Silverwoods
Silverwoods, originally promoted as F. B. Silverwood, after its founder, was a men's clothing store chain founded in Los Angeles in 1894 by Francis Bernard (F.B. "Daddy") Silverwood, a Canadian-American originally from near Lindsay, Ontario. He was a colorful character covered in the newspapers, a "songster" composer of popular songs, Shriner, and who famously married in 1920.[1]
The first F. B. Silverwood store opened on May 8, 1894 at 124 S. Spring St., carried only men's furnishings, had four employees and had sales of $38,000 (~$1.34 million in 2023) that year. Silverwood then moved to a larger location at 221 S. Spring St. The flagship store was established in 1904 at Sixth & Broadway. In 1920 the store removed to temporary quarters at 320 S. Broadway while the old store was demolished starting January 26, 1920. A new 115,420 sq ft (10,723 m2) six-floor store was built on the site of the old one at 6th and Broadway. The new store opened September 1, 1920.[2]
Upon opening in 1920 the flagship had the following departments:[3]
- 1st floor, hats and furnishings
- 2nd floor, suits and overcoats
- 3rd floor, boys' clothing
- 4th floor, storeroom
- 5th floor, general offices and alterations
- Basement, outing and work clothes; gloves
The company incorporated in November 1920. At that time there were four branches (Long Beach, Bakersfield, Maricopa and San Bernardino)[4] plus the flagship. F. B. Silverwood died in March 1924. In later decades the store was purchased by Hartmarx and focused on business suits until the end, later becoming out of sync with clothing preferences of Southern California men.
By 1992 when the chain closed, Silverwoods had grown to an eighteen store chain with branches across Greater Los Angeles.[5]
Stores
In 1973, Silverwoods branches were located at:[6]
Community | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|
Downtown Los Angeles Broadway shopping district | 6th & Broadway | Last flagship opened September 1, 1920. |
Downtown Los Angeles 7th Street shopping district | 7th & Hope | |
University Park, Los Angeles | University of Southern California | |
Miracle Mile, Los Angeles | 5522 Wilshire Boulevard | opened 1929, in the "Wilshire Tower" complex by architect Gilbert Stanley Underwood together with Desmond's |
Crenshaw District | 4129 Crenshaw Boulevard, Crenshaw Center (now Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza) | opened April 8, 1949, 22,500 square feet (2,090 m2), Albert B. Gardener, architect[7] |
Anaheim | Anaheim Center | |
Panorama City, Los Angeles (San Fernando Valley) | Panorama City Shopping Center | opened 10/10/1955 in a complex with The Broadway Valley branch[8] |
Torrance | Del Amo Fashion Square | |
Pasadena, California | Lake Avenue | |
Century City, Los Angeles | Century City Shopping Center | |
Canoga Park | Topanga Plaza | |
Oxnard, California | ||
San Bernardino | ||
Santa Barbara | 833 State St. | |
Las Vegas | ||
Newport Beach | Fashion Island | |
Montclair | Montclair Plaza | |
La Habra | La Habra Fashion Square | |
Palm Springs | ||
Riverside | ||
Downey | Stonewood Center | |
Cerritos | Los Cerritos Center |
References
- ^ "Daddy Silverwood to Wed". Los Angeles Times. November 25, 1920. p. Part II Page 1.
- ^ "Magnificent Pile That Now Graces Broadway Corner". Los Angeles Times. August 31, 1920. p. 9.
- ^ "Silverwoods Now Has Dream Store". Los Angeles Express. August 31, 1920.
- ^ "F. B. Silverwood's Five Stores Are Now in Corporation". Long Beach Telegram. November 30, 1920.
- ^ "Silverwoods to Close Doors After 70 Years : Retailing: The chain of 18 stores cites lagging sales and increasing costs". 17 September 1991.
- ^ "Advertisement for Silverwoods". Los Angeles Times. December 3, 1973.
- ^ "Silverwoods to Open New Store Friday". Los Angeles Times. April 3, 1949.
- ^ "New Broadway Panorama City Store Opens". Los Angeles Times.
- v
- t
- e
with origins in
Central Los Angeles |
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L.A. neighborhoods |
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Long Beach |
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Pasadena | |
Rest of L.A. Co. |
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Bakersfield | |
Inland Empire |
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Orange Co. |
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San Diego–Tijuana |
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Elsewhere |
- Bond's
- Brooks Clothing
- C. H. Baker shoes
- C&R Clothiers
- Hartfield's
- Judy's
- Leed's shoes
- Mandel's (shoes)
- Miller's Outpost/Anchor Blue
- Victor Clothing
- Weatherby-Kayser shoes
- Zachary All
membership stores
- The Akron
- Curacao
- Fedco
- Fedmart
- Gemco
- Pic 'N' Save
- Unimart
- White Front
- Zody's
- Disco Drug and Discount Centers
- Sav-on
- Schwab's Pharmacy
- Thrifty
home furnishings
- Alpha Beta
- Boys Markets
- Chaffee
- Food Giant
- Giant
- Haas, Baruch & Co./Hellman, Haas & Co.
- Hughes Markets
- Market Basket
- Pantry Food Stores
- Pavilions
- Ralphs
- Shopping Bag
- Stater Bros.
- Smart & Final
- Thriftimart
- Tianguis
- Vons
tainment, appliances
- Adray's
- Cal Stereo
- Federated Group
- Golden Bear Home and Sport Centers
- Ken Crane's
- Leo's Stereo
- Pacific Stereo
- Rogersound Labs
- University Stereo
- Builders Emporium
- National Lumber
- Ole's Home Centers
- Licorice Pizza
- Music Plus
- Peaches Records and Tapes
- The Wherehouse
- Wallichs Music City
- Los Angeles:
- Plaza
- 1880s-90s CBD
- Broadway (CBD)
- Broadway & 87th, South L.A.*
- Seventh St.
- Flower St.
- Hollywood Blvd.
- Lankershim, North Hollywood
- Miracle Mile, Wilshire Blvd.
- Westwood Village (near UCLA)
- Other cities:
- Beverly Hills: Rodeo Drive
- Burbank: Golden Mall
- Huntington Park: Pacific Blvd.
- Long Beach: Pine St.
- Palm Springs: La Plaza/Palm Canyon Dr. - See also History of retail in Palm Springs
- Pasadena: Lake Ave.
- Pasadena: Old Pasadena
- Santa Ana: 4th St.
- Santa Monica: Main St. - 3rd St. Promenade
shopping center
"firsts"
- Oldest origins of a major L.A. chain: Harris & Frank (1876) - 1st dept. store on Broadway: A. Fusenot Co./Ville de Paris - 1st dept. store on 7th off Broadway: J. W. Robinson's (1915) - 1st planned shopping district: Westwood Village (1929) - 1st suburban dept. store branch: B. H. Dyas/Broadway Hollywood (1927) - 1st center with multiple supermarkets: Broadway & 87th Street shopping center (1936) - 1st center with department store anchor: Broadway-Crenshaw Center (1947) - 1st enclosed mall: Lakewood Center (1951) - 1st mall in Orange County: Anaheim Plaza (1955) - 1st center with 4 dept. stores: Panorama City Shopping Center (1964)