Loveman's (Chattanooga)
| File:Loveman's Department Store (Chattanooga) Logo.png | |
| Industry | Retail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1875 |
| Defunct | 1988 |
| Fate | Acquired by Proffitt's |
| Headquarters | Chattanooga, Tennessee |
Key people | David Bernard Loveman, founder |
| Products | Clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, housewares |
| Website | None |
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Loveman's was a department store chain headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee, operating across regions of East Tennessee and North Georgia. Family members of the founder also established related stores, including Loveman's of Alabama and Loveman's in Nashville, Tennessee.
History
David Bernard Loveman and his brother Herman Herschel Loveman relocated from Atlanta, Georgia to Chattanooga in 1875 and initiated a dry goods business named D. B. Loveman and Bro. Two years later, in 1877, Ismar Noa became a partner, prompting the company to be renamed D. B. Loveman & Company. In 1884, they acquired land at the southeast corner of Eighth and Market Streets—a transaction regarded as the most significant real estate deal in Chattanooga at that time. Construction began in 1885 on what would become the city’s inaugural department store. This establishment grew to be Chattanooga’s largest department store and held that distinction for over a century.
On December 26, 1891, a fire destroyed the building, causing substantial setbacks for the business. Despite David Loveman declaring bankruptcy, operations continued without interruption. Over time, the company recovered and flourished, employing approximately 300 individuals by 1917. Beyond its downtown flagship location, Loveman's expanded its presence with stores in places such as Oak Ridge, Tennessee and suburban Chattanooga areas including East Ridge, Tennessee. In 1965, the company opened a store at Eastgate Mall. During the early 1970s, Loveman's occupied the former JCPenney space in Highland Plaza after JCPenney moved to the newly developed Northgate Mall in Hixson in 1972. By 1980, Loveman's was among the original anchor tenants at Walnut Square Mall in Dalton, Georgia. The chain’s last expansion occurred in 1987 when it became an anchor store at Hamilton Place Mall.
In 1988, burdened by significant debt, Loveman's was purchased by Proffitt's, which itself was later acquired by Belk in 2005. Beginning in 2001, the flagship downtown building underwent conversion into a mixed-use development featuring luxury condominiums on upper floors under the direction of RiverCity Company.[1][2] In August 2008, the 31,000-square-foot (2,900 m2) second floor was sold at auction to the Maclellan Foundation for $1.4 million.[3] Additionally, Cohutta Banking Co. of Tennessee planned to relocate during fall 2008 into approximately 15,000 square feet (1,400 m2) of space on the building’s ground level.[4]
References
- ↑ "Revival for Lovemans, at last," Chattanooga Times Free Press, Jun 21, 2001.
- ↑ River City Company website: Loveman's on Market development (retrieved Aug 30, 2008).
- ↑ "Chattanooga: Maclellan acquires Loveman's 2nd floor," The Chattanooga Times Free Press, Aug 15, 2008.
- ↑ "Chattanooga: Lovemans 2nd floor in auction," The Chattanooga Times Free Press, Jul 31, 2008.