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Myers department store

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article Myers department store, available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 9 August 202534 sources
Boston Stores
Company typePrivate
IndustryRetail (department store)
Founded1934
FounderIra Kaufman
Defunct1996
FateLiquidated
Headquarters
Inglewood, California (initially), later Carson, California (from 1990)
,
United States
Area served
Southern California, Arizona
Key people
Donald Kaufman (Chairman, from 1984)
ProductsModerately priced national label apparel and goods
Number of employees
1,000 (1990)


Final logo of Boston Stores

Boston Stores, frequently referred to as The Boston Store both initially and subsequently, was a department store chain headquartered in Inglewood, California, located just southwest of Central Los Angeles. The chain operated from 1934 until 1996.

The enterprise was founded by Ira Kaufman, who launched the first location in downtown Inglewood in 1934.[1][2] By 1990, the chain had expanded to 20 outlets—14 in California and 6 in Arizona—employing approximately 1,000 people. That same year, the corporate headquarters relocated to Carson, roughly 13 miles south of Inglewood.[3]

Numerous unrelated stores across the United States have also used the name "Boston Store." Among these were the late 19th and early 20th century downtown Los Angeles locations of J. W. Robinson's which operated under that title; additionally, two separate "Boston Stores" existed independently in Los Angeles—one in 1925 at 320 S. Broadway within the former Blackstone's Department Store building;Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name and another in 1939 with branches at 331 S. Broadway (previously occupied by Jacoby Bros.) and at 4755 Whittier Blvd. in East Los Angeles.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Neither of these establishments had any connection to the Boston Stores chain based in Inglewood.

Myers Whittier

In 1972, Boston Stores expanded its footprint by acquiring Myers Whittier, a department store located in Whittier. Myers originated around 1905 when Lemuel A. and Wilbert S. Myers founded the Myers Dry Goods Company in a modest 25-foot-wide (8-meter) storefront at 109 S. Greenleaf Ave., staffed by five employees.[4]

By approximately 1911, Myers had doubled its retail frontage to a 50-foot-wide (15-meter) site at 110-2 S. Greenleaf. The company relocated again in 1920 to a newly constructed 10,000 sq ft (930 m2) facility at 141 N. Greenleaf, which was further expanded two years later to 20,000 sq ft (1,900 m2).[4]

The final and largest move for Myers occurred in 1955 when it established its presence in Uptown Whittier with a 42,000 sq ft (3,900 m2) store featuring parking accommodations for 90 vehicles.[4][5] Following this relocation, the store adopted the name "Myers Whittier".Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name

After Boston Stores acquired Myers Whittier in 1972, it initially retained the original branding and store name. The company also inaugurated a new branch in the Whittwood Center mall on May 2, 1974, under the moniker "Myers Whittwood".[6] However, by 1976, both Whittier locations were rebranded as "Boston Stores".[1]

Wineman's

Main article: Wineman's

In 1984, Boston Stores took ownership of the Wineman's department store chain, which originally began in Ventura and Oxnard but had established itself since 1924 as a prominent anchor in the bustling Pacific Boulevard retail corridor located in Huntington Park. This shopping area was recognized as the most active commercial district within the southeastern Los Angeles suburbs from the 1930s through the 1950s. Initially aiming for broad growth during the early 1920s, Wineman's eventually scaled back to a single Huntington Park store by the late 1920s. However, starting in 1969, the company reignited its expansion efforts, growing its footprint throughout Southern California between 1969 and 1983.

Following the acquisition, Boston Stores transformed several Wineman's locations into Boston Stores outlets:

  • The flagship store in Huntington Park, situated at 6351 Pacific Boulevard, originally opened in 1935 with a retail space of approximately 16,000 sq ft (1,500 m2). During its peak decades—from the 1930s through the 1950s—Pacific Boulevard stood as the leading shopping district in the southeastern Los Angeles suburbs. The Huntington Park store underwent expansions in 1940, 1957, and 1966, evolving from a modest 25-foot frontage in 1924 to an impressive 150-foot-wide storefront by 1966.
  • In Placentia, a location at 110 E. Yorba Linda Boulevard spanning 26,400 square feet (2,450 m2) commenced operations on October 19, 1973.
  • The Mission Viejo branch, located within Mission Viejo Village Center, opened around September 1975.
  • An additional store was established in Corona.

