Olds, Wortman & King

Olds, Wortman & King

Company type	Private
Industry	Retail
Founded	1851
Founder	Henry Corbett
Defunct	1974
Fate	Renamed Rhodes in 1960; store closed in 1974
Headquarters	Portland, Oregon , United States
Products	Department store goods

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Olds, Wortman & King, also referred to as Olds & King, was a department store based in Portland, Oregon, United States. The enterprise originated under a different name in 1851 and adopted the Olds & King title in 1878 following its third change in ownership. In 1901, the store was renamed Olds, Wortman & King; it reverted to Olds & King in 1944 and later became Rhodes in 1960. After several relocations within downtown Portland, the business established itself at the corner of 10th and Morrison in 1910, occupying a substantial new building that functioned as a department store until 1974. This edifice is currently recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. Since 1976, this landmark has been known as The Galleria.

History

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William P. Olds

The origins of the company date back to a modest shop founded in 1851 by Henry Corbett at the junction of Front and Oak streets in downtown Portland. This establishment was the city's inaugural general merchandise retailer. Later in the 1850s, the business relocated to Front and Taylor streets, where it was managed by brothers Robert and Finley McLaren; however, Corbett remained a key supplier for the store. In 1856, ownership transferred to John Wilson. By 1868, Wilson had moved the store to Front Street near Morrison Street. The year 1878 marked another ownership change when Wilson sold the enterprise to William Parker Olds, who had been employed there as a clerk since 1869, along with Olds' stepfather Samuel Willard King. This transition led to the formation of Olds & King (also referred to as Olds & King's). At this point, the store was situated at 147 3rd Street and underwent further moves in 1881, 1887, and 1891, though these relocations remained within close proximity.

John Wortman became part of the company in 1890, followed later by Hardy C. Wortman acquiring an interest in the firm. This partnership culminated in renaming the enterprise Olds, Wortman & King at the start of 1901. Since 1891, the store operated at the intersection of 5th and Washington; however, expanding business demands prompted plans for relocating to a larger facility beginning in 1908.

Landmark store

Between 1909 and 1910, the company erected a substantial new retail building occupying the entire block bordered by Morrison, Alder, 10th, and 9th streets in downtown Portland. This five-story structure, which also included a basement level, was the first in the Northwestern United States to cover a full city block (approximately 200 by 200 feet). The location had formerly been the site of the mansion belonging to Sylvester Pennoyer, who served as Oregon’s governor from 1886 to 1895 and later as Portland’s mayor from 1896 to 1898. The new store officially opened its doors on July 30, 1910, attracting an estimated crowd of 25,000 visitors on its inaugural day. With the opening of this facility, the previous store was closed. Although some critics argued that the new site was situated too far from the established central business district—which at that time generally extended only a few blocks inland from the waterfront—the commercial area eventually expanded westward within a few years.

The interior design was crafted by Doyle, Patterson & Beach, a local Portland architectural firm. At the heart of the store was a 53 by 33-foot atrium crowned with an expansive skylight. The building featured several modern conveniences for its era, particularly notable in a city of Portland’s size. Among these were six elevators arranged in two groups of three; each elevator operated within exposed ironwork cages facing the atrium and was managed by an elevator operator. Innovative features also included glass display cases illuminated by concealed electric lighting and a telephone-based credit verification system that allowed for immediate confirmation of customer credit status, streamlining credit purchases more efficiently than before. Additional amenities comprised a tea room furnished with mahogany, a nursery and playroom dedicated to children, and a rooftop garden. A renovation in 1926 replaced the hardwood flooring in primary aisles with marble.

The building’s exterior is characterized by white terra cotta ornamentation with relatively simple detailing. Rusticated columns are present at street level, while each corner of the roof is adorned with a tall flagpole. The store featured one entrance on each side of the building, with all but one positioned centrally along their respective block sides.

