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The Mercantile Co.

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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article The Mercantile Co., available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 9 August 202520 sources
Buffums
Company typePrivate
IndustryRetail (department store)
Founded1904
FounderCharles Buffum, Edwin Buffum, and partners
Defunct1990
FateLiquidation
Headquarters
Long Beach, California
,
United States
Area served
Southern California
ProductsDepartment store merchandise, specialty goods
Buffums' final emblem

Template:Use mdy dates

Buffums after its expansion in 1924

Buffums, initially styled as Buffums', was an upscale department store chain based in Long Beach, California. The origins of Buffums date back to 1904 when Illinois natives Charles and Edwin Buffum, along with additional investors, acquired the Schilling Bros., Long Beach’s largest dry goods retailer at the time, and rebranded it as The Mercantile Co.. This establishment evolved into a prominent downtown department store. Beginning in the 1950s, it expanded gradually to become a modest regional chain comprising 16 speciality department store locations throughout Southern California by the time it ceased operations in 1990.[1][2][3]

Throughout its history, Buffums earned the moniker "Grand Dame" among regional department stores. Its interiors were distinguished by grand chandeliers and other elegant design elements. Positioning itself as "Buffums Specialty Store," the brand sought to stand apart from local competitors such as The Broadway and Bullock's, as well as national chains like May Co. and Robinson's.Template:Fix/category[citation needed] During the 1970s and '80s, its most memorable marketing slogan, "I've been to Buffums," featured prominently in print and television campaigns. The chain was also recognized for its "Bag-A-Bargain" initiative, which involved distributing shopping bags printed with discount offers through local newspapers.Template:Fix/category[citation needed]

Similar to many regional department stores of that period, Buffums faced difficulties adapting to outdated retail practices, evolving consumer preferences, and competition from newcomers like Seattle-based Nordstrom. In the 1970s, ownership transferred to Australian retailer David Jones, which attempted to divest the struggling chain during the following decade. By then, Buffums had become part of the Australian conglomerate Adelaide Steamship Company, which ultimately failed to secure a buyer. In a final attempt at modernization, new IBM point-of-sale systems were installed across all locations in 1990—integrated with a recently acquired IBM AS/400 midrange computer at their data center—but despite these efforts, Buffums entered liquidation shortly after the holiday shopping season that year.

Flagship

Buffums' emblem alongside a drawing of the expanded flagship store, 1924

The growth of Buffums' primary Downtown location unfolded as follows:[4]

Originally, Buffums evolved from Wm. Schilling & Sons, a dry goods retailer established in 1892 at the intersection of 2nd and Pine in Long Beach. By 1902, the business had relocated to the Stafford Block at 127–129 Pine Avenue, described as a spacious 6,250 sq ft (581 m2) "department store" offering an extensive selection of dress goods, apparel for men and women, shoes, hats, caps, blankets, comforters, and more. That same year marked the retirement of William Schilling Sr., leading to the rebranding of the firm as Schilling Bros..Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name

In 1904, a group of partners acquired Schilling Bros. for $65,000 (approximately $Template:Format price in Template:Inflation/year). The partnership included brothers Charles and Edwin Buffum from Illinois, along with local businessmen S. Townsend, W. L. Porterneld, and C. J. Walter. They launched operations under the name The Mercantile Co.. The original Schilling Bros. location at 127–129 Pine Avenue—just a few doors south of Broadway—would eventually transform into the men's shoe department within Buffums’ future flagship store.[4]

The following year saw The Mercantile Co. acquire a parcel at the southwest corner of Pine and Broadway measuring 74.5 by 150 feet (11,175 square feet (1,038.2 m2)), intending to erect a five-story structure. Ultimately, construction culminated in a three-story building completed in 1912.

  • 1924: A new six-story addition was constructed; the "New Buffums'" opened incrementally starting in early May 1924.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name
  • 1941: The "Autoport" parking garage was built and remains standing.
  • 1960: Introduced a Varsity Shop and Red Cross Shoe Store along with a four-level parking garage.
  • 1964: Expanded by an additional 14,000 sq. ft., extending across the entire Broadway block between Pine and Pacific Streets, resulting in a total floor area of 180,000 square feet (17,000 m2) for the Downtown flagship complex. This expansion included a comprehensive Interior Design and Home Furnishings department as well as a dedicated "Sportsman's Shop".Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name

Throughout its operation, the flagship competed with smaller local Long Beach department stores such as Marti and Wise Cos., alongside national retailers Sears and Ward’s—all of which unveiled substantial new downtown locations around 1928–29.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name In the early 1950s, suburban shopping centers like Lakewood Center, featuring May Company California, and Los Altos Center, anchored by The Broadway, emerged as competitors appealing to suburban customers.

