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This article is about the Los Angeles-based department store chain that was eventually merged to form Robinsons-May. For the St. Louis-based holding company, see The May Department Stores Company.

May Company California
FormerlyA. Hamburger & Sons
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryDepartment store
FoundedOctober 29, 1881; 143 years ago (1881-10-29) in Los Angeles, California as A. Hamburger & Sons, Inc.
FounderAsher Hamburger
DefunctJanuary 31, 1993; 31 years ago (1993-01-31)
FateMerged with J.W. Robinson's
SuccessorRobinsons-May (1993)
Macy's (2006)
HeadquartersLos Angeles, 8th & Broadway (1908–1993),
Laurel Plaza, North Hollywood (1983–1993)
Area served
Southern California and Las Vegas
ProductsClothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, and housewares.
ParentMay Department Stores Company

May Company California was an American chain of department stores operating in Southern California and Nevada, with headquarters at its flagship Downtown Los Angeles store until 1983[1] when it moved them to North Hollywood. It was a subsidiary of May Department Stores and merged with May's other Southern California subsidiary, J. W. Robinson's, in 1993 to form Robinsons-May.

May Company California was established in 1923 when May acquired A. Hamburger & Sons Inc..[2] (founded in 1881 by Asher Hamburger). The company operated exclusively in Southern California until 1989 when May Department Stores had dissolved Goldwater's, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, and transferred its Las Vegas, Nevada store to May Company California.

Two well-known stores were the flagship Downtown store on 8th Street between Broadway and Hill streets, and the May Company Wilshire at Wilshire Boulevard and Fairfax Avenue. The 1926 garage building at 9th and Hill Streets was one of the nation's first parking structures (Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 1001). The Wilshire location has been featured in several vintage films, including Behave Yourself!

History

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A. Hamburger & Sons "The People's Store"

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Hamburger's People's Store Spring Street Early 1880s

Main Street store

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May Company California can trace its roots to the store that Asher Hamburger and his sons Moses, David and Solomon had established in Los Angeles after their recent move from Sacramento. This store first opened on October 29, 1881, in a 20-by-75-foot room on Main Street near Requena Street and was original known as The People's Store featuring clearly printed "One Price" tags.[3][4]

Spring Street store

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In 1882, only one year later, Hamburger's moved to the Ponet-Bumiller Block at 45 North Spring Street (post-1890 numbering: 145 North Spring), southwest corner of Temple, in a space of 46 by 100 feet. Later, it expanded into the north half of the ground floor of the newly built Phillips Block, northwest corner of Spring and Franklin, then in 1887 into the south half. In April 1899 it added the Ponet store 20 feet to the north of the Bumiller Block.

Phillips Block — largest store in the West

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In 1899, Hamburger's renovated and took over the entire Phillips Block, all four floors plus the cellar. The space officially opened June 1, 1899, and the store claimed at that time to have 3.5 acres (150,000 sq ft; 14,000 m2) of floor space[5] and to be the largest retail store in the Western United States.[6] Later Hamburger's added an additional 2,500 square feet (230 m2) onto its back side on New High Street[7][8][9]

1908: An even larger “largest store in the West”

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By the start of the 20th century, A. Hamburger & Sons had outgrown its Spring Street location, which had 520 employees working on five floors.[10] The Hamburger family decided to build a much larger store at the southeast corner of Broadway and Eighth, a location that was outside of then current retail district. Construction started in 1905, with a grand opening held in 1908.[11][12][13] This location, which was also known as the Great White Store, was the largest department store building west of Chicago at the time and would eventually become the flagship location for the May Company California. At the time that the Great White Store was opened, the store could boast of having one of the first escalators on the West Coast, several restaurants, a drug store, grocery store, bakery, fruit store, meat market, U.S. post office, telegraph office, barber shop, a dentist, a chiropractor, a medical doctor, an auditorium, an electricity and steam power plant in the basement that was large enough to support a city of 50,000 inhabitants, a private volunteer 120 men fire brigade,[14][15] 13 acres of retail space (482,475 sq.ft., larger than all the department, clothing and dry goods stores in the city), and 1200 employees.[13][16][17][18][19][20] The Los Angeles Public Library was also located on the third floor from 1908[21] until it was forced to move to a larger location when it outgrew the Hamburger space by 1913.[22][23][24] For a short time, Woodbury Business College briefly was also located on the fifth floor.[25] Circa 1912, there was a temporary free public menagerie on the fourth floor of 50 animals including a cassowary, a sun bear, an orangutan, a 28 ft (8.5 m)-long python, monkeys and iridescent birds.[26][27][28]

Expansion to over one million square feet

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The store continued to expand until it took up the entire block bounded by Broadway, Hill, 8th and 9th. In 1923, a nine-story addition was built on Hill Street. With the addition of a new nine-story, 250,000 sq ft (23,000 m2) building in 1930 it then measured over 1,000,000 sq ft (93,000 m2) of floor space. In the mid-1920s May Company also built a warehouse at Grand and Jefferson and in 1927 a nine-story parking garage at 9th and Hill streets.[29]

1923: Sale to May

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On March 31, 1923, the Hamburgers sold their store to the May family of St. Louis for $8.5 million (~$118 million in 2023).[30][31] Thomas and Wilbur May, sons of the founder of the May Company, were sent to manage the former Hamburger store. One of the first things that they did was to expand the store again by building adjacent additions on the other parts of the city block.[32][33] After several more years, the May Company store eventually occupied almost the entire block between Broadway and Hill and between 8th and 9th Streets. The old Hamburger store was officially renamed the May Company in 1925.[34][35]

1939: first branch, Wilshire Boulevard

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The 1939 Streamline Moderne style May Company Wilshire building, now The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures

To keep pace with the extreme growth in population within Southern California during the Great Depression, May Company opened the first branch store in 1939 on Wilshire at Fairfax at a cost of $2 million (~$34.4 million in 2023).[36][37][38][39][40]

1947: Crenshaw branch

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After World War II, a second branch store was opened on October 10, 1947[41] along Crenshaw Boulevard at the northeast corner of Santa Barbara St. (now M. L. King, Jr. Blvd.). The store would later be integrated into the Broadway-anchored Crenshaw Plaza directly across the street to the south.[42][43][44][45][46]

A proposed store in Hollywood that was planned at the same time was never built.[42][47][48]

Older logo

1952–1992: suburban expansion

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From 1952 to 1992 May opened stores across suburban Los Angeles and Southern California (see table below). May Company-Lakewood opened at Lakewood Center on February 18, 1952, the four-level, 346,700-square-foot (32,210 m2)[49] May Company-Lakewood was the largest suburban department store in the world.[50]

The North Hollywood store, opened in 1955 and originally marketed as part of the Valley Plaza shopping district, was a very large at 452,000 square feet (42,000 m2), and claimed to be the second-largest suburban branch department store in the country, outsized only by a branch of Hudson's in suburban Detroit.[51]

1992: Merger into Robinsons-May

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Robinson's-May Company merger logo

On October 17, 1992, May Company California's parent, May Department Stores, announced the merger of May Company California with its sister company J.W. Robinson's to form Robinsons-May, thus ending the May Company California existence.[52][53][54] It was also announced that the Wilshire store along with the stores in West Covina, Buena Park, Santa Ana, and San Bernardino were scheduled to close by the end of January 1993.

Disposal of older stores

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During the early part of this division existence, May Company was also the developer of some other early shopping centers and malls which grew around the initially stand-alone stores, with the Crenshaw location being the first example.

The first May Company store, the original Hamburger's, at Broadway and 8th in downtown Los Angeles was closed when it was replaced by the just opened 7th Market Place store in 1986.[55] This building is designated as Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument No. 459. After its sale, the building was primary used by small clothing manufacturing companies.[56] In 2013, the then current owners were trying to sell the building since the surrounding area is being actively redeveloped.[57] It was announced in April 2014 that Waterbridge Capital agreed to purchase the property, but had not given out too many details on how they might go about to develop it, except to state it would be mixed-use.[58][59]

During the 1980s, the parent corporation tried to replace the iconic Wilshire store for several years by getting involved with mall development at Farmers Market.[60] However the development that eventually became The Grove at Farmers Market was delayed for nearly two decades. The St. Louis-based parent company eventually withdrew from the project and the Wilshire store was never replaced when May Company California was later merged with Robinson in 1993. After closing, the Streamline Moderne style building was sold to Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 1994[61] and is currently slated to house The Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.[62]

