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Garfinckel's

February 24, 2024

Garfinckel's was a prominent department store chain based in Washington, D.C. that catered to a clientele of wealthy consumers. Its flagship store at 14th and F in the city's F Street shopping district is listed on the National Register. It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June 1990[2] and ceased operations that year.

Garfinckel's
IndustryRetail
Founded1905
Defunct1990
FateBankruptcy
HeadquartersWashington, D.C.
Key people
Julius Garfinckel, founder
ProductsClothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, housewares
Garfinckel's Department Store
Building in 2015
Location1401 F Street,
Northwest, Washington, D.C.
Coordinates38°53′50.38″N 77°1′55.4″W / 38.8973278°N 77.032056°W / 38.8973278; -77.032056
Area(less than 1 acre (4,000 m2)
Built1925–1929
ArchitectPorter and Lockie, Starrett & van Vleck
Architectural styleModerne
NRHP reference No.95000353[1]
Added to NRHPApril 4, 1995

History edit

This retail mercantile business was founded in 1905, as Julius Garfinkle & Co. by Julius Garfinckel (1872–1936), originally employing 10 clerks. The store opened on October 2, 1905, at 1226 F St. NW in Washington, D.C.[3] By August 1924, the spelling of the store name was modified to Julius Garfinckel & Co.[4] In 1946, it acquired the men's specialty retailer, Brooks Brothers and in 1950, De Pinna. It formed the national retail conglomerate, Garfinckel, Brooks Brothers, Miller & Rhoads, Inc., after acquisition of the Miller & Rhoads chain in 1967. In 1977, the conglomerate acquired the Ann Taylor women's fashion store chain. In 1981, the conglomerate consisted of close to 190 stores in seven chains.[5] That same year, Allied Stores acquired Garfinckel, Brooks Brothers, Miller & Rhoads, Inc. for $228 million. In 1986, Campeau Corp. acquired Allied, and in turn sold the Garfinckel's chain to locally owned Raleigh's for $95 million (~$216 million in 2022), forming Garfinckel's, Raleigh's & Co.[6]

Garfinckel's grew and expanded into a chain of stores, but was eventually pushed into financial collapse due to a series of mergers and acquisitions. On June 21, 1990, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy by its chairman and CEO George P. Kelly and went out of business.[7]

Flagship store edit

In 1918, the store was located at 13th and F Streets at the western end of the city's downtown shopping district. An eight-story department store building was erected at the northwest corner of 14th and F Streets, across from the Willard Hotel, and opened in 1929. The $2,000,000 structure was designed by architects Starrett & van Vleck of New York.[8] By 1936, there were more than 500 employees.[9]

After Garfinckel's bankruptcy in 1990, the store remained vacant for several years until it was redeveloped in 1999.[10] In 1995, it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. From 1997 to 1999, the property was redeveloped into a modern office building and shopping center named Hamilton Square.

Borders Group bookstore was a street level tenant until it closed in 2010. The building owner considered a restaurant and retail store to occupy the space.[11][12]

Branch stores edit

Unlike its local retail competitors, the Hecht Company, Woodward & Lothrop, and Lord & Taylor, Garfinckel's did not open numerous suburban locations during the heyday of the 1950s and 1960s. The first suburban store was an original anchor at the Seven Corners Shopping Center upon opening in 1956. After that, its Montgomery Mall store opened in 1968.[13] It also operated a 35,000-square-foot (3,300 m2) Spring Valley Shopping Center store in the Spring Valley section of Washington, D.C., at 4820 Massachusetts Avenue. This was followed by store openings in May 1970, a 30,000-square-foot (2,800 m2) location at Tyson's Corner Center; a 90,000-square-foot (8,400 m2) location at Landover Mall on May 11, 1972; and a second hotel location - a 600-square-foot (56 m2) store in the Washington Hilton, opened July 1972.[14][15][16] The Springfield Mall store opened in January 1973.[17]

Convinced that the company had expanded enough and that the premiere 170,000-square-foot (16,000 m2) downtown location would continue to prosper, Garfinckel's did not expand again until the early-1980s.[18] Stores opened in the early 1980s at Annapolis Mall, Fair Oaks Mall, and a 16,000-square-foot (1,500 m2) store at The Shops at Georgetown Park.[19] These would be the last new Garfinckel's suburban locations. After allowing its lease to expire at the Tyson's Corner store at the end of 1988, Garfinckel's announced plans to open a second downtown Washington store at 1130 Connecticut Ave, NW; then the site of a temporary Raleigh's location.[20] Nine locations were in operation at the time of filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1990.[21]

The Garfinckel's Department Store Records are held at the Library of Congress.[22]

