s flagship building has since been repurposed into luxury residences known as the Lofts at Shillito Place.[6] It contributes to the significance of the Race Street Historic District. During renovations completed in 1998, developers uncovered the original octagonal skylight within the atrium space and restored it using modern energy-efficient materials. Currently, this structure houses ninety-six loft-style apartments spread across seven floors along with office space on the ground level.[7]
Business practices
From its inception, the Shillito company upheld the motto "Truth Always - Facts Only." John Shillito was known for his integrity and committed himself to enhancing the civic environment of Cincinnati.
By the 1880s, the John Shillito Company was producing 24-page sales catalogs that included entertaining or educational anecdotes about visits to the store.
The company was a pioneer in supporting the African-American community. In 1946, it became the first department store to extend credit, provide employment opportunities, and promote African-Americans into management roles. Additionally, the Cincinnati location's restaurant was notable for being the first to welcome all customers without discrimination.
See also
- Cincinnati Gymnasium and Athletic Club, a historic building located behind the iconic Shillito's
- McAlpin's
- List of department stores converted to Macy's
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Cite error: Invalid
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- ↑ The Department Store Museum
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