Store list

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City Suburban region Mall or address Opened Closed Notes
opened as Hamburger's
Victorian Downtown Los Angeles Main Street near Requena Oct 29, 1881 1882 20-by-75-foot room, 1,500 square feet (140 m2). Known as The People's Store.[3]
Bumiller Block, Temple and Spring, northwest corner of Spring Street and Franklin Avenue 1882 1908
  • Originally a space of 46 by 100 ft. (4,600 square feet (430 m2)) in the Bumiller Block, northwest corner of North Spring Street and Franklin Avenue.
  • July 1888, expanded into the north half of the ground floor of the new Philips Block, adding 60x120 ft. (7200 sq. ft.) of selling space plus basement stockroom.
  • April 1899 added the Ponet store 20 ft to the north of the Bumiller Block
  • Renovated and on June 1, 1899, officially opened the entire 4-story Philips Block, 3.5 acres of floor space[6][5]
  • Later added 2,500 sq. ft. onto back (New High St.) side[7][3]
Broadway, Downtown L.A. City block bounded by Broadway, Hill, Eighth and Ninth Streets August 10, 1908 1986 482,475 sq. ft. at opening. Originally built as Hamburger's, who sold it to May Co. on March 31, 1923. Extensively expanded, with over 1,000,000 sq ft (93,000 m2) of floor area by 1930.[29] Now the Broadway Trade Center (mixed use).
See May Company Building (Broadway, Los Angeles)
opened as May Company
Miracle Mile Northeast corner Wilshire Boulevard & Fairfax Avenue September 7, 1939[38] January 1993 200,000 square feet (19,000 m2). Now houses the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
See May Company Building (Wilshire, Los Angeles)
Crenshaw District, Los Angeles Northwest corner Crenshaw and Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevards (the latter was formerly Santa Barbara Avenue). October 1947 200,000 square feet (19,000 m2). Opened as a freestanding store across the street from Crenshaw Center. Integrated into Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza mall in the 1970s.
Lakewood South Bay/Long Beach Lakewood Center[63][64][65] Feb 18, 1952[65] Upon opening, the four-level, 346,700-square-foot (32,210 m2)[66] May Company-Lakewood was the largest suburban department store in the world.[67] Drew business from Long Beach and competed with Downtown Long Beach shopping district anchored by Buffums.
North Hollywood San Fernando Valley Laurel Plaza[68][69][70] Sep 9, 1955[68] Originally planned a store in Hollywood, then Valley Plaza, in the end this free-standing store was built; featured men's, women's and childrens apparel and accessories, Boy and Girl Scout uniforms, notions, jewelry, small and major appliances, silverware, toys, books, sporting goods and stationery departments. Services included a beauty salon, tearoom, snackbar, auditorium, and parking for 3,000 cars. A mall was added later on. At 452,500 square feet (42,040 m2), largest suburban branch department store in the West. Turned into mixed retail use after Macy's closed in 2016.[51] Architect Albert C. Martin Sr. & Assoc. Store manager at launch Norman Caldwell.[69][68]
West Covina San Gabriel Valley Eastland Center[71][72] 1957 January 1993 Now demolished for Target and Burlington Coat Factory since 1996
Redondo Beach South Bay LA Co. South Bay Galleria[73][74] 1959
Mission Valley San Diego Mission Valley Center[75][76] 1960 The May Company Building at Westfield Mission Valley is empty now but considered an architectural landmark[77]
Buena Park North Orange Co. Buena Park Mall[78][79][80] August 19, 1963[80] January 1993 First became Fedco in 1993, now demolished for Walmart since 2003
Canoga Park San Fernando Valley Topanga Plaza Shopping Mall[81][82] February 1964[82]
Rancho Park Westside LA Co. Pico and Westwood Boulevards (later part of Westside Pavilion)[83][84] August 2, 1964[84]
Whittier Southeast LA Co. The Quad at Whittier[85][86][87][88] 1964 March 31, 1987 Closed just six months before the Whittier Narrows earthquake which took place at 7:42 a.m. October 1, 1987. The store's three-level parking structure fell almost flat to the ground as a result of this quake, and the store itself suffered internal damage but remained intact until its controlled implosion (via dynamite) a few years later.
Costa Mesa Orange Coast Costa Mesa[89][90] February 21, 1966[90]
Arcadia San Gabriel Valley El Rancho Santa Anita Shopping Center[91][92][93] 1966 Victor Gruen & Assoc., architects; Welton Becket & Assoc., Spanish colonial interiors. 240,000 sq. ft.[91] Was a Vons supermarket, currently empty.[citation needed]
San Bernardino Inland Empire Inland Center[94][95] 1966 January 1993 First became Gottschalks in 1995, now JCPenney since 2016, new Robinsons-May store built 5 years later in same mall (now Macy's)
Montclair Inland Empire Montclair Plaza[96][97] 1968
Carlsbad North Co. San Diego Plaza Camino Real[98][99][100] February 10, 1969[100] 150,000 sq ft.[99] Designed by Welton Becket & Associates.[100]
Oxnard Ventura Co. Esplanade Mall[101][102] November 2, 1970[103]
El Cajon East San Diego Co. Parkway Plaza[104][105] 1972
Riverside Inland Empire Tyler Mall[106][107][108] August 1973[107]
Eagle Rock Northeastern Los Angeles Eagle Rock Plaza[109][110][111][112] October 1, 1973[111] Became Macy's in 2006, Macy's closed in September 2023.
City of Orange North Orange Co. The City Shopping Center[113] 1974 July 1991 Closed two months after the one at MainPlace Mall in Santa Ana, California opened
Westminster Orange Coast Westminster Mall[114][115] August 7, 1974[115]
Culver City Westside LA Co. Fox Hills Mall[116][117] 1975
Brea North Orange Co. Brea Mall[118][119] 1977
Thousand Oaks Ventura Co. The Oaks[120][121] 1978
Mission Viejo South Orange Co. Mission Viejo Mall[122][123][124] 1979
La Jolla San Diego La Jolla Village Square[125][126] October 4, 1979[126]
Sherman Oaks San Fernando Valley Sherman Oaks Galleria[127][128] 1980
Pasadena San Gabriel Valley Plaza Pasadena[129][130] August 1980[129] 1989
Bonita South Bay, San Diego Co. Plaza Bonita[131] 1981
Palos Verdes South Bay LA Co. Promenade on the Peninsula[132][133] 1981
Palm Desert Coachella Valley Westfield Palm Desert[134][135] October 6, 1982[135]
Montebello Southeast L.A. Co. Montebello Town Center[136] 1985
Escondido North San Diego Co. Escondido[137][138][139] February 20, 1986[137]
Downtown Los Angeles Seventh Market Place[55][140] March 13, 1986 After a long period of declining sales, the original Downtown flagship store at 8th and Broadway was closed and replaced by this smaller store. The parent company had previously relocated the main corporate offices for the May Company California division from the former Hamburger Building to the North Hollywood store at Laurel Plaza in 1983.[1]

The store is now the site of Nordstrom Rack (level M1), Target (level M2), and H&M (level M3).

Bakersfield Valley Plaza Mall 1988
Las Vegas, Nevada Fashion Show Mall converted 1989 acquired from sister company Goldwater's in 1989 when parent company May Department Stores decided to cut costs by consolidating divisions.[141] The Las Vegas store is one of two locations in which a pre-existing store was acquired from another organization instead of being built from scratch, the other being Orange, originally constructed as Walker-Scott Department Store.[citation needed]
Santa Maria Santa Barbara County (North) Santa Maria Town Center[142][143] 1990
Downey SE LA Co. Stonewood Center[144][145] 1990
Santa Ana Central Orange Co. MainPlace Mall[146][147][148] May 1991
Santa Clarita Santa Clarita Valley Valencia Town Center[149][150] September 1992
Moreno Valley Inland Empire Moreno Valley Mall[151][152][153] October 8, 1992[153] The last new store to open which was open for three months when the merger with J.W. Robinson's took place and became Robinsons-May.
[edit]
  • Christmas advertisement, 1905
    Christmas advertisement, 1905
  • Hamburger's People's Store Spring Street 1880s
    Hamburger's People's Store Spring Street 1880s
  • Hamburger's People's Store after construction of and expansion into the Philips Block, Spring Street ca. 1890s
    Hamburger's People's Store after construction of and expansion into the Philips Block, Spring Street ca. 1890s
  • Terrazzo at the entrance of the Downtown Los Angeles flagship
    Terrazzo at the entrance of the Downtown Los Angeles flagship
[edit]
  • On the Jack Benny radio and television programs, Benny was said to have met his girlfriend Mary Livingstone (played by his real-life wife, Sadie Marks) at the May Company when she worked there in the hosiery department.[154] This is one of the few instances in radio or television history where a real business was made part of the story. (Jack and Mary Benny actually met through friends and not at a department store.[155])