References edit

  1. ^ "Garfinkel's Department Store". Landmark Hunter.com. April 27, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  2. ^ "Company News; Garfinckel's In Chapter 11". The New York Times. Reuters. June 22, 1990.
  3. ^ "Display advertisement". The Washington Post. October 1, 1905. p. E9.
  4. ^ "Classified advertisement". The Washington Post. August 6, 1924. p. 12.
  5. ^ "Top 100 Area Firms," The Washington Post, Apr 20, 1981, p. WB26.
  6. ^ "The Downfall Of a Washington Institution," by Mark Potts, The Washington Post, Jun 22, 1990, p. F1.
  7. ^ "Company News; Garfinkel's In Chapter 11". The New York Times. 1990-06-22. Retrieved 2007-11-12.
  8. ^ "Special from Richmond, June 21: Virginia Exports Increased. North Carolina Also Shows Gain Over Last Year," The New York Times, June 23, 1929, p. N12
  9. ^ "Special from Washington, Nov. 6: Julius Garfinckel Dies In Washington - Merchant and Philanthropist Succumbs to Pneumonia in the Capital at 62," The New York Times, Nov. 7, 1936, p. 17
  10. ^ "Garfinckel's, Washington's Fashion Arbiter". 12 November 2012.[failed verification]
  11. ^ Missy Frederick, Jonathan O'Connell (December 21, 2009). "Hamilton Square Borders may become a T.J. Maxx". Washington Business Journal.
  12. ^ O'Connell, Jonathan (June 21, 2010). "14th Street Borders to become Clyde's restaurant". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  13. ^ "Garfinkel's 'New' Image," by William G. Cushing, The Washington Post and Times-Herald, Oct 26, 1969, p. 117.
  14. ^ "Garfinkel Opens at Tysons," The Washington Post and Times-Herald, May 29, 1970, p. C7.
  15. ^ "Garfinkel's Sixth Store," The Washington Post and Times-Herald, May 7, 1972, p. AS11.
  16. ^ "Garfinkel's Opens Hilton Hotel Shop," The Washington Post and Times-Herald, Aug 3, 1972, p. H2.
  17. ^ "Garfinkel's Plans Chevy Chase Store," by William H. Jones, The Washington Post and Times-Herald, Mar 6, 1972, p. D7.
  18. ^ "Garfinkel's Still Attracting Suburbanites," by William H. Jones, The Washington Post, Mar 27, 1977, p. 185.
  19. ^ "Garfinkel's Plans to Expand," by Merrill Brown, The Washington Post, Nov 2, 1979, p. D1.
  20. ^ "Garfinkel's to Open New Store Downtown," The Washington Post, Jan 25, 1989, p. F1.
  21. ^ "Retailer Garfinkel's Files for Bankruptcy," by Kara Swisher, The Washington Post, Jun 22, 1990, p. A1.
  22. ^ "Garfinkel's Department Store Records" (PDF). Library or Congress. April 2010.

External links edit

  Media related to Garfinckel's Department Store at Wikimedia Commons

  • "Garfinckel's (Department store)", Library of Congress
  • Garfinckels.com - America's House of Fashion Lives On