Ownership changes, second store

In 1925, ownership transferred to the B.F. Schlesinger Company, which also operated The City of Paris in San Francisco, Schlesinger & Sons in Oakland, and Rhodes Brothers in Tacoma. At that point, Olds, Wortman & King ranked among Portland’s largest retailers, employing approximately 1,200 staff members. The B.F. Schlesinger Company rebranded as Western Department Stores, Inc. in 1941. Three years later, in 1944, its Portland subsidiary shortened its name to Olds & King. Between 1946 and 1951, a five-year remodeling project led by architect Pietro Belluschi modernized the store with updates such as replacing passenger elevators with newer models, installing escalators, and closing off the atrium in 1949 among other alterations.

Western launched a second Olds & King location in 1956 at Portland’s newly established Gateway Shopping Center situated at NE 102nd Avenue and Halsey Street. However, in 1960 Western adopted the Rhodes Western name and unified all stores under the Rhodes brand except those already operating under that title; prior to this consolidation, Western had managed stores under several names including Kahn’s and Olds & King. In 1969, AMFAC Merchandising Corporation—parent company of Liberty House—acquired the Rhodes chain comprising thirteen stores. By late 1973, the Gateway Rhodes store transitioned into a Liberty House outlet. The downtown Rhodes location remained Portland’s last to carry that name until it closed on February 2, 1974. Following its closure, the building stood vacant for an extended period.

The Galleria

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The Galleria at night

In 1975, Portland entrepreneurs Bill Naito and Sam Naito acquired the property and initiated its transformation into a multi-tiered retail complex, which they designated as The Galleria. Opening its doors in 1976, The Galleria featured an indoor arcade hosting numerous small boutiques and eateries, often recognized as the first shopping mall within downtown Portland. The first three levels were dedicated to retail stores and dining establishments, while the fourth and fifth floors were rented out to businesses involved in wholesale apparel distribution.

Shortly after The Galleria launched, The Oregonian described it as potentially "the most exciting development in downtown [Portland] merchandising in several decades." During the mid-1970s, retail activity was increasingly shifting from central urban areas to suburban malls, resulting in declining foot traffic downtown. The Naito brothers aimed to counteract this trend through projects like The Galleria. Renovations included reopening the central atrium, which had been closed since 1949, and installing a prominent central staircase to enhance interior openness. By 1977, the revamped building had reached full tenancy with 48 tenants occupying space. This "recycled landmark" quickly gained popularity with shoppers and maintained a period of success for several years. However, the debut of Pioneer Place in 1990 dealt a major setback to The Galleria, marking the start of its gradual decline as a multi-store shopping destination. Subsequently, much of the building's retail function has been replaced by other types of uses.

In 1991, the structure was listed on the National Register of Historic Places under the name "Olds, Wortman and King Department Store". Between 2003 and 2017, the fifth floor housed Portland’s campus of the Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts (previously known as the Western Culinary Institute). The fourth floor accommodated Sanford–Brown college’s Portland campus until its closure in 2014. From 2008 through 2018, a Brooks Brothers outlet operated on the ground level. Additionally, a restaurant affiliated with Le Cordon Bleu occupied space on the ground floor until it closed in 2020.

A MAX light rail stop named Galleria/SW 10th Avenue station was established adjacent to the building in 1986, situated across Morrison Street. Since 2001, the Portland Streetcar route has run along 10th Avenue on The Galleria’s western side.

In early 2011, reports emerged that Target Corporation was exploring plans to renovate The Galleria’s second and third floors for a Target store—marking that retailer’s first urban location in Portland rather than a suburban setting. By October 2011, this initiative was progressing following approval from the city’s Historic Landmarks Commission for interior alterations. Construction commenced in February 2012, with the store officially opening in July 2013. The Target location remained operational for over a decade before closing in October 2023.

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Southwest Portland, Oregon

External links

• Overview of Olds, Wortman & King at Pdxhistory.com
• Property details on PortlandMaps.com