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Sahagun, Louis (October 26, 1983). "May Co. Will Move Offices to N. Hollywood". Los Angeles Times. p. E1. ProQuest 153630959. May Co. California, largest division of St. Louis-based May Department Stores Co., will move its corporate offices in April from the chain's 60-year-old building at 801 S. Broadway to an extensively remodeled, white stucco flagship store at Laurel Plaza in North Hollywood. The move has been under consideration for some time, but May Co. officials Tuesday declined to explain why they plan to move the corporate offices to the fourth and fifth floors of the 179,000-square-foot Laurel Plaza store, recently remodeled at a cost of about $20 million.
  2. ^ Pitt, Dale (2000). Los Angeles A to Z: An Encyclopedia of the City and County. University of California Press. p. 318. ISBN 978-0-520-20530-7. OCLC 873134356. Retrieved February 4, 2009.
  3. ^ a b c "The People's Store: A Glance Through This Large Establishment". Los Angeles Times. August 22, 1888. p. 5. ProQuest 163534538.
  4. ^ "New To-Day: (Ad) "One Price"". Los Angeles Herald. Vol. 16, no. 57. October 25, 1881. p. 3 – via California Digital Newspaper Collection.
  5. ^ a b "Ready to Welcome: Grand opening of vast and fine establishment: People's Store". Los Angeles Times. June 1, 1899. ProQuest 163904780. In April 1899 it added the Ponet store 20 ft to the north of the Bumiller Block.
  6. ^ a b "Greater People's Store's Marvelous Expansion". Los Angeles Evening Express. May 31, 1899.
  7. ^ a b Worden, J. Perry (1916). Sixty Years in Southern California, 1853–1913: Containing the Reminiscences of Harris Newmark. Knickerbocker Press. p. 529–530 – via Internet Archive.
  8. ^ "Boycott Fails to Work Here". Los Angeles Times. October 5, 1929. p. 3. ProQuest 162234391. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
  9. ^ "How a Big Department Store Keeps Track of Things; Mose Hamburger Gives the Public an Idea of How His Mammoth Establishment Is Conducted". Los Angeles Herald. Vol. 27, no. 301. July 29, 1900. p. 24 – via California Digital Newspaper Collection.
  10. ^ "How a Big Department Store Keeps Track of Things; Mose Hamburger Gives the Public an Idea of How His Mammoth Establishment Is Conducted". Los Angeles Herald. Vol. 27, no. 301. July 29, 1900. p. 24 – via California Digital Newspaper Collection.
  11. ^ "Greatest Building Undertaking Here: Hamburgers Will Rear Three Fine Blocks on Broadway, Eighth, Ninth and Hill Streets, Costing, With Ground, Perhaps Three Millions". Los Angeles Times. July 29, 1905. p. II6. ProQuest 164359632.
  12. ^ "Hamburger's Celebration: Silver Shovel Turns Earth for Great Enterprise; Army of Joyous Employees in Big Street Parade; Start Made on Seven-story Department Store". Los Angeles Times. October 18, 1905. p. II10. ProQuest 164387900.
  13. ^ a b "Great Store's First Drill: Hamburger Army Through Paces for Opening; Get Familiar With "Lay" of New Establishment; Many Delights for Shoppers Are in Prospect". Los Angeles Times. July 26, 1908. p. V13. ProQuest 159211144.
  14. ^ "Fire Fighters At Hamburger's: Private Department Organized In Big Store. Manager John Budge Installs Five Companies in Building for Additional Protection for Stock and Patrons of Store—Al Keable Chosen Chief of the New Fire Department". Los Angeles Times. January 7, 1906. p. II3. ProQuest 164413025.
  15. ^ "Hamburger's Firemen Score: Chief Lips Reviews Drill at Big Department Store and Furnishes Special Feature". Los Angeles Times. March 20, 1908. p. II3. ProQuest 159197152.
  16. ^ "Hamburger's Big Store Celebrates: Thirty-Fifth Anniversary Sale To Mark Event; Started in Small Room on Main Street, Now Occupies Building with Thirteen Acres of Floor Space—History of the Great Emporium's Growth and Success". Los Angeles Times. October 29, 1916. p. III_A15. ProQuest 160381558.
  17. ^ "Story Of The "Big White Store". Los Angeles Times. April 1, 1923. p. I2. ProQuest 161431342.
  18. ^ "The May Co. Begins 50th "Golden Jubilee" Celebration Tomorrow: Ceremony Commemorates Founding of "The People's Store" in 1881 Golden Circulars Delivered to Homes Saturday Give Full Details of Values Believed to be Greatest in Store's History". Los Angeles Times. July 24, 1931. p. 8. ProQuest 162412056.
  19. ^ Gray, Olive (July 24, 1931). "May Company's Fete Plans Set: Golden Jubilee Celebration Will Open Tomorrow D. A. Hamburger, Founder, Scheduled to Speak; Horse Car of Early Days to Traverse Old Route". Los Angeles Times. p. A5. ProQuest 162535856.
  20. ^ "Sale Marks Founding Of Store Here: May Company Celebration Opening Tomorrow Will Be Featured by Contests". Los Angeles Times. July 26, 1935. p. 12. ProQuest 163391777.
  21. ^ Sanford, Tiffney (December 14, 2022). "The Library and the Department Store: Hamburger Building (1908–1914)". LAPL Blog. Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  22. ^ "Public Library Sill Move To Great Hamburger Building.: Expanding City Institution Will Have the Most of the Third Floor and a Roof Garden". Los Angeles Times. February 9, 1908. p. V1. ProQuest 159252069.
  23. ^ "Our Public Library". Los Angeles Times. February 9, 1913. p. II6. ProQuest 159970611.
  24. ^ "Library Gets New Quarters: Site 'Selected' Is in Heart of the city; To Occupy Three Floors of Big Building; Express Elevator Service a Feature". Los Angeles Times. April 10, 1913. p. II9. ProQuest 159896728.
  25. ^ "Students To Be Housed In New Hamburger Store". Los Angeles Herald. Vol. 35, no. 333. August 30, 1908. p. 6 – via California Digital Newspaper Collection.
  26. ^ "The Los Angeles Times 03 Jan 1912, page 26". Newspapers.com. Retrieved December 4, 2022.
  27. ^ "Hamburger's To Have Circus for Children". Los Angeles Evening Express. January 9, 1914. p. 8. Retrieved December 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  28. ^ "Display ad – Hamburger's Pre-Inventory Sale – 50 Animals in Our Fourth Floor Exhibit". Los Angeles Evening Express. Vol. 41, no. 239. December 29, 1911. p. 20. Retrieved December 4, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  29. ^ a b "Advertisement for May Company". Los Angeles Times. March 25, 1930. p. 10.
  30. ^ "Hamburger Store Sold: Millions Paid In Store Deal; Hamburger's Department Store Is Sold to Eastern Merchants". Los Angeles Times. April 1, 1923. p. I1. ProQuest 161538375.
  31. ^ "May Department Stores: Purchase of Hamburger & Sons Includes Long-Time Lease --Profits of Store $1,000,000 a Year". Wall Street Journal. February 26, 1923. p. 16. ProQuest 130216342.
  32. ^ "Hamburgers To Erect Addition: New Store Project to Cost $2,500,000 Structure to Join Present Property on South; Latest Features Provided in Architect's Plans". Los Angeles Times. July 27, 1923. p. II20. ProQuest 161572348. Arrangements have been completed for the construction of a nine-story addition to Hamburger's Department Store adjoining the Hill-street property on the south. Estimation show that more than $2,500,000 is involved in the purchase of the lease and cost of construction. This figure does not include $600,000 for a new addition that already is under way and which will be completed within four or five months. Architect Albert C. Martin, who has been commissioned by the store to supervise the erection of the building. The unit will have a sixty-foot frontage and will extend 150 feet east to the rear of the Broadway store. Officers of the store are Morton May, president; Thomas May, vice-president; and Wilbur May, treasurer.
  33. ^ "Buildings Announced: Hamburger's Department Store to Construct Addition; Many Other New Projects Planned; Los Angeles Sets Unprecedented Pace for Downtown Activity in Summer Months". Los Angeles Times. July 29, 1923. p. V1. ProQuest 161488477. Entering upon one of the largest improvement campaigns to be made by a local department store executives at Hamburger's Department Store yesterday announced plans for a new nine-story addition to their present holdings on South Hill street as the result of negotiations for a ninety-nine-year lease on adjoining property. Property located at 824 South Hill street was secured by May Brothers for a long period at a reported consideration of $2,500,000. which includes the erection of a new unit with a sixty-foot frontage. Construction work is now in progress on the first addition, announced last May, and as soon as this structure is finished additional improvements will be made including a nine-story store.
  34. ^ "Display Ad". Los Angeles Times. March 1, 1925. p. B9. ProQuest 161815372. Announcing the completion and Formal Opening of The May Company of Los Angeles on Monday, March 2, 1925. This makes the fifth of The May stores. There is one in Denver, one in Cleveland, one in St. Louis and this last and greatest, in Los Angeles, will be formally opened Monday.
  35. ^ "May Company Holds Opening: Superb Floral Tributes Crowd Aisles Wishbone is Attraction at Main Entrance Owner Says House Builds to Fit Los Angeles". Los Angeles Times. March 3, 1925. p. A2. ProQuest 161665311.
  36. ^ "May Co. To Establish New Store On Wilshire Blvd". Los Angeles Times. October 20, 1938. p. A1. ProQuest 164924107. Tom May, executive vice president of the May Co. yesterday announced his company's first outlying store project here, a modern five-story department store to be built for the organization on the northeast corner of Wilshire Blvd. and Fairfax Ave.
