Garfinckel's
Encyclopedia
Garfinckel's was a prominent department store
chain
based in Washington, D.C.
, that catered to a clientele
of wealthy consumer
s. It declared Chapter 11, in June 1990, and ceased operations in 1990.
mercantile
business was founded in 1905, as Julius Garfinkel & Co. by Julius Garfinckel
(1872–1936), originally employing 10 clerks. In 1946, it acquired the mens 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. 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 Garfinkel's chain to locally owned Raleigh's for $95 million, forming Garfinkel's, Raleigh's & Co.
Garfinkel'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.
, and opened in 1929. The $2,000,000 structure was designed by architects Starrett & van Vleck
of New York
. By 1936, there were more than 500 employees.
In 1995, the historic Garfinckel's flagship store
located at 1401 F Street, NW, Washington, which is one block from the Treasury Department
and less than two blocks from the White House
, 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 that is referred to as Hamilton Square.
Garfinckel's flagship store
reputation was not without controversy. It was both widely known and acknowledged that blacks were not welcome at the flagship store
and in fact, were not permitted to try on clothing. This may in fact have hurt the store during the latter part of the 20th century; newly-prosperous blacks may have been inclined to ignore the store.
, Woodward & Lothrop
, and Lord & Taylor
, Garfinkel'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. It also operated a 35000 square feet (3,251.6 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 30000 square feet (2,787.1 m²) location at Tyson's Corner Center; a 90000 square feet (8,361.3 m²) location at Landover Mall
on May 11, 1972; and a second hotel location - a 600 square feet (55.7 m²) store in the Washington Hilton, opened July 1972. The Springfield Mall
store opened in January 1973.
Convinced that the company had expanded enough and that the premiere 170000 square feet (15,793.5 m²) downtown location would continue to prosper, Garfinkel's did not expand again until the early-1980s. Stores opened in the early 1980s at Annapolis Mall
, Fair Oaks Mall
, and a 16000 square feet (1,486.4 m²) store at The Shops at Georgetown Park. These would be the last new Garfinkel's suburban locations. After allowing its lease to expire at the Tyson's Corner store at the end of 1988, Garfinkel's announced plans to open a second downtown Washington store at 1130 Connecticut Ave, NW; then the site of a temporary Raleigh's location. Nine locations were in operation at the time of filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1990.
The Garfinckel's Department Store Records are held at the Library of Congress
.
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
chain
Chain store
Chain stores are retail outlets that share a brand and central management, and usually have standardized business methods and practices. These characteristics also apply to chain restaurants and some service-oriented chain businesses. In retail, dining and many service categories, chain businesses...
based in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, that catered to a clientele
Customer
A customer is usually used to refer to a current or potential buyer or user of the products of an individual or organization, called the supplier, seller, or vendor. This is typically through purchasing or renting goods or services...
of wealthy consumer
Consumer
Consumer is a broad label for any individuals or households that use goods generated within the economy. The concept of a consumer occurs in different contexts, so that the usage and significance of the term may vary.-Economics and marketing:...
s. It declared Chapter 11, in June 1990, and ceased operations in 1990.
History
This retailRetailing
Retail consists of the sale of physical goods or merchandise from a fixed location, such as a department store, boutique or kiosk, or by mail, in small or individual lots for direct consumption by the purchaser. Retailing may include subordinated services, such as delivery. Purchasers may be...
mercantile
Mercantilism
Mercantilism is the economic doctrine in which government control of foreign trade is of paramount importance for ensuring the prosperity and security of the state. In particular, it demands a positive balance of trade. Mercantilism dominated Western European economic policy and discourse from...
business was founded in 1905, as Julius Garfinkel & Co. by Julius Garfinckel
Julius Garfinckel
Julius Garfinckel was a prominent American merchant, business executive and philanthropist. He was the founder of the Washington, D.C., department store Garfinckel's....
(1872–1936), originally employing 10 clerks. In 1946, it acquired the mens specialty retailer, Brooks Brothers
Brooks Brothers
Brooks Brothers is the oldest men's clothier chain in the United States. Founded in 1818 as a family business, the privately owned company is now owned by Retail Brand Alliance, also features clothing for women, and is headquartered on Madison Avenue in Manhattan, New York City.-History:On April 7,...
and in 1950, De Pinna
De Pinna
De Pinna was a men's and women's high end clothier founded in 1885, in New York City, by Alfred De Pinna , a Sephardic Jew born in England. They also sold menswear-inspired clothing for women that was finely tailored. The flagship store was located at 642-50 Fifth Avenue and 52nd Street...