Moore's (Lompoc)

In 1990, Boston Stores acquired Moore's Department Store located in Lompoc.[7]

Historic expansion

The Boston Stores chain experienced significant growth throughout Southern California and Arizona, as detailed below:

California locations established before 1986 Template:Sort under

  1. REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
Opening Date Closing Date City Address Square Feet Square Meters Remarks References
  1. REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
  1. REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
 Inglewood Downtown: 100 S. Market St. Planned interior redesign by Chaix and Johnson; store ceased operations around February 1962 [8][9][1][2]
  1. REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
 Hawthorne 345 S. Hawthorne Blvd. at 131st St. Renovation executed by Burke, Kober and Nicolais architects; store reopened in March 1965 featuring updated façade and air conditioning [10]
  1. REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
 Inglewood Crenshaw-Imperial Plaza Template:Nts Template:Nts Expanded in November 1967; architectural design by Chaix and Johnson [11][12]
  1. REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
 Seal Beach Rossmoor Center Template:Nts Template:Nts Largest store within the chain at the time [13]
  1. REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
 Fullerton Orangefair Mall Template:Nts Template:Nts Two-level store; fifth location to open in the chain [14][15][16]
  1. REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
 Anaheim East Anaheim Shopping Center Template:Nts Template:Nts Sixth store launched within the chain [17][18]
  1. REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
 (acquisition)
Originally opened in 1955 as Myers
  1. REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
 Whittier Uptown: 6557 Greenleaf at Bailey The building was initially inaugurated as Myers Whittier department store on November 17, 1955. Boston Stores took over in 1972 and rebranded it in 1976. As of 2024, the premises accommodate medical offices. 33°58′52″N 118°02′16″W / 33.9811355°N 118.0377288°W / 33.9811355; -118.0377288[19]

[20][16][4][5]

  1. REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting
 Whittier Whittwood Center Launched as a Boston Stores branch but carried the Myers Whittwood brand.[6] Rebranded to Boston Stores in 1976.[1]

c.1976

Inglewood Downtown: 315 S. Market St.

Opened December of that year marking Boston Stores’ return to Downtown Inglewood after a fifteen-year hiatus. [9]

  1. REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting

1981

Diamond Bar, California Diamond Bar Towne Center

[21]

Hemet, California Diamond Valley Shopping Center

[22]

  1. REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting

1983

Victorville, California Hi Desert Plaza (Bear Valley at Hesperia)

Opened as the chain’s fifteenth location. [23]

Converted from Wineman's stores in 1984

  • Huntington Park location opened in 1935 and closed in 1986
  • Mission Viejo location at Mission Viejo Village Center opened around September of 1975[24][25]
  • Placentia location opened at Placentia Town Center in 1973

Template:Col-start Template:Col-break California locations initiated from 1986 onward By December of 1985, Boston Stores operated thirteen outlets within California and six across Arizona.[26] Subsequent openings included:

  • Lancaster opened approximately in 1986[27]
  • Ridgecrest commenced operations circa 1987
  • Pomona launched around1988 but closed near1990
  • Poway location at Poway Plaza spanning approximately [convert: invalid number], inaugurated on September16,1988 as the seventeenth branch of the chain[28]
  • Camarillo site at Camarillo Village Square opened November25,1988[29]
  • Lompoc outlet at118 W. Ocean Street opened November2,1990 after acquiring Moore's Department Store[30][31]
  • Oceanside branch located within Mission Marketplace inaugurated September12,1991[32]

Template:Col-break Template:Col-break Arizona branches

  • Flagstaff store situated at Cedar Pines Shopping Center operational as of1985[33]
  • Glendale location active by1985[34]
  • Maryvale store also open as of1985[34]
  • Mesa outlet operational by1995
  • Prescott branch open as of1995
  • Sun City location active since approximately1986

Template:Col-end By1986, Wineman's stores in Corona, Garden Grove, and Monrovia were no longer featured in advertisements.[27]

Decline and liquidation

For many years, the chain focused on offering moderately priced national labels such as Hart, Schaffner and Marx, which it described as "quality leadership brands." The company’s strategy centered on operating smaller, more personal stores ranging from 10,000 to 20,000 square feet—although some locations, like Rossmore, were larger—situated in neighborhood shopping centers and regions that were either distant from or underserved by major malls and traditional department stores.

In 1984, Chairman Donald Kaufman orchestrated a leveraged buyout to acquire control from his father, Ira. Alongside this, the company expanded by purchasing chains such as Wineman's and Malcolms and invested $1 million in a new computerized inventory and cash register system. These moves significantly increased the company’s debt throughout the 1980s. In an interview with the Torrance Daily Breeze, Donald Kaufman acknowledged substantial financial losses in 1985, though noted improvements in 1986. During this period, several locations were shuttered, including stores at Orangefair in Fullerton and Crenshaw-Imperial Plaza in Inglewood.

Moreover, by the mid-1980s, local junior department stores faced considerable challenges as larger shopping malls had expanded to cover most areas within Greater Los Angeles. This expansion left fewer attractive markets where these smaller chains could thrive.

