In the late nineteenth century, San Francisco was booming and its merchant princes built grand stores such as City of Paris, Gump’s, The White House, I. Magnin, and The Emporium in the Union Square area. These stores were integral to the city’s emergence as a world-class commercial hub. It was a tourist mecca and a shopping experience that was savored.
In fact, growing up I recall that whenever my eldest brother would see a woman smartly dressed, he’d remark, “She must be from San Francisco.”
City of Paris satisfied the desires for anything French; the I. Magnin empire, catered to a selective upper-class clientele; and the Emporium department store, aimed at the middle class with its Bargain Basement and Santa for the kids.
These stores were integral to the city’s emergence as a world-class commercial hub.
My maternal Uncle made the city his home and we’d visit twice a year and he’d visit us twice a year.
But the visits we made seemed so cosmopolitan to me, although I couldn’t identify it at the time; I preferred the city life and still do.
We (my mother, Aunt and I) shopped at the Emporium. It had this enormous exquisite rotunda that smelled of money, luxury, crystal chandeliers and refinement. And yet it was average compared to its competitors. But it was several cuts above anything we had in Los Angeles, the exception being Bullocks Wilshire.
I’d be dazzled by the excursion. The classy facades hinted at all the treasures to be had inside. We’d take a bus and a cable car to get there and get off at Union Square and Market Street. There’s a picture of me wearing a lavender top and A line skirt getting off the cable car that I’m guessing either my Uncle or Cousin David snapped. It was summer yet chilly and that day at the Emporium my mother bought me a beige crocheted sweater to wear throughout the trip. I felt so grown up!
A decade later David would take me to Macys, to the gourmet section that housed European cheeses, caviar and exquisite chocolates. We’d have lunch. David was always one for tantalizing the taste buds and with our mutual kinship I was indulged with his extravagance.
When I lived there in the late 90’s, I loved the sounds of the wooden escalators and how the sales people would wear name tags. And there was all the glass floor length windows that surrounded women’s shoes.
This morning I saw on the yahoo page that Macys San Francisco will shut its doors.
The demise of these retail institutions tempts us to play the “if only” game.
If only the founders’ next generation had been interested in continuing their family traditions. If only these historic businesses had not sold out to corporate entities that stripped local institutions of their character and charm. If only the new corporate owners had not expanded so quickly, spent too much, and risked so much. If only real estate values in San Francisco had not skyrocketed. If only another flagship store, Nordstrom hadn’t made an exit. But the reality is that department stores across the United States have been losing money for decades, victims of changing shopping habits, e-commerce, discount chains, and new retail upstarts.
All that is left of these heritage stores is the memories of San Franciscans and a few others who once shopped inside them.
Linda, thank you for another post that helps us reflect on those forgotten "details" of living a full life - in this case the "environment" necessary to live an engaging life. By "engaging", I refer to the personal interactions of people on a social, economic and cultural level in an environment that provides the "landscape", the "architecture" and the historical context for these activities. And San Francisco was very much that in the not to distant past.
When reading your post, the movie Vertigo came to mind. I felt the psychology of the "City by the Bay" and that of the two main characters in that movie very much intertwined. Now, of course, we only have the love fo…
Yes, all this and crime is rampid in the city. I live in the bay area. A woman is not able to walk around with her handbag anymore .you probably don't want to have jewelry..Sad.... Love you. You're really awesome and I want you to know. Don't get me wrong. I will miss all the Christmas get-up and of course the puppy and kittens they had at Christmas in the windows.
Linda, I respectfully disagree with your explanation of these great stores are closing in San Francisco and other cities across America. It's the massive increase in homeless encampments, drug abuse, sidewalk defacation, and since 2021, the massive influx of illegal aliens, out of control crime, and leftist politicians defunding the police, ordering them to stand down, and leftist prosecutors releasing them without bail. Gangs of thugs are robbing retailers in broad daylight, sometimes murdering store employees. THAT is why these grea stores are closing!