{{Short description|Department store in Los Angeles, California}} {{About|defunct Los Angeles–based department store|the Famous Clothing Company of St. Louis|Famous-Barr}}
{{Infobox company | image = Blackstone's Department Store, Los Angeles.jpg | image_caption = Blackstone's Department Store, the main branch of Famous Department Store | hq_location_city = Los Angeles, California | hq_location_country = United States | predecessor = Cal Hirsch & Sons Mercantile Co. | defunct = {{end date|1950}} | fate = Stores sold to J. J. Sugarman Co., brand subsequently retired | num_locations = 8 | num_locations_year = 1950 }}
The '''Famous Department Store''' was a department store in Los Angeles, California.
==History== Famous had its origins with the Cal Hirsch & Sons Mercantile Co., founded in 1860<ref name="book">{{Cite book |last=Harris |first=Charles H. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4UYzDAAAQBAJ&pg=PT226 |title=The Secret War in el Paso: Mexican Revolutionary Intrigue, 1906–1920 |last2=Sadler |first2=Louis R. |date=2016-04-25 |isbn=978-0-8263-4654-4}}</ref> or 1871.<ref name="moves">{{Cite news |title=Famous Department Store Moves to Broadway Home |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/385543771 |access-date=2 May 2019}}</ref> The business ran Army and Navy surplus stores in St. Louis.<ref name=book />
The company opened stores in Los Angeles in 1913 and later moved its headquarters there. It operated the "Army and Navy Store" at 526 South Main Street then in December 1916 moved to a larger space next door, advertised as the "world's largest Army and navy store", at 530-532 South Main Street starting.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ad for Cal. Hirsch & Sons: "largest army and navy store in the world" - 530-32 South Main St. |url=http://newspapers.com/article/los-angeles-evening-express-ad-for-cal/143697154/ |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=Los Angeles Evening Express |date=20 December 1916 |pages=13}}</ref> In 1917, the company advertised another branch store in San Diego.<ref name=sandiego/>
[[File:ChapmanBuilding01.jpg|thumb|Chapman Building at 110 E. Wilshire at Spadra (Now Harbor), where Famous' Fullerton store opened in 1937]] In 1929, the company opened a location in downtown Long Beach. Morgan, Walls & Clements designed the building, which is now a is a city landmark.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Thomas |first=John W. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jr_gOFpYyYIC&pg=PA16 |title=Long Beach Art Deco |last2=Cooper |first2=Suzanne Tarbell |last3=Christopher Launi |first3=J. |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-7385-4670-4}}</ref>
U.S. Hirsch was president of the company during the 1930s.<ref name=pasadena/> By 1948, Urban Hirsch, Jr. was president.<ref name="sbdo">{{cite news |title=Vast Crowds Anticipated at Opening of Great New Value Center |url=http://newspapers.com/article/the-san-bernardino-county-sun-vast-crowd/143692785/ |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=The San Bernardino County Sun |date=16 September 1948 |pages=44}}</ref>
In 1939, the company took over the vacated Blackstone's Department Store Building at 901 South Broadway and renovated and expanded it to {{convert|90000|sqft|sqm}}, after which the Main Street store was used mostly as a warehouse. The Broadway store sold men's, women's, and children's clothing, shoes, accessories, furniture, furnishings, and an entire floor was devoted to toys. It also had a beauty shop and lunch counter.<ref name=moves />
In 1950, the company was sold to the Los Angeles business investment firm J. J. Sugarman Co. for an estimated at $3.5 million {{USDCY|3500000|1950}}, which was reported by the ''Los Angeles Times'' as "one of the larges mercantile sales of its kind in recent years in California." The company consisted of eight stores at that time.<ref>{{Cite news |date=5 November 1952 |title=Famous Stores Chain Sold to Sugarman Co. |page=34 |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/386262652 |access-date=1 May 2019}}</ref>
Advertising for the Famous Department Store ceased in 1952.<ref>Search newspapers.com</ref>
== Timeline of geographic expansion == {{Sort under}} {|class=wikitable sortable sort-under-center !Opened !City/area !Notes |- |style=vertical-align:top | 1913 |style=vertical-align:top | Downtown Los Angeles, 530 S. Main St. |style=vertical-align:top | Main store till 1939, then became the Famous Army and Navy store |- |style=vertical-align:top | 1917 |style=vertical-align:top | San Diego |style=vertical-align:top | Branch of the Army and Navy Store<ref name=sandiego>{{Cite news |date=14 Oct 1917 |title=Advertisement for Famous Department Store |page=6 |work=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-advertisment-for-a/143697011/ |access-date=2 May 2019}}</ref> |- | style=vertical-align:top |1929 |style=vertical-align:top |Downtown Long Beach, Pine at 6th |style=vertical-align:top |2 stories + basement, {{cvt|30000|sqft|sqm}}, completed 1929 at a cost of $350,000,<ref>{{cite news |title=$7 Million Spent for Building Downtown in 1929 |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/other-articles-clipping-nov-04-1959-4370500/ |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=Press-Telegram |publisher=Press-Telegram (reprinted in 4 November 1959 edition) |date=31 December 1929 |location=Long Beach, California |page=33}}</ref> Morgan, Walls and Clements architects, art deco style, Long Beach historic landmark building<ref name=long>[https://www.longbeach.gov/lbcd/planning/preservation/historic-landmarks/historic-landmarks/famous-department-storerite-aid/ "Famous Department Store/RiteAid", Historic Landmarks, City of Long Beach]</ref> |- |style=vertical-align:top |1926<ref name=pasadena/> |style=vertical-align:top |Glendale, Brand at Harvard |style=vertical-align:top | |- |style=vertical-align:top |1932 |style=vertical-align:top |Santa Ana, 4th and Bush |style=vertical-align:top |4th store at the time, {{cvt|15000|sqft|sqm}} main floor.