  37. ^ "Work to Start Soon on Large Business Structure". Los Angeles Times. November 13, 1938. p. E1. ProQuest 164867538. Ground soon will be broken at the northeast corner of Wilshire Blvd. and Fairfax Ave. for start of constructIon of the handsome and extensive building for the May Co.'s branch store there.
  38. ^ a b "May Co. to Open New Store on Wilshire Next Thursday: Modernistic Building Features Innovations for Comfort and Special Customer Service". Los Angeles Times. September 3, 1939. p. A2. ProQuest 165013836. The new branch, which is called "The Store of Tomorrow," rises five stories and contains more than 200,000 square feet of floor space. This modernistic Class A building, the construction of which began last January, was designed by Albert C. Martin and Samuel A. Marx. The May Co. broke ground for the new Wilshire structure last January after a long-term lease on the large site had been negotiated with Capt. G. Allan Hancock.
  39. ^ "May Co. Head Arrives Here for Opening of Store Today: Merchant Tells His Faith in Los Angeles After Making $2,000,000 Investment in Wilshire Branch". Los Angeles Times. September 7, 1939. p. 10. ProQuest 165020478. Morton J. May, head of the mercantile company which bears his name, yesterday arrived from St. Louis for the opening today of The May Co.'s branch store at Wilshire Blvd. and Fairfax Ave. Upon his arrival May made a final inspection of the store with his brother, Tom May, vice-president of the company... [The firm made] a cash investment of $2,000,000 in this new branch store. The new building contains 96 individual shops, including a beauty parlor, a restaurant on the top floor, a florist shop and an imported food shop.
  40. ^ "New May Co. Store Opens: Throngs at Wilshire Establishment Until Evening Closing Hour". Los Angeles Times. September 8, 1939. p. 13. ProQuest 164996279.
  41. ^ "Opening set tomorrow for May Co. Crenshaw". Los Angeles Times. October 9, 1947. ProQuest 165788262.
  42. ^ a b "May Co. to Build Two New Stores in $10,000,000 Expansion Program: Sites Obtained in Hollywood and on Crenshaw Blvd". Los Angeles Times. June 7, 1945. p. 6. ProQuest 165595311. Plans for a new store in Hollywood, another on Crenshaw Blvd., a new distribution center building and expansion and improvement of existing facilities here for the May Co., involving a total cost of about $10,000,000, were announced yesterday by Tom May, executive vice-president. The Hollywood store, probably five stories in height, is intended for a four-acre site with 300-foot frontage on the east side of Vine St. just north of Hollywood Blvd. The site extends eastward to Argyle Ave. and covers the rear block north to Yucca St. Its auto park will be a six-deck parking building on the Argyle Ave. extension and with overflow parking space will provide room for 800 cars. The May Co. Crenshaw store will rise on a seven-acre site at the northwest corner of Crenshaw and Santa Barbara Blvds. It will be a three-story building containing 200,000 square feet of space. The land was leased for a 99-year period from G.D. Robertson Sr. and G. D. Robertson Jr., through the W.I. Hollingsworth & Co. A five-story addition will be built adjoining the present May Co. Wilshire store at Wilshire Blvd. and Fairfax Ave., and will extend 65 feet north on Fairfax Ave. An additional six-story service and distribution building will be erected at the northeast corner of Jefferson St. and Grand Ave., replacing a one story building and probably will provide as much as 600,000 square feet of space. Modernization of the main store at Broadway and Eighth St. is one of the large items on the company's program.
  43. ^ "View Of May Co. Store on Crenshaw Unveiled". Los Angeles Times. June 23, 1945. p. 2. ProQuest 165601520. An architectural drawing of an imposing and streamlined three-story building to be erected by the May Co. on a seven-acre site at Crenshaw Blvd. and Santa Barbara Ave. was unveiled yesterday. The company's plans to build and operate the huge store in the postwar period were discussed by David May II, vice-president. The program includes construction of a new five-story store in Hollywood on Vine St., north of Hollywood Blvd., an addition to the present May Co. store at Wilshire Blvd. and Fairfax Ave., a six-story service and distribution building at Jefferson St. and Grand Ave., and modernization of the May store at Broadway and Eighth St.
  44. ^ "May Crenshaw Branch Opens Tomorrow: Three-Story Concrete and Glass Building Planned as Community Shopping Center in Residential Area". Women's Wear Daily. Vol. 75, no. 71. October 9, 1947. p. 4. ProQuest 1627461807. Housed in a three-story concrete and glass structure, the May Co. Crenshaw store, newest in the department store chain, will open here Friday. The big building, with six acres of selling and service floors, is cornered into the triangle formed by Crenshaw and Santa Barbara boulevards in the city's Southwest residential section.
  45. ^ "New May Co. Crenshaw Store Will Open Today". Los Angeles Times. October 10, 1947. p. A1. ProQuest 165762810. The May Co. at 12:30 p.m. today will open its new Crenshaw store, Crenshaw Blvd and Santa Barbara Ave., in a three-story building of contemporary design with the emphasis on architectural simplicity. The building, 324 by 207 feet, provides almost six acres of floor space, for sales and service, May Co. officials pointed out last night as final preparations were made for today's opening.
  46. ^ "Residential Community Shopping Center". Women's Wear Daily. Vol. 75, no. 75. October 15, 1947. p. 61. ProQuest 1627212872. Styled to blend with the community in which it sits, the new May Co. Crenshaw store presents clean surfaces of concrete.
  47. ^ "May Company To Build Soon: New Height-Limit Store in Hollywood Reported Official Admits Expansion Under Consideration Local Contracts and Jobs for 1500 in Deal". Los Angeles Times. February 22, 1931. p. A1. ProQuest 162425965. The May Company, it was generally reported yesterday in both mercantile and building circles will enter Hollywood with a large, store by erecting at an early date a height-limit building at the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and Wilcox avenue.
  48. ^ "May Co. Expansion Plan Hailed By Hollywood". Los Angeles Times. June 8, 1945. p. A2. ProQuest 165573818. Hollywood's civic and business leaders yesterday extended a welcome to the May Co., which just announced plans for a large ultramodern store there.
  49. ^ "May Co. Opens Its vast New Lakewood Store (cont'd.)". The Los Angeles Times. February 19, 1952. p. 26. ProQuest 166297102. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  50. ^ "May Co. Opens Its vast New Lakewood Store". The Los Angeles Times. February 19, 1952. p. 25. ProQuest 166297102. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  51. ^ a b "Development of Valley Plaza Brings Vast Market Center". Valley Times (North Hollywood, CA). May 1, 1956.
  52. ^ White, George (October 17, 1992). "Robinson's, May Co. to Merge Stores: Economy: Twelve Southland locations will close and 550 people will be laid off in the cost-cutting move". Los Angeles Times.
  53. ^ "Robinson's-May Co. Reorganization: Expansion Plans". Los Angeles Times. October 18, 1992.
  54. ^ Chou, Timothy & Di Rado, Alicia (October 22, 1992). "Store Closures No Surprise--and Neither Is the Pain: Retailing: The demise of May Co. in West Covina and Robinson's in Pasadena isn't a fatal blow to the local economy, but some merchants fear the worst—and shopping will never be the same for some customers". Los Angeles Times.
  55. ^ a b "First Citicorp Tower to Open in October". Los Angeles Times. January 27, 1985.
  56. ^ Sahagun, Louis (November 1, 1991). "Council Urged to Override Veto of Building Proposal: Downtown: Community activists say conversion of former May Co. edifice into garment-making plant would provide jobs for thousands of unskilled laborers". Los Angeles Times.
  57. ^ Vincent, Roger (July 4, 2013). "Massive former May Co. store in downtown L.A. comes on market The sellers are expected to seek $120 million or more for the century-old, 1.1-million-square-foot building in the old movie theater district on Broadway". Los Angeles Times.
  58. ^ Vincent, Roger (April 12, 2014). "Former May Co. building in downtown L.A. to get revived after sale; The buyer of the massive historic building now known as Broadway Trade Center in downtown L.A.'s rebounding commercial district plans a mixed-use development, officials say". Los Angeles Times.
  59. ^ Barragan, Bianca (April 14, 2014). "Huge Broadway Trade Center Getting Mixed-Use Makeover". Curbed.
  60. ^ Groves, Martha (October 10, 1989). "2 Big Retailers to Anchor Mall at Farmers Market : Decision by Nordstrom, May Co. Stirs Up Concerns Over Increased Traffic". Los Angeles Times.
  61. ^ "May Co. Building to Reopen as LACMA West". Los Angeles Times. October 22, 1998.
