Rankin's
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (department store) |
| Founded | 1894 |
| Founder | J. H. Rankin, T. D. Huff & Sons |
| Headquarters | Santa Ana , United States |
Area served | Orange County, California |
| Products | Department store goods |
Rankin's was a retail department store located at 117 West Fourth Street at Sycamore in the heart of downtown Santa Ana, California. The Rankin Building holds a place on the National Register of Historic Places both individually and as a contributing structure within the Downtown Santa Ana Historic Districts.
The origins of the store trace back to the Rankin Dry Goods company, established in 1894. J. H. Rankin, originally from Bloomfield, Indiana, partnered with T. D. Huff & Sons to launch the dry goods business on the former site of Swanner's Grocery Store.[1] Prior to relocating, the store underwent three expansions before settling into its sizeable three-story building covering 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) at Fourth and Sycamore in 1917.[2][3]
Locations
In 1956, Rankin's revealed intentions to establish a new outlet within Orange County Plaza, situated at Chapman Avenue and Brookhurst Street in Garden Grove, an area now occupied by The Promenade at Garden Grove. This branch was planned to encompass approximately 28,000 sq ft (2,600 m2).[4][5]
Besides its flagship location in Santa Ana, Rankin's operated a store within Fullerton's Orangefair Mall starting in 1958.[6]
Promotional materials for the Orangefair branch appeared regularly from May through September of 1959.[7]
Rankin Building (1917)
Constructed in 1917, this rectangular edifice is composed of sand-colored brick and is distinguished by a grey pressed metal cornice. The upper floors feature modified Chicago-style windows, while the ground level is adorned with blue-grey ceramic bricks. The current storefront appearance originates from a renovation completed in 1982. This building holds an individual listing on the National Register of Historic Places as of 1983.
The architectural design was created by the Santa Ana-based firm Elwing and Tedford.
Upon its inauguration on November 9, 1917, the structure was commonly known as the "Rutherford" building, block, or structure. Contemporary descriptions highlighted it as "metropolitan in character" and praised it as "the most beautiful in the entire county."
Gallery
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Rankin's Department Store c. 1917 -
Interior of Rankin's c. 1917
References
- ↑ "In Southern California: Santa Ana: An interesting Batch of Mining News. Local Affairs". Los Angeles Herald. January 12, 1894. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
- ↑ "Sign Lease for Block Costing $50,000". Santa Ana Register. April 16, 1917. p. 1. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
- ↑ "Store Policy Is Announced: Answer Rumor". January 28, 1933. p. 5. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
- ↑ "Merchants announce new store opening". Los Angeles Times. October 28, 1956. p. 131.
- ↑ "Orange County Plaza Center will have two supermarkets". Independent Press-Telegram (Long Beach, California). February 23, 1959. p. 53.
- ↑ "Rankin's advertisement". Los Angeles Times. May 3, 1959. p. 206. Retrieved May 5, 2019.
- ↑ "Search".