Walker's Long Beach

Fifth Street Store

File:Steelfariswalker.jpg Drawing from a 1905 Los Angeles Herald article announcing the debut of the "Fifth Street Store"
Company type	Privately-held company
Industry	Apparel
Founded	1905 (1905) in Los Angeles, USA
Defunct	1978 (1978)
Fate	Locations absorbed into Ohrbach's, Milliron's Westchester, or Walker Scott
Area served	California, USA

The Fifth Street Store was a prominent department store established in Los Angeles in 1905.

Name

Throughout its history, the official corporate and store names evolved multiple times:

• 1905–1909: The business operated under the name Steele, Faris, & Walker Co., which was both its registered company title and the brand used in advertising.
• 1909–1925: The official company became Muse, Faris, Walker Co., yet it marketed itself primarily as "The Fifth Street Store," with the formal name appearing only in smaller print.
• 1926–1946: Renamed Walkers, Inc. in 1925, the store began promoting itself as Walker's from mid-1926, located at Broadway and 5th.
• 1946–1953: Known as Milliron's, named after C. J. Milliron who served as president and majority shareholder during this period. Milliron initially joined as legal counsel in 1917, ascended to president in September 1943, and acquired ownership from William A. Faris. The Milliron's name persisted even after acquisition by The Broadway in 1950.
• 1953–1959: Functioned as a branch of Ohrbach's, which opened on November 30, 1953, and was branded as Ohrbach's-Downtown.

Broadway, Los Angeles

Main article: Fifth Street Store Building

Situated at the southwest intersection of Fifth and Broadway, this location replaced an earlier structure with a new eleven-story retail building completed in 1924. Starting in 1925, the store promoted itself under the name Walkers, named after co-founder Ralf (R. M.) Walker, who later established San Diego's largest department store chain, Walker Scott. In 1946, the store was rebranded as Milliron's. Ownership changed in 1950 when The Broadway Department Store acquired it, eventually closing the location in 1956. Prior to that closure, Ohrbach's purchased the property in August 1953 and invested $1,000,000 in renovations designed by architect Welton Becket. The store reopened as Ohrbach's-Downtown in November 1953. Ohrbach's ceased operations at this branch and sold the building in 1959.

Westchester

Main article: Milliron's Westchester

The Milliron's Westchester store commenced operations on March 17, 1949, with a design by renowned retail architect Victor Gruen. The construction cost totaled $3,000,000. Its grand opening was a significant occasion, marked by architectural features such as clean straight lines combined with sweeping curves at the corners, triangular window displays that extended outward from the facade, and a rooftop parking deck accessible via a deck—elements that made it a distinguished example of retail architecture. Shortly after opening, ownership transferred to The Broadway in June 1950.

Walker's Long Beach

File:Hugh A. Marti Co. department store new store 1929.jpg

Hugh A. Marti Co. before acquisition by the Fifth Street Store

File:401 Pine-Walker Building.jpg

Former Walker's Downtown Long Beach store

Walker's established its initial branch in Downtown Long Beach at the corner of 4th and Pine—Pine being the primary commercial street—in 1933. The building, originally constructed in 1928 by architects Meyer and Holler in an Art Deco style for the Hugh A. Marti Co., became available after that company ceased operations. In 1952, Walker's invested $300,000 to expand the store to 132,000 sq ft (12,300 m²), installing five escalators—surpassing the total escalator count throughout Long Beach at that time. A second Walker's location opened at Los Altos Center in 1954 but was sold to The Broadway by 1956. Although Walker's sold its Downtown Long Beach location in 1960, it continued operating under the Walker's name until 1978.

Walker-Scott San Diego

In 1935, Walker's established a branch in downtown San Diego, which later separated in the early 1950s to become known as Walker Scott. The original enterprise had a significant presence, with its roots tracing back to earlier expansions and management changes. Over the years, the company experienced notable events such as the passing of R. M. Walker in 1935, which prompted temporary closures for funeral services. Ownership transitions also occurred, including the sale of the Fifth Street store building in 1937 for $1,400,000.

Throughout the mid-20th century, Walker Scott continued to grow its footprint, initiating construction of an East Long Beach location in 1954 and opening a $4 million store there by 1955. Prior acquisitions included H. F. Conrad's purchase of the Long Beach store in 1953. Management shifts were recorded in 1957, reflecting ongoing corporate developments. By 1960, Butler Bros. acquired the Long Beach outlet as part of broader business realignments within the retail sector.

The Walker-Scott legacy is marked by its transformation from a downtown San Diego branch into an independent department store chain, shaped by strategic expansions, leadership changes, and key property transactions over several decades.

External links

• "The Fifth Street Store Transitions to Milliron's", J. H. Graham (blog), September 18, 2017