  62. ^ Casey, Susan (February 15, 2020). "Movie Magic: Dynalectric Electrifies the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures". Electrical Contractor Magazine. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  63. ^ "May Co. Signs Contract to Build Lakewood Store: Architects Start Job on New Branch Expected to Be Ready Early in 1952". Los Angeles Times. June 29, 1950. p. A1. ProQuest 166099903. The store, to be a four-story, 300,000-square-foot structure, will be erected on the 153-acre shopping center site to be known as Lakewood Center. The May Co. is the first large business to contract for a branch store there, but Joseph K. Eichenbaum, president of Lakewood Center, predicted it will be home for approximately 100 businesses. May signed a 50-year lease for the store.
  64. ^ "May Starts Store At Lakewood Park: Ground Breaking Heralded as Beginning of World's Largest Suburban Center". Los Angeles Times. October 15, 1950. p. 40. ProQuest 166129266. ground was broken for the new May Co. department store in Lakewood Center... The shopping center will be built in 154 acres of truck farm land. Harvesting of the last crop of Lima beans was completed only Friday. The May Co. store, which will the greater Los Angeles area, will have 345,600 square feet. It will be one of three major department stores in the big new shopping center.
  65. ^ a b "May Co.'s Lakewood Store Set To Open: Major Unit of World's Largest Shopping Center Will Begin Operations Tomorrow". Los Angeles Times. February 17, 1952. p. B1. ProQuest 166318943. store will open its doors in Lakewood tomorrow. This will be the fourth May Co. store in the Los Angeles area and the 24th in the nation. The building, w!th 316,700 square feet, of floor space. The air-conditioned building, of three floors and a downstairs store, is completely windowless, lighted by miles of fluorescent lighting. A large 325-seat auditorium was constructed within the building. When Lakewood Center is completed there will be a medical center, an office building, bank, two supermarkets, a hospital, theaters, recreational center, post office, and a civic building to house county service offices and the Sheriff's office.
  66. ^ "May Co. Opens Its vast New Lakewood Store (cont'd.)". The Los Angeles Times. February 19, 1952. p. 26. ProQuest 166297102. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  67. ^ "May Co. Opens Its vast New Lakewood Store". The Los Angeles Times. February 19, 1952. p. 25. ProQuest 166297102. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  68. ^ a b c "May Co. Ready to Open North Hollywood Store: Business and Civic Leaders Will Join Ribbon-Cutting Ceremonies on Monday". Los Angeles Times. September 8, 1955. p. a2. ProQuest 166841470. The new store is four floors in height and covers 452,500 square feet, including a basement which will house all major appliances and small electrical appliances, housewares, sporting goods, books, a toy department and other sections. In addition, the lower level will accommodate the tearoom and snack bar, as well as an auditorium.
  69. ^ a b "New May Co. N. Hollywood Store Opens: Civic Leaders and Officials Join in Ribbon Ceremonies". Los Angeles Times. September 13, 1955. p. A1. ProQuest 166860711. The fifth link in the chain of May Co. stores in Los Angeles was opened in North Hollywood yesterday, giving the San Fernando Valley the largest suburban store in the West. The spacious structure was designed by A. O. Martin & Associates, architects and engineers.
  70. ^ Grimes, Teresa (November 28, 2014). May Company Laurel Plaza Historical Resource Evaluation Report (PDF). Los Angeles Department of City Planning (Report).
  71. ^ "Plans for West Covina Shopping Center Told: New May Co. Store, Other Enterprises Will Occupy 700,000 Square Feet". Los Angeles Times. August 29, 1954. p. 26. ProQuest 166661440. Plans for development of a 35 acre shopping center in San Gabriel Valley including, a new May Co. department store, were announced yesterday by Tom May, executive vice-president of the May Co. May said the company has acquired the tract by lease from its owner. May said plans envision construction of a three-story building of 350,000 square feet for the new May Co. store, the company's sixth in this area, with other shops and stores in the center eventually taking up another 350,000 square feet. All buildings in the center will be constructed by the May Co. and leased to other retail firms.
  72. ^ "West Covina To Welcome May Co.: Will Be Official Resident of San Gabriel Valley Upon Opening of New Store Monday". Los Angeles Times. September 12, 1957. p. B1. ProQuest 167103784. The big, new store, containing 364,000 square feet is the keystone unit in the Eastland Shopping Center. A total of 65 stores will be located on the 55-acre grounds. Albert C. Martin Co., architects, designed the structure. The store contains a restaurant and adjacent tearoom, home-decorating consultants, Boy and Girl Scout departments and, among other facilities, a hospital. In addition to the new May Co. Eastland, five of the 65 stores and businesses located in the Eastland Shopping will open Monday.
  73. ^ "South Bay May Company Construction To Begin Soon" (PDF). Torrance Press. February 21, 1957. p. 15. Construction of the multi-million dollar May Company South Bay Shopping Center store is scheduled to begin early this fall, according to Albert C. Martin and Associates, Architects and Engineers for the project. The 350,000 square foot three story plus penthouse structure will be the largest building in the giant Shopping Center [in] Redondo Beach. Among the communities served will be Redondo Beach, Torrance, Hawthorne, Lennox, Lawndale, Palo Verde, Gardena, Manhattan Beach and El Segundo.
  74. ^ "May Co. South Bay, 7th Store in Area, Opens: Top Executives and Mayors of 5 Cities to Be Served Take Part in Ceremonies". Los Angeles Times. February 10, 1959. p. B1. ProQuest 167428352. May Co.'s seventh store, May Co. South Bay, was opened for business at noon yesterday. The modern, air-conditioned three-story building stands as the keystone of the newly developed South Bay Shopping Center.
  75. ^ "May Co. Plans Venture for San Diego Area: $15,000,000 Shopping Center Project in Mission Valley Told by David May". Los Angeles Times. October 10, 1957. p. 25. ProQuest 167126113. Plans of the May Co. of Los Angeles to construct a $15,000,000 regional shopping center on 80 acres of agricultural land in Mission Valley just east of the Cabrillo Freeway and adjacent to the Mission Valley Freeway were disclosed here today by David May. May explained that his company will build a department store with more than 300,000 square feet of floor space. The entire project, on which various businesses are planned, will contain 900,000 square feet.
  76. ^ "May Co. Store in San Diego to Open Feb. 1". Los Angeles Times. May 28, 1960. p. 8. ProQuest 167695806. Opening of the May Co. Mission Valley shopping center is set for next Feb. 1. Company officials said this is to be the first of several May Co. stores in this area.
  77. ^ Fudge, Tom (January 24, 2017). "Mission Valley Architectural Icon Seeks Tenant As Macy's Departs". KPBS News. Retrieved April 14, 2019.
  78. ^ "May Co. to Build Store in Buena Park Center". Los Angeles Times. September 30, 1962. p. I2. ProQuest 168177694. ...negotiations are completed for the immediate construction of the ninth May Co. store in Southern California. The structure is expected to be completed by the fall of 1963. The center was opened in 1961... The Plaza consists of a major Sears store as well as 38 other stores and service organizations.
  79. ^ "May Co. Store Being Built in Buena Park". Los Angeles Times. October 21, 1962. p. M14. ProQuest 168187323. Construction is under way on the ninth May Co. department store in Southern California. It is a 240,000-sq.-ft. structure in the Buena Park Shopping Center. The May Co. at Buena Park will open in the fall of 1963.
  80. ^ a b "May Co. Launches 248,000 Sq. Ft. Unit In Buena Park". Women's Wear Daily. Vol. 107, no. 36. August 20, 1963. p. 32. ProQuest 1565439703. May Co. California, in the midst oC a rapid expansion program, opened its ninth store Monday in suburban Buena Park, about 20 miles east of here. The store contains about 248,000 square feet on three levels, including a May Mart self-selection basement. It Is located in the existing Bucna Park shopping center, which contains a Sears, Roebuck and Co., a Penney's, Newberry's and smaller specialty stores.
  81. ^ "Giant Shopping Center Starts in Canoga Park". Los Angeles Times. February 10, 1963. p. O6. ProQuest 168228673. May Co., Broadway Department Stores and Montgomery Ward will, have stores in the 950,000-sq.-ft. shopping center. May Co.'s, store, designed under the direction of R. L. Baumfeld, Victor Gruen Associates, will contain some 247,000 sq. ft. in a three-level level building and in a tire- mart building at the corner of the site, Vanowen St. and Topanga Canyon Blvd. We1ton Becket & Associates are in charge of interiors and store planning. The Broadway store has been scheduled for a spring, 1964 opening in a 156,700-sq.-ft. facility and Montgomery Ward also will open in the spring of 1964 in a 150,000-sq.-ft. building.