In 1981, the complex was sold and subsequently demolished in 1985,Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name making way for office developments; by 2020 this included a WeWork location.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name Concurrently, Buffums relocated its Long Beach store operations and corporate headquarters to the nearby Long Beach Plaza mall upon its opening in 1982.Cite error: The opening <ref> tag is malformed or has a bad name

Branches

At the time of Buffums' liquidation, the chain operated 16 stores:[3][5]

Relaunch

In January 2015, a group of investors from California registered Buffums' Stores, LLC with the California Secretary of State. According to updates on the Buffums Facebook page, the brand was revived in October 2015 through a modest specialty store located in Long Beach's Belmont Shore district. Nonetheless, this revival under the Buffums name was brief; the original Buffums Stores, Inc. leadership subsequently relocated their business to Naples, Florida, launching a new store called The b.Store and closing the Belmont Shore location on 2nd Street by March 2016.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Silverstein, Stuart (March 14, 1991). "Buffums to Close in May, Ending 87-Year History : Retail: The department store chain lost $4.2 million its last fiscal year. The jobs of 1,400 employees will be eliminated". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
  2. ↑ Silverstein, Stuart (March 15, 1991). "Buffums' Closings 'Like Losing an Old Friend'". The Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 9, 2012.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Long Beach Lost: The Buffums' department store in Downtown • Long Beach Post". Long Beach Post. November 10, 2018. Retrieved November 14, 2018.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named pomona
  5. ↑ "Buffums to shut all 16 department stores". UPI.
  6. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named santa-ana-sqft
  7. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named santa-ana-arch
  8. ↑ Grad, Shelby (May 31, 1993). "History : SANTA ANA : When Downtown Was the Hot Spot". Los Angeles Times.
  9. ↑ "Buffums'".
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named marina
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named buffums-lakewood
  12. ↑ "Buffums' Marina Opened by IBC's Stella Márquez".
  13. ↑ "6265 E. 2nd St., Long Beach, CA".
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named buffums-lahabra-duquette
  15. ↑ {{cite web}}: Empty citation (help)
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named lat1967
  17. ↑ {{cite news}}: Empty citation (help)
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named lahabra
  19. ↑ {{cite web}}: Empty citation (help)
  20. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named fv-lat

Template:History of Retail in Southern California

Location Mall or Street Area (sq ft) Area (sq m) Inaugurated Closed Additional Information
Long Beach flagship Fourth/Pine Template:Nts Template:Nts 1912 1982 The original flagship opened in 1912 and underwent expansions over several decades. It ceased operations in 1982 and was succeeded by the Long Beach Plaza location. The building was demolished in 1985.
Santa Ana Main/Bush/9th/10th Template:Nts[6] Template:Nts 1950 1987 This standalone store was Buffums' first branch outside of Long Beach. Constructed on the former site of Santa Ana Junior College, which relocated in 1947. Designed by architects Wurdeman & Becket, who also created Bullock's Pasadena. Opened July 6, 1950.[7] A men's store was added across the street in 1963. Closed in 1987. Presently houses Orange County Department of Probation, Community Court, and Department of Child Support Services.[8][9]
Marina district, Long Beach E. 2nd St. at PCH Template:Nts[10] Template:Nts 1961[11] 1976[10] Opened as Buffums' Marina Sportswear, promoted as the "World's First Shopping Resort". Specialized in medium to upscale men's, women's, and children's sportswear. Ribbon cut by Stella Márquez, Miss International 1960 from Colombia. Decor included nautical themes and maritime antiques across two floors.[12] Offered parking for 200 vehicles and boat slips for customers. Closed when a larger Buffums store opened nearby in 1976.[10] Currently occupied by a CVS Pharmacy at 6265 E. 2nd St.[13]
Pomona Pomona Mall East Template:Nts[14] Template:Nts 1962[11] 1991 Positioned along Pomona’s former pedestrian mall designed by local artist Millard Sheets. The Palomare Room showcased two extensive murals by Sheets depicting early Spanish settlement scenes in the Pomona Valley, measuring approximately 24 by 36 feet.[15]
Palos Verdes Peninsula Peninsula Center Template:Nts[14] Template:Nts 1963[11] 1991
Lakewood Lakewood Center Template:Nts Template:Nts 1965[11] 1991
Newport Beach Fashion Island Template:Nts[16] Template:Nts 1967 1991 Launched on September 9, 1967 concurrently with the mall's opening.[17] Architectural design by Welton Becket and Associates.[16] After closure, the space was subdivided for multiple tenants.
La Habra La Habra Fashion Square 120,000[18] 11,150 1968

Opened August 10, 1968,[18] featuring furniture and chandeliers designed by Tony Duquette, known for his work in stage and film design.[14]

San Diego Fashion Valley Template:Nts[14] Template:Nts 1969[14] 1991

Later occupied briefly by I. Magnin, followed by Saks Fifth Avenue and currently Forever 21.[19][20]

Laguna Hills Laguna Hills Mall Template:Nts Template:Nts 1973

Opened September 5, 1973 with two floors.

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