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 13, 1935 |title=Advertisement for The Famous Dept. Store |publisher=Santa Ana Register |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33093519/famous_dept_store_santa_ana_1935/ |access-date=21 June 2019}}</ref> Opened December 10, 1932 with ca. 100 employees. National oratory champion Lucille Goldsmith, as well as two other Famous employees from Los Angeles – Yvonne Gregg and Helen Gruda – attended the grand opening.<ref>{{cite news |title=Famous Department Store To Open Here Tomorrow |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/other-articles-clipping-dec-09-1932-4370822/ |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=Santa Ana Register |publisher=newspaperarchive.com |date=9 December 1932 |language=en}}</ref> Store manager George J. Kidd. In 1937 it expanded into the basement, selling sporting goods, bicycles, guns, fishing tackle, tires, camping equipment, beach furniture and paint there.<ref>{{cite news |title=Famous Opens New Basement Counters Today |url=http://newspapers.com/article/the-register-famous-opens-new-basement-c/143693233/ |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=The Register |date=23 April 1937 |pages=10}}</ref> On November 8, 1940 opened a second retail floor selling furniture, home decoration, appliances and floor coverings.<ref>{{cite news |title=other-articles-clipping-nov-07-1940-4370836/ |url=http://www.newspaperarchive.com/other-articles-clipping-nov-07-1940-4370836/ |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=Santa Ana Register |date=7 November 1940 |language=en}}</ref> Modernized and expanded into what it claimed to be the largest store in Santa Ana, adding a third retail floor, a terrazzo floor to the 4th Street entrance, and a self-service elevator. Its grand re-opening was held April 4, 1941.<ref>{{cite news |title=Huge Celebration Climaxes |url=http://newspaperarchive.com/other-articles-clipping-apr-04-1941-4370803/ |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=Santa Ana Register |date=4 April 1941 |language=en}}</ref> |- |style=vertical-align:top |1933 |style=vertical-align:top |Pasadena, 268 E. Colorado Boulevard |style=vertical-align:top |Opened September 7, 1933, staff of ca. 250<ref name=pasadena>{{cite news |title=New Store Provides Many Jobs: Famous Opens Establishment in Pasadena |url=http://newspapers.com/article/the-los-angeles-times-new-store-provides/143692066/ |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=The Los Angeles Times |date=11 September 1933 |pages=20}}</ref> |- |style=vertical-align:top |1935 |style=vertical-align:top |Fresno, Fulton at Tulare in ex-Radin & Kamp building |style=vertical-align:top |5 stories, 6th store at the time, opened November 2, 1935 at a cost of $750,000, more than {{cvt|100000|sqft|sqm}} of selling space, staff of more than 200, store manager A. O. Lamb<ref>{{cite news |title=Famous Department Store Opens To-Morrow |url=http://newspapers.com/article/the-fresno-bee-famous-department-store-o/143691534/ |access-date=19 March 2024 |work=The Fresno Bee |date=1 November 1935 |pages=33}}</ref> |- |style=vertical-align:top |1937 |style=vertical-align:top |Fullerton,<ref name="sbdo"/> Spadra at Wilshire |style=vertical-align:top | |- |style=vertical-align:top | 1939 |style=vertical-align:top | Downtown Los Angeles, 901 S. Broadway |style=vertical-align:top | New flagship store |- |style=vertical-align:top |1948 |style=vertical-align:top |Porterville, Tulare Co. |style=vertical-align:top |Opened May 1948.<ref name="sbdo"/> East side of Main St. between Putnam and Mill. Store manager George Noonan.<ref>{{cite web |title=Famous Department Store, Porterville, Calif., 1950 |url=https://oac.cdlib.org/ark:/13030/c8cf9nb5/?order=1 |website=Online Archive of California |access-date=19 March 2024 |language=en}}</ref> |- |style=vertical-align:top |1948 |style=vertical-align:top |San Bernardino, 393 E St. |style=vertical-align:top |Opened December 17, 1948, store manager Peter Moses<ref name="sbdo"/> |}
== External links == *[https://www.laconservancy.org/locations/blackstone-department-store-building Blackstone Department Store Building (site of Famous Department Store), Los Angeles Conservancy] *[https://www.google.com/maps/place/601+Pine+Ave,+Long+Beach,+CA+90802/@33.7743354,-118.1924284 Google Street View of Long Beach store (art deco, 1929, Morgan, Walls & Clements)] *[http://pcad.lib.washington.edu/building/2204/ "Famous Department Store, Long Beach, CA" in Pacific Coast Architecture Database] *[https://library.fullcoll.edu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/03/p1-1.jpeg Photo of Famous Department Store sign painted on Chapman Building]
== References == {{reflist}} {{History of Retail in Southern California}} Category:Defunct department stores based in Downtown Los Angeles Category:Art Deco architecture in California Category:Morgan, Walls & Clements buildings