. It formed the national retail conglomerate, Garfinckel, Brooks Brothers, Miller & Rhoads, Inc.
Garfinckel, Brooks Brothers, Miller & Rhoads, Inc.
Garfinckel, Brooks Brothers, Miller & Rhoads, Inc. was a Washington, D.C.-based national retail conglomerate that existed from 1967 to 1981.-History:...
, after acquisition of the Miller & Rhoads
Miller & Rhoads
Miller & Rhoads was a Virginia-based department store chain. Throughout its 105 year life-span, the store played an active role in the Richmond community, along with its friendly cross-street rival Thalhimers.- Origins :...
chain in 1967. In 1977, the conglomerate acquired the Ann Taylor
Ann Taylor (retail chain)
ANN INC. is an American group of specialty apparel retail chain stores for women, headquartered in New York City, . The stores offer classic styled suits, separates, dresses, shoes and accessories...
women's fashion store chain. In 1981, the conglomerate consisted of close to 190 stores in seven chains. That same year, Allied Stores
Allied Stores
Allied Stores was a department store chain in the United States. It was founded in the 1930s as part of a general consolidation in the retail sector by B. E. Puckett. See also Associated Dry Goods. It was the successor to Hahn's Department Stores, a holding company founded in 1928...
acquired Garfinckel, Brooks Brothers, Miller & Rhoads, Inc. for $228 million. In 1986, Campeau Corp. acquired Allied, and in turn sold the Garfinkel's chain to locally owned Raleigh's for $95 million, forming Garfinkel's, Raleigh's & Co.
Garfinkel's grew and expanded into a chain of stores, but was eventually pushed into financial collapse due to a series of mergers and acquisitions
Mergers and acquisitions
Mergers and acquisitions refers to the aspect of corporate strategy, corporate finance and management dealing with the buying, selling, dividing and combining of different companies and similar entities that can help an enterprise grow rapidly in its sector or location of origin, or a new field or...
. On June 21, 1990, the company filed for Chapter 11
Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 11 is a chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is available to every business, whether organized as a corporation or sole proprietorship, and to individuals, although it is most...
bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
by its chairman
Chair (official)
The chairman is the highest officer of an organized group such as a board, committee, or deliberative assembly. The person holding the office is typically elected or appointed by the members of the group. The chairman presides over meetings of the assembled group and conducts its business in an...
and CEO
Chief executive officer
A chief executive officer , managing director , Executive Director for non-profit organizations, or chief executive is the highest-ranking corporate officer or administrator in charge of total management of an organization...
George P. Kelly and went out of business.
Flagship store
In 1918, the store was located at 13th and F Streets. An eight-story department store building was erected at the northwest corner of 14th and F Streets, across from the Willard HotelWillard InterContinental Washington
The Willard InterContinental Washington is an historic luxury Beaux-Arts hotel located at 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C. Among its facilities are numerous luxurious guest rooms, several restaurants, the famed Round Robin Bar, the Peacock Alley series of luxury shops, and voluminous...
, and opened in 1929. The $2,000,000 structure was designed by architects Starrett & van Vleck
Starrett & van Vleck
The architectural firm of Starrett & van Vleck specialized in the design of early 20th century department stores primarily in New York City. The partner Goldwin Starrett had worked for four years in the Chicago office of Daniel Burnham. Included in their designs were the New York City flagship...
of New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. By 1936, there were more than 500 employees.
In 1995, the historic Garfinckel's flagship store
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
located at 1401 F Street, NW, Washington, which is one block from the Treasury Department
United States Department of the Treasury
The Department of the Treasury is an executive department and the treasury of the United States federal government. It was established by an Act of Congress in 1789 to manage government revenue...
and less than two blocks from the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. From 1997 to 1999, the property was redeveloped into a modern office building and shopping center that is referred to as Hamilton Square.
Garfinckel's flagship store
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
reputation was not without controversy. It was both widely known and acknowledged that blacks were not welcome at the flagship store
Flagship
A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag...
and in fact, were not permitted to try on clothing. This may in fact have hurt the store during the latter part of the 20th century; newly-prosperous blacks may have been inclined to ignore the store.
