Woodward & Lothrop

Woodward & Lothrop
Company type	Private
Industry	Retail (department store)
Predecessor	Cochrane's dry goods business
Founded	1887 in Washington, D.C., United States
Founder	Samuel Walter Woodward, Alvin Mason Lothrop
Defunct	November 1995
Fate	Bankruptcy and liquidation; stores sold to J. C. Penney and May Department Stores Company
Headquarters	Washington, D.C., United States
Area served	Mid-Atlantic region of the United States
Key people	A. Alfred Taubman (owner from 1980s)
Products	Department store goods including toys, clothing, housewares

Woodward & Lothrop was a department store chain based in Washington, D.C., established in 1887 as the city’s inaugural department store. Commonly referred to as Woodies, the chain primarily served the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Its flagship location anchored downtown Washington, D.C.'s retail district, competing with Garfinckel's and incorporating Palais Royal into its portfolio. After declaring bankruptcy in January 1994, the company completed its liquidation by November 1995, with most outlets acquired by J. C. Penney or May Department Stores Company. The flagship building remains a historic landmark in D.C., playing a central role in discussions about urban redevelopment following the store’s closure.

History

Samuel Walter Woodward (1848–1917) and Alvin Mason Lothrop (1847–1912) initially launched a dry goods business in Chelsea, Massachusetts, in 1873, eventually operating several locations around Boston. Together with Charles E. Cochrane, they expanded to Washington on February 8, 1880. Their first store was located at 705 Market Space (present-day United States Navy Memorial), which quickly outgrew its space and relocated to larger premises at 921 Pennsylvania Avenue, and later to the corner of 11th and F Streets NW. Following the purchase of Cochrane’s interest, the operation was rebranded as Woodward & Lothrop.

Following World War II, Woodward & Lothrop extended its presence into suburban shopping centers but experienced modest growth due to family opposition to mergers. During the 1980s, it successfully resisted a leveraged buyout attempt by Ronald Baron but subsequently accepted a $277 million acquisition offer from Detroit retail entrepreneur A. Alfred Taubman later that year. Taubman’s broad acquisitions—including Philadelphia’s Wanamaker’s department stores and Sotheby’s auction house—resulted in significant financial leverage.

The recession of the early 1990s coupled with reductions in regional defense budgets after the Cold War dampened consumer spending confidence in the Washington area, adversely affecting retail performance. On January 18, 1994, Woodward & Lothrop filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, reporting assets of $608 million against liabilities of $659 million. Despite efforts to reduce expenses and boost sales, profitability was not regained. By June 1995, seven stores were sold to J.C. Penney while the remaining outlets along with Wanamaker’s were acquired by May Department Stores Company. The liquidation process concluded with all Woodies stores closing by November 1995.

Flagship store

After moving into the historic Carlisle building in 1887, Woodward & Lothrop expanded rapidly by acquiring neighboring properties. By 1897, it occupied nearly the entire city block bordered by 10th, 11th, F, and G Streets NW. Renovations completed in 1898 and 1902 introduced a new facade on G Street designed by Henry Ives Cobb, followed by additional floors added between 1912 and 1913 and another structure erected in 1925.

The flagship store reached its ultimate design in 1927—a ten-story edifice offering over of retail space—adorned with cast iron elements and leaded glass featuring floral motifs alongside the Woodward & Lothrop monogram. It was recognized as a D.C. Historic Landmark in 1964. Architect Michael Graves redesigned the street-level floor during the 1980s, integrating plaques bearing the company’s distinctive W&L monogram.

After the chain’s closure, the building stood vacant amid ongoing debates about its future purpose. The city attempted to reopen it as a Macy's location; however, Federated Department Stores declined due to factors including size constraints, renovation costs, and a declining downtown retail environment in Washington. In 1996, Washington National Opera purchased the property for $18 million (~$), intending to transform it into an opera venue; however, estimated conversion expenses of $200 million proved prohibitive.

In 1999, developer Douglas Jemal acquired the site for $28.2 million (~$). While local advocates pushed for mixed-use development incorporating arts facilities and residential units, Jemal proposed office and commercial uses instead. After initial zoning denial, approval was granted in 2001 with conditions requiring housing development elsewhere. Renovations began thereafter, leading to reopening in 2003 with Swedish fashion retailer Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) as its anchor tenant.

On January 29, 2004, a fire—likely caused by a space heater—damaged part of the building but was swiftly controlled.

By 2007, West Elm furniture and housewares opened at this location alongside a three-level Zara store. The nearby Rich's Shoes building—once a holdout during Woodward & Lothrop’s expansion—became home to Washington’s branch of Madame Tussauds wax museum.

Additionally, the former Woodward & Lothrop Service Warehouse at 131 M Street NE was designated a D.C. Historic Landmark in 1993 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2005 as an example of Streamline Moderne architectural style.

Woodward & Lothrop's community involvement

Both of the company's founders were deeply involved in local civic activities. In 1898, Woodward held the position of president at the Washington City YMCA and played a major role in funding its facility improvements. Helen, Woodward’s daughter, along with her husband Luke Ingalls Wilson, generously donated a significant portion of their Bethesda property to help establish the National Institutes of Health. Following Wilson’s passing, Helen was instrumental in the creation of the National Cancer Institute. The department store itself evolved into a community landmark; by the 1920s, it housed no fewer than 67 retail sections and offered additional features such as a travel agency, theater, medical infirmary, carousel, and traveling art exhibitions. Woodward & Lothrop became a center for culture, combining shopping with entertainment and civic participation. It drew clientele from esteemed institutions like Bryn Mawr, Stephens, Vassar, Radcliffe, and Mount Holyoke during seasonal fashion events.

Unique product offerings

Woodward & Lothrop’s toy section was notable for introducing groundbreaking products. In 1916, it became the first prominent retailer to stock chemistry kits produced by the Porter Chemical Company of Hagerstown, Maryland—marketed under the name "Chemcraft"—which achieved nationwide acclaim.

In the 1950s, an employee’s spouse discovered Play-Doh at an educational trade show, which led to popular in-store demonstrations and strong sales throughout W&L locations and other toy retailers across the country.

Throughout the 1970s, Woodies gained recognition for its "slush mugs," devices that created frozen smoothie-style beverages from soda or juice, thereby expanding its range of specialty items.

External links

Men of Mark in America: Biographical Sketch of Samuel Walter Woodward