  82. ^ a b "First 2 Stores Open Doors at Topanga Plaza". Los Angeles Times. February 11, 1964. p. F8. ProQuest 168521792. The first two units of the $25 million Topanga Plaza Shopping Center, a 100-acre shopping development for the West Valley, opened almost within an hour of each other. Montgomery Ward & Co. opened its newest branch department store containing two levels with 138,552 sq. ft. first. Then followed the May Co. opening with its three-level branch store containing more than 240,000 sq. ft.
  83. ^ "May Co. Constructing New Store in West L.A.". Los Angeles Times. July 25, 1963. p. 26. ProQuest 168354948. The 248,000-sq.-ft. structure will be the 11th May Co. store in Southern California. A Buena Park store will open Aug. 19 and Topanga Plaza will open next spring. All three stores will consist of three levels with home furnishings on the upper level, fashion departments on the middle level and the May Mart Basement on the lower level.
  84. ^ a b "May Co. Unit Opens Monday". Los Angeles Times. August 2, 1964. p. M4. ProQuest 154986146. May Co. California will open its newest store on Monday... the 248,000 sq. ft., three level structure will be the 11th store in Southern California. It is the third full-line department store opened by May Co. during the past 12 months, the other two located in Buena Park and Topanga Plaza in West San Fernando Valley.
  85. ^ "Whittier Next Location for May Co. Store". Los Angeles Times. May 26, 1965. p. B11. ProQuest 168587463. The 248,000 sq. ft. facility will be a full-line department store including fashions, home furnishings, a May Mart and a tire and automotive center.
  86. ^ "Ground Broken for May Store in Whittier Quad". Los Angeles Times. July 26, 1964. p. M2. ProQuest 154959150. May Co. Southern California will open its 12th Southern California store in the Whittier Quad shopping center in Whittier. The new store will contain 248,000 sq. ft. and will carry a full line of merchandise, including a tire and automotive center.
  87. ^ "May Co. Opens Store in Whittier Tomorrow". Los Angeles Times. August 1, 1965. p. O2. ProQuest 155297201. May Co. California will open its newest store tomorrow on the west end of the Whittier Quad Shopping Center. The 248,000 sq. ft., three-level structure will be the 12th May Co. store in Southern California, and the fourth full-line department store opened by May Co. during the past 24 months. Other stores opened during that period were the Buena Park store, the Topanga Plaza store in West San Fernando Valley, and the West Los Angeles store at Pico and Overland. Designed by Victor Gruen and Associates, the new store's exterior... Interiors of the fully air-conditioned structure are designed by Welton Becket & Associates.
  88. ^ "May Co. Opens New Store in Whittier Quad". Los Angeles Times. August 3, 1965. p. A2. ProQuest 155246019. ...the opening of the Whittier May Co. store Monday morning - the 12th in the California group and the fourth to open within the past 24 months.
  89. ^ "Department Store Opens on Monday". Los Angeles Times. February 20, 1966. p. I8. ProQuest 155377540. The Costa Mesa store is the 13th in the May Co. California group and the fifth to be opened in the area in the past two and one-half years. Designed by Victor Gruen and Associates.
  90. ^ a b "Costa Mesa's New May Co. Store Opens". Los Angeles Times. February 22, 1966. p. OC8. ProQuest 155407370. The release of a flock of pigeons officially signaled the opening Monday of the May Co.'s newest store in Orange County at South Coast Plaza.
  91. ^ a b "May Co. El Rancho Opens". Monrovia Daily News-Post. August 8, 1966.
  92. ^ "Colorful Rites Open New May Co". Los Angeles Times. October 9, 1966. ProQuest 155513349.
  93. ^ "May Co. Plans Store for Arcadia Center". Los Angeles Times. September 19, 1965. p. M21. ProQuest 155287447. May Co. of California will build a 248,000-sq. ft. store in El Rancho Shopping Center in Arcadia. This will be May Co.'s 15th store and the third announced to be completed next year. The others are at Costa Mesa and San Bernardino. Of the 12 now in operation, the latest to be opened was that in Whittier early last month.
  94. ^ "May Co. Plans First San Bernardino Store". Los Angeles Times. August 22, 1965. p. I12. ProQuest 155234708. May Co. California will build its first store in San Bernardino County. Designed by Victor Gruen & Associates, the store will be a full line department store of 200,000 square feet, built on three levels. The store scheduled to open in fall, 1966, will be located in the Inland Shopplng Center, a covered, air-conditioned complex featuring three major department stores and numerous specialty shops.
  95. ^ "May Co. Opens Its 15th Store in San Bernardino". Los Angeles Times. September 7, 1966. p. 29. ProQuest 155520859. The May Co's. 15th Southern California department store opened Tuesday at Inland Center in South San Bernardino. The $2.5 million store includes 200,000 square feet on three levels, one underground.
  96. ^ "Montclair Shopping Center to Be Built". Los Angeles Times. April 10, 1966. p. M6. ProQuest 155393600. A $50 million shopping center development totaling more than 1,000,000 sq. ft. including Broadway, May Co. and two additional major department stores will be built in Montclair. In addition to the May Co. and the .Broadway, each of which will encompass more than 150,000 sq. ft., Montclair Center will feature an air-conditioned mall which will serve an estimated 250,000 sq. ft. of shops. Site preparations and mall shop construction will be carried out by Ernest W. Hahn, Inc., general contractors. Welton Becket and Associates prepared the master plan for the center and will design the May Co. store.
  97. ^ "$40 Million Plaza Opens in Montclair". Los Angeles Times. August 8, 1968. p. SG2. ProQuest 155960500. Montclair Plaza, one of the state's largest shopping centcr complexes, is open to the public this week. A new Broadway branch store anchors the east end of Montclair Plaza, with a May Co. store on the west end. Another major store, to be occupied by J.C. Penney Co., is still under construction.
  98. ^ "Separate-Shop Concept Marks May Co. Unit". Los Angeles Times. July 14, 1968. p. i2. ProQuest 155987637. The 150,000-square-foot, two-level store will be a part of the Plaza Camino Real Shopping Center and is scheduled to open next March.
  99. ^ a b "$13 Million Carlsbad Shopping Center to Serve North San Diego County". Los Angeles Times. November 10, 1968. p. E1. ProQuest 156001986. Plaza Camino Real, a regional shopping Center under construction in Carlsbad... where May Co. and J. C. Penney stores will become major units of a 600,000-square-foot shopping area. Its May Co. store will have 150,000 square feet of space. The May Department Stores Co.'s real estate division is developing Plaza Camino Real.
  100. ^ a b c "May Co. Will Open Store in Carlsbad". Los Angeles Times. February 9, 1969. p. K2. ProQuest 156067094. The May Co. will open its newest facility Monday, a $3 million, two-story structure, in the Plaza Camino Real Shopping Center in Carlsbad. Designed by Welton Becket & Associates, the newest May Co. branch reflects the Spanish heritage of the area with its heavily textured, colored masonry blocks, topped with dark earth-brown ceramic tiles.
  101. ^ "Esplanade Nearing Completion in Oxnard". Los Angeles Times. July 13, 1969. p. D1. ProQuest 156182186. A 45-acre, football-shaped development, The Esplanade is nearing completion as Ventura County's largest and first enclosed, air-conditioned regional shopping complex. The site will have May Co. and Sears, Roebuck Co. stores as major units in the $15 million project and more than 50 other stores. A mid-October opening is set for the Sears store and 35 other shops; 15 mall stores will open next spring and the May Co. store, with groundbreaking planned for September, is expected to be ready by August, 1970. The center is a development of John S. Griffith & Co., Buena Park-based shopping center builder.
  102. ^ "May Co. to Dedicate Store in Oxnard Mall". Los Angeles Times. November 1, 1970. p. J19. ProQuest 156603589. The May Co.'s 18th store in Southern California will open Monday at the north end of the air conditioned enclosed mall of the Esplanade Shopping Center in Oxnard. Called by the company "tomorrow's store today," the 150,000-square-foot building is enclosed within windowless walls. The store was designed by Ladd & Kelsey, Pasadena. The two-leve1 interior of the store centers around a 32-foot high rotunda as a local point for a collection of specialty shops, each of which will create its own atmosphere.
  103. ^ "The New May Co. Oxnard Opens Tomorrow". Los Angeles Times. November 1, 1970.
  104. ^ "Coast May Co. Schedules Unit For El Cajon". Women's Wear Daily. Vol. 121, no. 12. July 17, 1970. p. 29. ProQuest 1523571008. May Co. California will build a major department store in Parkway Plaza, a $35 million regional shopping complex being developed in this suburban San Diego community. The company disclosed plans to open a multi-level store on the east end of the center by fall, 1972. The store will be the 20th May Co. unit announced for southern California and the third in San Diego County.