Branch stores
Unlike its local retail competitors, the Hecht CompanyHecht's
Hecht's, also known as Hecht Brothers, Hecht Bros. and the Hecht Company, was a large chain of department stores located mainly in the mid-Atlantic and southern region of the United States....
, Woodward & Lothrop
Woodward & Lothrop
Woodward & Lothrop was a department store chain headquartered in Washington, D.C. Woodward & Lothrop was Washington, D.C.'s first department store, opening in 1887. Woodies, as it was often nicknamed, maintained stores in the Mid-Atlantic United States...
, and Lord & Taylor
Lord & Taylor
Lord & Taylor, colloquially known as L&T, or LT, based in New York City, is the oldest upscale, specialty-retail department store chain in the United States. Concentrated in the eastern U.S., the retailer operated independently for nearly a century prior to joining American Dry Goods...
, Garfinkel'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
Seven Corners Shopping Center
Seven Corners Shopping Center was the first major shopping center to open in suburban Washington, D.C.. It is located in Seven Corners, Fairfax County, Virginia. At its opening in 1956, it was the largest regional shopping center in Virginia...
upon opening in 1956. After that, its Montgomery Mall
Westfield Montgomery
Westfield Montgomery is an upscale shopping complex in Bethesda, Maryland, on Democracy Boulevard near Interstate 270 and the Capital Beltway .-History:...
store opened in 1968. It also operated a 35000 square feet (3,251.6 m²) Spring Valley Shopping Center
Spring Valley Shopping Center
The Spring Valley Shopping Center is an historic shopping center, located at 4820, 4860, 4872, 4874, Massachusetts Avenue and 4301 49th Street, Northwest, Washington, D.C., in the Spring Valley neighborhood.-History:...
store in the Spring Valley
Spring Valley, Washington, D.C.
Spring Valley is an affluent neighborhood in northwest Washington, D.C., known for its large homes and tree-lined streets.The neighborhood houses the main campus of American University at 4400 Massachusetts Avenue, the Wesley Theological Seminary at 4500 Massachusetts Avenue, and Washington College...
section of Washington, D.C., at 4820 Massachusetts Avenue
Massachusetts Avenue (Washington, D.C.)
Massachusetts Avenue is a major diagonal transverse road in Washington, D.C., and the Massachusetts Avenue Historic District is a historic district that includes part of it....
. This was followed by store openings in May 1970, a 30000 square feet (2,787.1 m²) location at Tyson's Corner Center; a 90000 square feet (8,361.3 m²) location at Landover Mall
Landover Mall
Landover Mall was a large shopping mall located in Landover, Maryland directly across from FedEx Field, off MD 202 and Interstates 95 and 495. The mall was owned by Lerner Enterprises, and opened in 1972. Like its neighbor Capital Plaza Mall, it was a major attraction through its opening years in...
on May 11, 1972; and a second hotel location - a 600 square feet (55.7 m²) store in the Washington Hilton, opened July 1972. The Springfield Mall
Springfield Mall (Virginia)
Springfield Mall is an enclosed shopping mall in Springfield, Virginia, located at the intersection of Interstate 95 and Franconia Road which is part of the Springfield Interchange. The mall is also located 1/4 mile north of Franconia-Springfield Parkway and the Franconia-Springfield metro station...
store opened in January 1973.
Convinced that the company had expanded enough and that the premiere 170000 square feet (15,793.5 m²) downtown location would continue to prosper, Garfinkel's did not expand again until the early-1980s. Stores opened in the early 1980s at Annapolis Mall
Annapolis Mall
Annapolis Mall, officially known as Westfield Annapolis, is a shopping mall owned by the Westfield Group that is located near the junction of U.S. Route 50 and Interstate 97 in Annapolis, Maryland...
, Fair Oaks Mall
Fair Oaks Mall
Fair Oaks Mall is an enclosed shopping mall just outside the City of Fairfax, Virginia. It is located at the intersection of Interstate 66 and U.S. Route 50. The mall has a Gross leasable area of ....
, and a 16000 square feet (1,486.4 m²) store at The Shops at Georgetown Park. These would be the last new Garfinkel's suburban locations. After allowing its lease to expire at the Tyson's Corner store at the end of 1988, Garfinkel's announced plans to open a second downtown Washington store at 1130 Connecticut Ave, NW; then the site of a temporary Raleigh's location. Nine locations were in operation at the time of filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 1990.
The Garfinckel's Department Store Records are held at the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
.