Bullock's

Bullock's was a department store based in Los Angeles, California. The company operated full-line department stores all across California, with some stores in Arizona and Nevada. Bullock's also operated the more upscale Bullocks Wilshire in parts of Southern California.

History

Bullock's was founded in 1907 at Seventh & Broadway in downtown Los Angeles by John G. Bullock, with the support of The Broadway Department Store owner Arthur Letts. In 1923, Bullock and business partner P.G. Winnett bought out Letts' interest after his death and the companies became completely separated. In 1929 Bullock & Winnett opened a luxury branch on Wilshire Boulevard, named, appropriately enough Bullock's Wilshire.

In 1944 Bullock's acquired I. Magnin & Co., a venerable, San Francisco-based upscale specialty chain. This was followed by the acquisition of the then public-owned Bullock's/I. Magnin organization in 1964 by Federated Department Stores, much to the dismay of surviving founder P.G. Winnett, who publicly lambasted the deal (which was initiated by his own son-in-law Bullock's President Walter W. Candy Jr.). In the 1970's, to differentiate itself from the full-line Bullock's stores, the very exclusive Wilshire location dropped its apostrophe, became Bullocks Wilshire and began its own expansion.

Bullock's, Bullocks Wilshire, and I. Magnin retained their autonomy under Federated, as well as their carriage-trade niche, with I. Magnin expanding into the Chicago and Washington, D.C. metropolitan areas and Bullock's opening stores in Phoenix, Las Vegas and Northern California. In 1983 however, Federated shuttered the Bullock's North division and sold most of its locations to a Seattle, Washington upstart: Nordstrom. In 1988, after an ugly takeover battle between Robert Campeau and Macy's for Federated, Bullock's and I. Magnin were sold by Campeau to Macy's as a consolation prize for one billion dollars, which plunged Macy's into debt. The new owners responded by dismantling Bullock's Los Angeles corporate offices, merging Bullocks Wilshire into I. Magnin, and Bullock's into its Macy's South division, thus sending what had been Federated's most profitable division into a precipitous decline and alienating the local customers.

The end came quickly for Bullock's after Macy's filed for bankruptcy protection in 1992, with the Bullocks Wilshire stores being renamed I. Magnin two years before. I. Magnin and Bullock's were pruned of their underperforming branches, and I. Magnin itself was dissolved in January 1995 once Federated Department Stores reappeared on the scene and acquired Macy's. In 1996 following the acquisition of Broadway Stores, Inc., Federated consolidated all its traditional department store business in California under the Macy's nameplate, ending 89 years of Bullock's.

Luxury market

Although the Bullocks Wilshire stores was deemed the most exclusive, the full-line Bullock's stores offered upscale designers such as Giorgio Armani, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Missoni, Krizia, Valentino, Salvatore Ferragamo, Byblos, Hugo Boss and Gieves & Hawkes. Under Federated most every of the 22 Bullock's offered consistent designer offerings by location, a key to the company's profit and success (exceptions were the Lakewood, West Covina, Carlsbad and Grossmont locations); after Macy's South acquired the company the focus centered on South Coast Plaza, Sherman Oaks and Beverly Center which managed to retain their upscale clientèle.

Former Bullock's locations

Arizona

*Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale MSA
**ChrisTown Mall, Phoenix "(opened 1975, closed/sold to Dillard's 1985)"
**Camelview Plaza, Scottsdale " (opened 1977, closed 1995, entire Camelview Plaza mall and former Bullock's location became flagship Dillard's 1998 Scottsdale Fashion Square expansion)

