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The White House (department store)

Coordinates: 37°47′23″N 122°24′19″W / 37.7896°N 122.40530°W / 37.7896; -122.40530
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Adapted from the English Wikipedia article The White House (department store), available under CC BY-SA 4.0Updated 9 August 202517 sources
The White House
Company typeDepartment store
IndustryRetail
PredecessorDavidson & Lane; J.W. Davidson & Company
Founded1854
Defunct1965
Headquarters
San Francisco, California
,
United States
Area served
San Francisco Bay Area
Key people
Raphael Weill (partner, senior partner)
ProductsDepartment store goods


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The White House logo
File:Name plate of The White House - Raphael Weill & Company.jpg
Name plate of The White House

The White House holds the distinction of being San Francisco's inaugural department store, operating from 1854 until its closure in 1965. Initially established under the name Davidson & Lane, it was later rebranded as J.W. Davidson & Company. In 1870, coinciding with its relocation to a spacious new building, it adopted the name "The White House".[1]

In 1885, following Lane’s retirement, Raphael Weill (1837–1920) continued the business alongside his brother Henry Weill, Eugene Gallvis, and Albert Roullier as partners.[2] All four partners were French-born Jews.[2] Raphael Weill arrived in San Francisco in 1855,[3][4] and was recognized as a notable philanthropist, connoisseur of fine living, and supporter of the arts.[5] Born in Phalsbourg, Lorraine, France,[6][7] Weill immigrated to San Francisco in 1853, joined the company at age 18 in 1855,[8] became a partner by 1858, and rose to senior partner status in 1885. He was actively involved in the Bohemian Club,[1] helped establish the French Library, and supported the French Hospital.[6] Additionally, he was related to the founding family of Lazard Frères.[6] In recognition of his contributions, Weill was honored with the title of chevalier by the French Légion d'honneur in 1908.[9][10] He passed away in 1920.[11][12]

During the late 1800s, this enterprise gained a reputation for its forward-thinking employee policies, including closing at 6 p.m. and on holidays, providing paid annual vacations and sick leave, as well as offering sales commissions.[1]

The original Davidson & Lane Dry Goods Company commenced operations in 1854 at Post and Grant Streets. It relocated on December 7, 1870, to Kearny and Post Streets under its new identity as The White House. Following destruction caused by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake, a third store was constructed at Sutter and Grant Streets featuring white terra cotta cladding and designed by architect Albert Pissis.[13] This location bore the address 256 Grant Avenue.[14][15][16][17] In July 1960, an additional branch was inaugurated in Oakland’s Kaiser Center at the intersection of 20th and Webster Streets.[17] The White House department store ceased operations on January 1, 1965; at that time it occupied four separate buildings.[14]

After several years of vacancy, the main building was repurposed with upper floors converted into a parking garage,[13] while ground level spaces were leased to retail outlets and dining establishments such as Tiffany & Co. and Peck and Peck. As of Template:Asof, Banana Republic serves as the primary tenant on the main floor.

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named lewis
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named sfdormouse/white-house-department-store
  3. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named magnes.berkeley.edu/raphael-weill-papers
  4. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named maritimeheritage/Raphael-Weill
  5. ↑ David Kipen and the Federal Writers Project, San Francisco in the 1930s: The WPA Guide to the City by the Bay, 1940 (republished 2011), Template:Isbn, p. 186
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named French
  7. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named ship
  8. ↑ Frank McConnell Mayfield, The Department Store Story, 1949, p. 38
  9. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named SFC19080102.2.34
  10. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named digitalcollections.nypl/menu/LLOYD/WEILL
  11. ↑ David Kipen and the Federal Writers Project, San Francisco in the 1930s: The WPA Guide to the City by the Bay, 1940 (republished 2011), Template:Isbn, pp. 133, 184, 186
  12. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named sfchronicle/15639607
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named nyt
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named pig
  15. ↑ William Woodhead, Sunset Magazine, April 1909
  16. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named casetext/hanna-v-raphael-weill-co
  17. ↑ 17.0 17.1 Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named thedepartmentstoremuseum

External links

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