February 24, 2024
garfinckel, prominent, department, store, chain, based, washington, that, catered, clientele, wealthy, consumers, flagship, store, 14th, city, street, shopping, district, listed, national, register, filed, chapter, bankruptcy, june, 1990, ceased, operations, t. Garfinckel s was a prominent department store chain based in Washington D C that catered to a clientele of wealthy consumers Its flagship store at 14th and F in the city s F Street shopping district is listed on the National Register It filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in June 1990 2 and ceased operations that year Garfinckel sIndustryRetailFounded1905Defunct1990FateBankruptcyHeadquartersWashington D C Key peopleJulius Garfinckel founderProductsClothing footwear bedding furniture jewelry beauty products housewaresGarfinckel s Department StoreU S National Register of Historic PlacesBuilding in 2015Show map of Central Washington D C Show map of the District of ColumbiaShow map of the United StatesLocation1401 F Street Northwest Washington D C Coordinates38 53 50 38 N 77 1 55 4 W 38 8973278 N 77 032056 W 38 8973278 77 032056Area less than 1 acre 4 000 m2 Built1925 1929ArchitectPorter and Lockie Starrett amp van VleckArchitectural styleModerneNRHP reference No 95000353 1 Added to NRHPApril 4 1995 Contents 1 History 2 Flagship store 3 Branch stores 4 References 5 External linksHistory editThis retail mercantile business was founded in 1905 as Julius Garfinkle amp Co by Julius Garfinckel 1872 1936 originally employing 10 clerks The store opened on October 2 1905 at 1226 F St NW in Washington D C 3 By August 1924 the spelling of the store name was modified to Julius Garfinckel amp Co 4 In 1946 it acquired the men s specialty retailer Brooks Brothers and in 1950 De Pinna It formed the national retail conglomerate Garfinckel Brooks Brothers Miller amp Rhoads Inc after acquisition of the Miller amp Rhoads chain in 1967 In 1977 the conglomerate acquired the Ann Taylor women s fashion store chain In 1981 the conglomerate consisted of close to 190 stores in seven chains 5 That same year Allied Stores acquired Garfinckel Brooks Brothers Miller amp Rhoads Inc for 228 million In 1986 Campeau Corp acquired Allied and in turn sold the Garfinckel s chain to locally owned Raleigh s for 95 million 216 million in 2022 forming Garfinckel s Raleigh s amp Co 6 Garfinckel s grew and expanded into a chain of stores but was eventually pushed into financial collapse due to a series of mergers and acquisitions On June 21 1990 the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy by its chairman and CEO George P Kelly and went out of business 7 Flagship store editIn 1918 the store was located at 13th and F Streets at the western end of the city s downtown shopping district An eight story department store building was erected at the northwest corner of 14th and F Streets across from the Willard Hotel and opened in 1929 The 2 000 000 structure was designed by architects Starrett amp van Vleck of New York 8 By 1936 there were more than 500 employees 9 After Garfinckel s bankruptcy in 1990 the store remained vacant for several years until it was redeveloped in 1999 10 In 1995 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places From 1997 to 1999 the property was redeveloped into a modern office building and shopping center named Hamilton Square Borders Group bookstore was a street level tenant until it closed in 2010 The building owner considered a restaurant and retail store to occupy the space 11 12 Branch stores editUnlike its local retail competitors the Hecht Company Woodward amp Lothrop and Lord amp Taylor Garfinckel s did not open numerous suburban locations during the heyday of the 1950s and 1960s The first suburban store was an original anchor at the Seven Corners Shopping Center upon opening in 1956 After that its Montgomery Mall store opened in 1968 13 It also operated a 35 000 square foot 3 300 m2 Spring Valley Shopping Center store in the Spring Valley section of Washington D C at 4820 Massachusetts Avenue This was followed by store openings in May 1970 a 30 000 square foot 2 800 m2 location at Tyson s Corner Center a 90 000 square foot 8 400 m2 location at Landover Mall on May 11 1972 and a second hotel location a 600 square foot 56 m2 store in the Washington Hilton opened July 1972 14 15 16 The Springfield Mall store opened in January 1973 17 Convinced that the company had expanded enough and that the premiere 170 000 square foot 16 000 m2 downtown location would continue to prosper Garfinckel s did not expand again until the early 1980s 18 Stores opened in the early 1980s at Annapolis Mall Fair Oaks Mall and a 16 000 square foot 1 500 m2 store at The Shops at Georgetown Park 19 These would be the last new Garfinckel s suburban locations After allowing its lease to expire at the Tyson s Corner store at the end of 1988 Garfinckel s announced plans to open a second downtown Washington store at 1130 Connecticut Ave NW then the site of a temporary Raleigh s location 20 Nine locations were in operation at the time of filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1990 21 The Garfinckel s Department Store Records are held at the Library of Congress 22 References edit Garfinkel s Department Store Landmark Hunter com April 27 2017 Retrieved January 2 2018 Company News Garfinckel s In Chapter 11 The New York Times Reuters June 22 1990 Display advertisement The Washington Post October 1 1905 p E9 Classified advertisement The Washington Post August 6 1924 p 12 Top 100 Area Firms The Washington Post Apr 20 1981 p WB26 The Downfall Of a Washington Institution by Mark Potts The Washington Post Jun 22 1990 p F1 Company News Garfinkel s In Chapter 11 The New York Times 1990 06 22 Retrieved 2007 11 12 Special from Richmond June 21 Virginia Exports Increased North Carolina Also Shows Gain Over Last Year The New York Times June 23 1929 p N12 Special from Washington Nov 6 Julius Garfinckel Dies In Washington Merchant and Philanthropist Succumbs to Pneumonia in the Capital at 62 The New York Times Nov 7 1936 p 17 Garfinckel s Washington s Fashion Arbiter 12 November 2012 failed verification Missy Frederick Jonathan O Connell December 21 2009 Hamilton Square Borders may become a T J Maxx Washington Business Journal O Connell Jonathan June 21 2010 14th Street Borders to become Clyde s restaurant The Washington Post Retrieved January 2 2018 Garfinkel s New Image by William G Cushing The Washington Post and Times Herald Oct 26 1969 p 117 Garfinkel Opens at Tysons The Washington Post and Times Herald May 29 1970 p C7 Garfinkel s Sixth Store The Washington Post and Times Herald May 7 1972 p AS11 Garfinkel s Opens Hilton Hotel Shop The Washington Post and Times Herald Aug 3 1972 p H2 Garfinkel s Plans Chevy Chase Store by William H Jones The Washington Post and Times Herald Mar 6 1972 p D7 Garfinkel s Still Attracting Suburbanites by William H Jones The Washington Post Mar 27 1977 p 185 Garfinkel s Plans to Expand by Merrill Brown The Washington Post Nov 2 1979 p D1 Garfinkel s to Open New Store Downtown The Washington Post Jan 25 1989 p F1 Retailer Garfinkel s Files for Bankruptcy by Kara Swisher The Washington Post Jun 22 1990 p A1 Garfinkel s Department Store Records PDF Library or Congress April 2010 External links edit nbsp Media related to Garfinckel s Department Store at Wikimedia Commons Garfinckel s Department store Library of Congress Garfinckels com America s House of Fashion Lives On Hamilton Square Washington D C Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Garfinckel 27s amp oldid 1174374332, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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