Southern California

*Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MSA
**Media City Center "(now Burbank Town Center)", Burbank "(opened 1992, became Macy's 1996)"
**Lakewood Center (external to mall), Lakewood "(opened April, 1965, closed 1993, demolished for Home Depot)"
**Century City Shopping Center "(now Westfield Century City)", L.A. (Century City) "(opened 1976, became Macy's 1996)"
**7th Street & Broadway (original "flagship"), Los Angeles (Downtown) "(opened 1904, closed 1982, now St. Vincent's Jewelry Center)"
**7th Avenue Market at Citicorp Plaza "(now 7th & FIG at E&Y Plaza)", Los Angeles (Downtown) "(opened 1986, closing announced 1996, litigated until 1997, now mall shops)"
**Northridge Fashion Center, L.A. (Northridge) "(opened 1971, rebuilt after 1994 Northridge Earthquake, became Macy's 1996)"
**Sherman Oaks Fashion Square "(now Westfield Fashion Square)", L.A. (Sherman Oaks) "(opened 1962, rebuilt after the 1994 Northridge Earthquake, became Macy's 1996)"
**The Promenade at Woodlands Hills "(now Westfield Promenade)", L.A. (Woodland Hills) "(opened 1993 in former J. W. Robinson's, became Macy's 1996)"
**The Promenade at Woodlands Hills Men's Store "(now Westfield Promenade)", L.A. (Woodland Hills) "(opened 1995 in former I. Magnin/Bullocks Wilshire, became Macy's 1996)"
**Beverly Center, L.A. (Fairfax District), "(opened 1982, became Macy's 1996)"
**Beverly Center Men's Store, L.A. (Fairfax District), "(opened 1993 in former Conran's, became Macy's 1996)"
**Westwood Village (freestanding), L.A.(Westwood) "(opened 1932, replaced 1951)"
**Westwood Village (freestanding), L.A.(Westwood) "(opened 1952, became Macy's 1996, closed 1999, now EXPO Design Center branch)"
**Manhattan Village, Manhattan Beach "(opened 1982, became Macy's 1996)"
**Manhattan Village Men's Store, Manhattan Beach "(opened 1992 in former Buffum's, became Macy's 1996)"
**The Shops at Palos Verdes Women's Store "(now The Avenue of the Peninsula)" Palos Verdes "(opened 1995 in former I. Magnin/Bullocks Wilshire, closed 1996, demolished for mall reconstruction)"
**Lake Avenue (freestanding), Pasadena "(opened 1947, became Macy's 1996)"
**Del Amo Fashion Square "(now part of Del Amo Fashion Center)", Torrance "(opened 1966, became Macy's 1996)"
**The Plaza at West Covina "(now Westfield West Covina)", West Covina "(opened 1975, became Macy's 1996, being replaced 2006)"
*Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura MSA
**The Oaks Shopping Center, Thousand Oaks "(opened 1983, became Macy's 1996, replaced 2006, location of Nordstrom opening 2008)"
*Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA
**Palm Desert Town Center "(now Westfield Palm Desert)", Palm Desert "(opened 1983, became Macy's 1996, replaced 2006)"
**Palm Desert Town Center Men's/Home Store"(now Westfield Palm Desert)", Palm Desert "(opened 1995 in former I. Magnin/Bullocks Wilshire, became Macy's 1996, replaced 2006, location of Nordstrom opening 2009)"
*San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos MSA
**Plaza Camino Real "(now Westfield Plaza Camino Real)", Carlsbad "(opened 1980, became Macy's 1996)"
**Grossmont Shopping Center, La Mesa "(opened 1983, closed 1993, became Target 1996)"
**Mission Valley Center "(now Westfield Mission Valley)" San Diego "(opened 1975, became Macy's Home Store 1996)"
*Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine MSA
**South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa "(opened 1973, became Macy's 1996)"
**South Coast Plaza Men's Store, Costa Mesa "(opened 1991 in former I. Magnin location, became Macy's 1996)"
**La Habra Fashion Square, La Habra "(opened 1960s, closed 1992)"
**Mission Viejo Mall "(now The Shops at Mission Viejo)", Mission Viejo "(opened 1980, became Macy's 1996)"
**Fashion Island Women's Store, Newport Beach "(opened 1995 in former I. Magnin/Bullocks Wilshire, became Macy's 1996, replaced 2006)"
**Santa Ana Fashion Square "(now Westfield MainPlace)", Santa Ana "(opened 1958, became Macy's 1996)"

Nevada

*Las Vegas-Paradise MSA
**The Fashion Show, Las Vegas "(opened 1981, became Macy's 1996, expanded 2002)"

Former Bullock's North locations

Northern California

*San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City MSA
**Stonestown Shopping Center "(now Stonestown Galleria", San Francisco "(opened 1977, closed 1983, reopened as Nordstrom 1988)"
**San Mateo Fashion Island, San Mateo "(opened 1981, closed 1986, demolished). Featured unique fiberglass-tent roof"
*Oakland-Fremont-Hayward MSA
**Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek "(opened 1973, closed 1983, reopened as Nordstrom 1984)"
*San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara MSA
**Vallco Fashion Park, Cupertino "(opened 1976, closed 1983, reopened as Emporium 1984, Macy's 1996)"
**Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto "(opened 1972, closed 1983, reopened as Nordstrom 1984)"
**Oakridge Mall "(now Westfield Oakridge)", San Jose "(opened 1970s, closed 1983, replaced by Nordstrom 1984, sold to Sears 1994). Featured unique fiberglass-tent roof"

Former Bullocks Wilshire locations

Southern California

*Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale MSA
**Wilshire Boulevard (freestanding) (flagship), Los Angeles (Wilshire Center), "(opened 1929, became I. Magnin in 1990, Now Southwestern University School of Law)"
**The Shops at Palos Verdes "(now The Avenue of the Peninsula)" Palos Verdes "(opened 1970s, became I. Magnin in 1990)"
**The Promenade at Woodlands Hills Men's Store "(now Westfield Promenade)", L.A. (Woodland Hills) "(opened 1973, became I. Magnin in 1990)"
*Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario MSA
**Palm Desert Town Center "(now Westfield Palm Desert)", Palm Desert "(opened 1987 in former Bonwit Teller, became I. Magnin in 1990)"
**Palm Springs (freestanding), Palms Springs "(opened 1947, became I. Magnin in 1990)"
*San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos MSA
**La Jolla Village Square, San Diego (La Jolla) "(opened 1980, became I. Magnin in 1990)"
*Santa Ana-Anaheim-Irvine MSA
**Fashion Island, Newport Beach "(opened 1970s, became I. Magnin in 1990)BECAME BLOOMINGDALES"

References

* [http://www.time.com/time/archive/preview/0,10987,939061,00.html] P.G.Winnet-Time Magazine archive
* [http://oldsads.org/postcards.htm?tid=69&
] Bullock's on an old post card
* [http://www.downtownnews.com/articles/2005/11/07/news/news06.txt] Los Angeles Downtown News-Department Stores Past