  105. ^ "May Co. Plans to Build in Parkway Plaza". Los Angeles Times. July 19, 1970. p. J22. ProQuest 156505153. The May Co. plans to erect a department store in Parkway Plaza, a $35 million regional shopping complex in El Cajon, San Diego suburb. Officials announced that a multi-level store will be built at the east end of the center by the fall of 1972 and will become the 20th May Co. unit in Southern California and third in San Diego County. The firm has stores in Mission Valley and Carlsbad. Upon completion of the new unit, it will be opposite a 257,000-square-foot Sears store, opened a year ago.
  106. ^ "Tyler Mall Is Going Up In Riverside, Calif". Women's Wear Daily. Vol. 119, no. 112. December 10, 1969. p. 55. ProQuest 1540307582. Construction has been started here on Tyler Mall, an 80-acre regional shopping complex which will have as its major tenants the Broadway Department Stores May Co, California and J.C. Penney Co. Penney's will have the largest store at 162,235 square feet. Both Broadway and May CO. will have units of slightly more than 150,000 square feet. F.W. Woolworth will have a 61,250-square-footer.
  107. ^ a b "20th May Co. Store to Open". Los Angeles Times. August 19, 1973. p. E7. ProQuest 157265544. May Co. Wlll open its 20th California store in Riverside's Tyler Mall Monday. According to May Co. President George Foos, the department store has been under construction for the past year at a cost of $5.5 million. The structure, designed by Ladd & Kelsey of Newport Beach, will encompass 150,000, square feet of space on two levels.
  108. ^ Freeman, Glenn Edward (2009). Riverside. Arcadia Publishing. p. 78. ISBN 9780738570792.
  109. ^ "May Co., Ward's Will Develop Shop Center". Los Angeles Times. November 14, 1971. p. J2. ProQuest 156816543. May Co. and Montgomery Ward & Co. have disclosed plans to develop a previously announced shopping center at Broadway and Colorado Blvd. in the Eagle Rock area as a joint venture. The site, owned by Montgomery Ward Development Corp., will be transferred to the joint venture, according to Geoffrey Swaebe, May Co. chairman, to be developed, leased and operated by May Stores Shopping Centers, Inc., a division of the May Department Stores Co. Plans call for a two-level, air conditioned mall connecting a 165,000-square-foot Montgomery Ward store and a 150,000-square-foot May Co., store. Mall area shops will have a gross area of 170,000 square feet.
  110. ^ Desser, Lou (September 30, 1973). "Opening of $26 Million Eagle Rock Plaza Scheduled: 22-Acre Regional Shopping Center Anchored by May Co., Montgomery Ward". Los Angeles Times. p. E1. ProQuest 157238813. Eagle Rock Plaza, a $26 million, 22-acre-regional shopping center anchored by two major department stores, will open Monday at 10 a.m., preceded by brief ceremonies at 9:30 a.m. Fifty-five specialty shops will occupy an enclosed mall connecting the center's two major tenants, May Co. and Montgomery Ward. The 491,500-square-foot shopping center is a joint venture of Montgomery Ward, the May Co. Ca1ifornia and May Stores Shopping Centers Inc. May Co.'s $10 million store, encompassing 150,000 square feet on two levels. The Plaza's central mall was designed by Krumm, Sorenson and Associates. Architecture and interiors for the May Co. store was by Morganelli-Heumann and Associates.
  111. ^ a b "Twenty-first store: May Co. has the community in mind". Los Angeles Times. September 30, 1973. p. O11. ProQuest 157440888. May Company California will open its newest department store in the Eagle Rock Plaza Shopping Center on Monday, Oct. 1, the 21st May Company store in Southern California. Encompassing 150,000 square feet on two levels...
  112. ^ "May Company miracle: A saga of success". Los Angeles Times. September 30, 1973. p. O13. ProQuest 157398953.
  113. ^ "Retail Briefs". Women's Wear Daily. Vol. 126, no. 117. June 14, 1973. p. 28. ProQuest 1627611729. The May Co. of Calif. will open a store in The City, a shopping center in Orange County next Spring. The two level, 160,000-sq.-ft. store will replace a unit operated by Walker Scott of San Diego.
  114. ^ "92-Acre Shopping Complex Planned for Westminster". Los Angeles Times. August 6, 1972. p. i1. ProQuest 157142929. One of the largest regional shopping centers in Orange County, the Westminster Mall, is planned on a 92-acre site by the Homart Development Co., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sears, Roebuck and Co. Its newest and 15th complex will include Sears, May Co. and Buffums' stores and a fourth but unannounced major outlet as principal tenants. Ladd & Kelsey, AIA, have designed the May Co. store, the chain's 22nd in Southern California, as a two-level, 150,000 square foot structure in contemporary style. An unusual feature will be a restaurant and cocktail lounge with a separate entrance which will remain open after store hours.
  115. ^ a b "Multi-Level Mall Due to Open". Los Angeles Times. August 6, 1974. p. H2. ProQuest 157594668. Westminster Mall will open at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, August 7. The center is anchored by Sears, Roebuck & Co., and May Co., both opening August 7, and by Buffums' and Robinson's, both opening in the spring of 1975. In addition. the center features 176 national, regional and local specialty shops.
  116. ^ "May Co. Set For Fox Hills Mall". Los Angeles Times. September 24, 1972. p. J25. ProQuest 157130764. The May Co. will be the third department store to anchor Culver City's proposed Fox Hills Mall regional shopping center which had earlier announced Broadway and J. C. Penney's department stores will be in the center's enclosed, multilevel mall. The three-level May Co. will anchor the west end of the mall with 150,000 square feet of shopping space. It will open simultaneously with the balance of the center in the spring of 1975.
  117. ^ Turpin, Dick (October 5, 1975). "Fox Hills Mall Opens In Culver City: Center Forms Commercial Hub of 306-Acre Urban Redevelopment Project". Los Angeles Times. p. G12A. ProQuest 157808845. Fox Hills Mall, Southern California's first three-level enclosed regional shopping center, has opened in Culver City. Major stores are the 192,470-square-foot Broadway store and automotive center and a 147,845-square-foot May Co, The center's third major tenant, under construction and scheduled to open in January, is a 210,780-square-foot JC Penney store and automotive accessory center. Developers are Ernest W. Hahn Inc. of Hawthorne and Carter Hawley Hale Properties Inc.
  118. ^ "Ribbon Cutting in Brea". Los Angeles Times. August 14, 1977. p. g4. ProQuest 158333554. Grand opening of the Brea Mall regional shopping center in Brea will be held Sept. 28, although the May Co. and mall doors will open officially Wednesday. About 20 specialty shops also will be open by that day. Sears has opened already.
  119. ^ Wong, Herman (August 21, 1977). "Survival May Be a Victory in War of the Malls". Los Angeles Times. p. oc_b1. ProQuest 158420807. Brea Mall is an example. This two-level enclosed complex, just opened next to the Orange Freeway, is now the dominant retail center in a sector long sprawling with smaller shopping plazas and commercial strips. It is anchored by a Sears and a May Co. with a Broadway store and a fourth major store planned to open later.
  120. ^ "May Co. Plans $9-Million Store in Thousand Oaks". Los Angeles Times. July 24, 1977. p. J8. ProQuest 158275778. May Co. California will open its 26th Southern California full-line department store in the early spring of 1978 at 200 N. Hillcrest Drive. Thousand Oaks. The 150,000-square-foot store was designed by Ladd & Kelsey, Newport Beach architecture firm.
  121. ^ "The Oaks opens in Thousand Oaks: Mall has 1 million square feet of shopping area under single roof". Los Angeles Times. May 28, 1978. p. V10. ProQuest 158434439. The Oaks Regional Shopping Center opened its mall doors for shoppers recently. The 90-acre, two-level center located in Thousand Oaks has more than 100 stores and three major department stores: The Broadway, May Company and J.W. Robinsons. When completed the mall will enclose 139 stores and restaurants and a five-screen movie theater plus J.C. Penney, scheduled to open in October and Bullocks opening in the spring of 1980
  122. ^ "Developer Begins Grading for Mission Viejo Mall". Los Angeles Times. April 1, 1977. p. OC9. ProQuest 158284470. Mission Viejo Mall will include Montgomery Ward, May Co., Robinson's and a fourth department store yet to be named.
  123. ^ "Rains Delay Opening of Mission Viejo Shop Mall". Los Angeles Times. March 26, 1978. p. I11. ProQuest 158480975. The mall will be anchored by May Co., Robinson's and Montgomery Ward department stores, and negotiations are being completed for a fourth store.
  124. ^ "Mission Viejo Mall Has Formal Opening". Los Angeles Times. October 14, 1979. p. K10. ProQuest 159014713. The Edward J. DeBartolo Corp.'s Mission Viejo Mall officially opened last week. Two of the four major department stores already have opened, the May Co. in April and Montgomery Ward in August. A Robinson's department store will open in January, and a Bullock's will open in March. In all, 139 specialty stores are planned.
  125. ^ "La Jolla Mall Completed". Los Angeles Times. November 4, 1979. p. H27. ProQuest 162612899. The $10-million, 212,000-square-foot La Jolla Village Mall has been completed. May Co. has opened a two-story, 173,000-square-foot department store... designed by Charles Kober and Associates.