In 1992, Boston Stores filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. As a result, some outlets were closed. Ultimately, the remaining stores were liquidated by 1996.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named myers
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named obit1
  3. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named lompoc
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named fourth
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named myers1955
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named whittwood
  7. ↑ "Boston Store buys Moore's Lompoc". The Lompoc Record. 10 July 1990. p. 7. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  8. ↑ "Boston Store Will Redesign Interior". The Los Angeles Times. 3 December 1961. p. 200. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Template:Cite news :title="Boston Returns after 15 Years" :url=http://newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-boston-returns-aft/55825638/ :access-date="27 March 2024" :work="The Los Angeles Times" :date="12 December 1976" :pages="82"
  10. ↑ "Boston Store-Hawthorne in ad for Boston Stores". The Los Angeles Times. 21 February 1965. p. 165. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  11. ↑ "Charity Day event opens new store". Southwest Topics-Wave. 26 October 1961. p. 11. Retrieved 27 March 2024. Chaix and Johnson, arch., 30,000 sqft
  12. ↑ "New Shop Added at Plaza Store". The Los Angeles Times. 19 November 1967. p. 145. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  13. ↑ "Break Ground Today for New Boston Store". Independent. 10 February 1963. p. 54. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  14. ↑ "Boston Stores Grand Opening Fullerton #5". The Register. 8 October 1968. p. 32. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  15. ↑ "Boston Store Fullerton Grand Opening". The Los Angeles Times. 9 October 1968. p. 7. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Boston Store to open two new Orange County units". The Los Angeles Times. 28 April 1968. p. 406. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  17. ↑ "Boston Stores Grand Opening Anaheim". The Register. 11 November 1968. p. 32. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  18. ↑ "Boston Stores Anaheim opening". The Los Angeles Times. 13 November 1968. p. 9. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  19. ↑ "6557 Greenleaf, Whittier CA". Google Maps. Retrieved 27 March 2024.
  20. ↑ "Vacant Stores: Biggest Problem in Village Today". East Review. 15 February 1981. p. 4. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  21. ↑ Template:Cite news :title="Boston Stores Diamond Bar Grand Opening" :url="https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-boston-stores-diam/144183568/" :access-date="26 March 2024" :work="The Los Angeles Times" :date="16 September 1981" :pages="61"
  22. ↑ Template:Citation :title="Directory of Shopping Centers in the United States" :date="1992" :volume="4" :page="263" :publisher="National Research Bureau" :quote="Diamond Valley Shopping Center Hemet CA 92343…Boston Dept. Store, GLA: 16,000"
  23. ↑ {{cite news :last1="Pilcher" :first1="Helen R." :title="Boston Store opens next Saturday" :url="https://newspapers.com/article/daily-press-boston-store-opens-next-satu/144233726/" :access-date="27 March 2024" :work="Daily Press" :date="20 March 1983" :pages="13"}}
  24. ↑ {{cite news :title="The New Wineman's Dept. Store Mission Viejo Open in September (classified ad)" :url="https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-the-new-winemans/144227367/" :access-date="27 March 2024" :work="The Los Angeles Times" :date="21 August 1975" :pages="178"}}
  25. ↑ Template:Cite news :title="Wineman's Will Open in Mission Viejo" :url="https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-winemans-will-ope/144227063/" :access-date="27 March 2024" :work="The Los Angeles Times" :date="3 November 1974" :pages="110"
  26. ↑ {{cite news :title="Shoppers will have to rush after Thanksgiving (Boston stores nineteen locations November twenty-fourth eighty-five)" :url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-breeze-shoppers-will-have-to-r/144187185/ :access-date="26 March 2024" :work="The Daily Breeze" :date="24 November 1985" :pages="113"}}
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Template:Cite news:'Boston Stores Seeks Port of Call (p.2 of2)'https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-breeze-boston-stores-port-of-c/55844041/'The Daily Breeze','30 November1986','56'
  28. ↑ Template:Cite news :title="Poway tries on its first upscale department store" :url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/times-advocate-poway-tries-on-its-first/144181407/:access-date='26 March 2024' :work='Times-Advocate' :date='16 September 1988' :pages='15'
  29. ↑ Template:Cite news :title='Boston Stores Camarillo Grand Opening ad' :url='https://www.newspapers.com/article/camarillo-star-boston-stores-camarillo-g/144181931/' :work='Camarillo Star' :date='23 November 1988' :pages='8'
  30. ↑ Template:Cite news:'Boston Stores Lompoc Grand Opening' https://www.newspapers.com/article/santa-ynez-valley-news-boston-stores-lom/144180009/:access-date='26 March 2024' 'Santa Ynez Valley News' '1 November1990' '22'
  31. ↑ Template:Cite news:'Boston Stores seeks Chapter11 bankruptcy protections in court' https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-lompoc-record-boston-stores-seeks-ch/55830349/:access-date='26 March2024' 'The Lompoc Record' '1 November1992' '1'
  32. ↑ Template:Cite news:'Boston Stores Grand Opening Oceanside Mission Marketplace September12th1991' https://www.newspapers.com/article/north-county-times-boston-stores-grand-o/144185534/:access-date='26 March2024' 'North County Times' '11 September1991' '7'
  33. ↑ Template:Cite news:'Boston Stores Flagstaff ad'https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-daily-sun-boston-stores-flagstaf/144180494/'Arizona Daily Sun','13 February1985','12'
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 Template:Cite news:'Boston Stores Glendale Maryvale Arizona ad'https://www.newspapers.com/article/arizona-republic-boston-stores-glendale/144180779/'Arizona Republic','7 August1985','121'

Template:History of Retail in Southern California

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