  126. ^ a b "Retail Briefs". WWD. Vol. 139, no. 44. August 31, 1979. p. 5. The May Co. will open a 150,000-sq.-ft. store in the La Jolla Village Square Mall, La Jolla, Calif., on Oct. 4.
  127. ^ "May Co. to Open in Sherman Oaks". Los Angeles Times. September 28, 1980. p. I24. ProQuest 162937611. The May Co. will open its newest store Thursday in Sherman Oaks. The $15-million store contains 140,000 square feet of space on three levels, with an adjacent six-level parking structure and one level of subterranean parking with direct access to the store by elevator and escalator. The store anchors the new Sherman Oaks Galleria at Sepulveda and Ventura boulevards. Its architect is Albert C. Martin and Associates.
  128. ^ "The May Co. To Open Unit In Sherman Oaks". WWD. Vol. 141, no. 65. October 1, 1980. p. 63. ProQuest 1445493582. The May Co. has opened its 31st store at Sherman Oaks' Galleria shopping center. The 140,000-square-foot store has three levels. The Galleria also Is anchored by J. W. Robinson Co., which opened two weeks ago.
  129. ^ a b "Pasadena's $115-Million Plaza Officially Opens". Los Angeles Times. September 28, 1980. p. I30. ProQuest 162935700. The $115-million Plaza Pasadena, bordered by Colorado Boulevard, Los Robles and Marengo avenues and Green Street in downtown Pasadena, has opened its doors to the public. The three major stores in the project, J.C. Penney, May Co. and the Broadway, opened in mid-August. Charles Kober & Associates, architect for the plaza, won the 1979 architectural award from Progressive Architecture magazine for the project's design. The mall contains 120 shops on two levels.
  130. ^ "Plaza Pasadena opens with 125 stores". Los Angeles Times. October 26, 1980. p. Y12. ProQuest 162944123. The newest addition to the San Gabriel Valley is Plaza Pasadena, a downtown Pasadena redevelopment shopping center. The plaza, which is a project of Ernest W. Hahn Inc., is located at Colorado Boulevard and Los Robles. It opened on Sept. 3. With a total of 600,000 square feet, the plaza consists of 122 specialty shops plus the Broadway, J.C. Penney's and the May Co.[dead link]
  131. ^ "New May Co. Structure to Open in Bonita Plaza". Los Angeles Times. February 8, 1981. p. i6. ProQuest 152682387. The May Co. will open its newest store March 5 in then 53-acre Bonita Plaza in Bonita. The estimated construction cost is $10 million.
  132. ^ Allan, Robert J. (March 27, 1980). "Peninsula Cities Agree; Way Cleared for $40 Million Rolling Hills Shopping Center". Los Angeles Times. p. cs1. ProQuest 162709978. The shopping center, which will be called The Courtyard, will be constructed by Ernest W. Hahn Inc. of El Segundo on a 14·acre parcel with the Peninsula Center and contain a May Co. department store and a Bullock's Wilshire. Between the two stores will be a three-level mall containing an ice skating rink and a 450·seat community theater.
  133. ^ Heffler, Robin (October 29, 1981). "'The Courtyard' to Open Saturday: Mall: Saturday Debut". Los Angeles Times. p. sb1. ProQuest 152936331. Called The Courtyard, the three-level, 385,000-square-foot mall along Silver Spur Road in Peninsula Center is anchored by a May Co. department store on the east and a Bullocks Wilshire on the west. It contains space for 94 specialty shops and restaurants designed for high-income consumers.
  134. ^ "$75-million Palm Desert Town Center Under Way". Los Angeles Times. July 13, 1980. p. k28. ProQuest 162900945. The project will include a 106,000-square-foot May Co., a 109,000-square-foot Bullock's, a 109,000-square-foot Montgomery Ward with auto center, a 38,000-square-foot Buffums, a fifth major department store and 130 specialty shops and restaurants.
  135. ^ a b "New May Co. unit a Palm Desert hit". WWD. Vol. 144, no. 78. October 21, 1982. p. 12. ProQuest 1445531786. The May Co. California's recent opening in the Palm Desert Shopping Center here was the best start of any new May Co. store in the last five yeurs, The 125,000-square-foot, two-level store, which opened Oct. 6, did approximately $400,000 the first week, sources indicate. The May Co., the first store to open in this five-anchor Ernest Hahn development... Palm Desert is the May Co.'s 34th store and the only new unit opened this year. No new May Co. stores are planned for 1983.
  136. ^ "$95-Million Montebello Shopping Center to Open". Los Angeles Times. September 15, 1985.
  137. ^ a b Gorman, Tom (February 2, 1986). "Shoppers to Harvest Long-Awaited Goods at North County Mall". Los Angeles Times.
  138. ^ Gorman, Tom (February 21, 1986). "North County Fair Opens: A Tale of Two Malls: The Parking Lots Tell the Story". Los Angeles Times.
  139. ^ "Broadway, May Co. Open Tomorrow North County Fair: Let the sales begin". San Diego Evening Tribune. February 12, 1986. p. B3. The Broadway and May Co. will open their stores at the county's largest enclosed shopping mall at 10 a.m. The 1.2 million-square-foot mall is located on 83 acres in Escondido. Most of the rest of the mall will open Feb. 20. Eventually, it will include six department stores and 180 shops. The May Co.'s 150,000-square-foot store will be the company's 37th and sixth in San Diego County. The 150,000-square-foot Broadway store, patterned after the company's Horton Plaza store, will be the 42nd in Southern California. Robinson's and Sears will open with the rest of the mall Feb. 20. Nordstrom is scheduled to open in August and J.C. Penney in November.
  140. ^ "Grand Opening for Downtown Mall Scheduled: Bullock's, May Co. Anchor Stores in Seventh Market Place". Los Angeles Times. April 6, 1986.
  141. ^ Groves, Martha (January 7, 1989). "Robinson's Chain to Take Over Five Goldwaters Stores". Los Angeles Times.
  142. ^ Judy Breitman v. May Company California, a Division of the May Department Stores Company, 37 F.3d 562 (9th Cir. 1994).
  143. ^ Galperin, Ron (April 1, 1990). "'Power Centers' Muscle Way Into Sales Volume : Retail: New type of shopping centers outperform sales of retail malls. They are cropping up wherever land is relatively cheap". Los Angeles Times.
  144. ^ Wilkerson, Rochelle (February 12, 1989). "May Co. Intends to Join a Rebuilt, Enclosed Stonewood Mall". Los Angeles Times.
  145. ^ Brown, Christian (January 20, 2011). "Looking back on...Stonewood Center". Downey Patriot.
  146. ^ Galante, Mary Ann (May 20, 1989). "MainPlace/Santa Ana Plans to Grow, Add Anchor Store". Los Angeles Times.
  147. ^ Michaud, Anne & Woodyard, Chris (September 29, 1990). "Renovation to Expand MainPlace/Santa Ana Nears Completion". Los Angeles Times.
  148. ^ Woodyard, Chris (November 1, 1990). "MainPlace Mall Will Quietly Open New Wing". Los Angeles Times.
  149. ^ Kaplan, Tracey (September 13, 1991). "Birth of a Mall: Ballyhoo Marks a Long-Awaited Groundbreaking in Santa Clarita". Los Angeles Times.
  150. ^ Prugh, Jeff (September 25, 1992). "Valencia's New Mall Opens With Burst of Fanfare and Optimism". Los Angeles Times.
  151. ^ "Briefs: Moreno Valley Mall at Towngate". WWD. Vol. 161, no. 126. June 28, 1991. p. 12. ProQuest 1445678505. Moreno Valley Mall at Towngate, a 1.2-million-square-foot two-level regional mall under construction, is scheduled to open in Riverside County, Calif., in fall 1992. Sears, Roebuck & Co., J.C. Penney and May Department Stores Co. are some of the tenants who have committed to opening stores during Phase I. Harris' Department Stores, San Bernardino, Calif., will open a 145,000-square-foot unit, as well.
  152. ^ "Moreno Valley Mall Fills Market Void: Center to Bring Much Needed Shopping to Growing California County". Chain Store Age Executive with Shopping Center Age. Vol. 68, no. 5. May 1992. p. 112. ProQuest 222048677. A major project is the joint development between Chicago-based Homart Development Co., and Orange, Calif.-based Fritz Duda Company of the 1 billion-plus-sq.-ft. Moreno Valley Mall at Town Gate. The mall, which will debut in October of 1992. The $92 million center will be anchored by Sears, J.C. Penney, May Co., and Harris, a Spanish owned eight-store department store chain. Bullock's will join the lineup in 1994.
  153. ^ a b Vargo, Joe (October 9, 1992). "May Co. opening celebrated – JC Penney, Sears plan mall events Saturday". Riverside Press-Enterprise. p. B01. ...yesterday's opening of the May Co. – the first store in the Moreno Valley Mall at TownGate to make a big splash about opening its doors. The store joined JC Penney Co. yesterday to be the first of more than 100 businesses in the 86-acre regional mall to open doors for business. The JC Penney opening, however, was openly publicized. Its grand opening is scheduled for Saturday, when Sears also plans a "soft" opening. Link(subscription required) via NewsBank.
  154. ^ "Mary Has May Company Reunion". The Jack Benny Program. Season 7. Episode 15. April 7, 1957. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021.
  155. ^ Livingstone, Mary; Marks, Hilliard & Borie, Marcia (1978). Jack Benny. Doubleday. ISBN 9780385124973. OCLC 3693710.
  156. ^ De Toth, Andre (Director) (August 24, 1948). Pitfall (Motion picture). U.S.: Regal Films, United Artists.
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