Beverly Hills' Robinsons-May, Disappearing Forever

I've spent the last two weeks driving every day to the Beverly Hilton hotel, site of the Television Critics Association press tour, watching the sad demolition of the once proud Robinsons-May department store building. Until recently, even the sign remained, even though the Robinsons-May brand disappeared in 2006. Although many Robinsons-May stores were converted to Macy's, this location -- originally a Robinson's, before J.W. Robinson's and the May Company merged in 1993, shut down entirely.

According to Curbed L.A., the site has not been sold, but the owners decided to tear the building down anyway.

Retro Friday: "If They Knew Then What We Know Now" Edition

Perhaps there's a reason the May Co. and Pioneer Chicken are out of business: Bad marketing karma. Above, can you imagine this ad running now? From 1984, a May Company commercial touting a big fur coat sale. (BTW, isn't it odd that the May Co. logo was similar to the current Macy's logo, given that Macy's replaced Robinsons-May in SoCal?)

Meanwhile, below: Can you imagine this ad running now? From 1984, O.J. Simpson touts the joys of another abandoned chain, Pioneer Chicken.

A Visit to Downtown's Old May Co. Building

(Flickr pic via army.arch)

Born as Hamburger's Department Store in 1903 (read more here, the May Co. bought Hamburger's and took over this building (at 8th and Broadway) as its flagship downtown Los Angeles location in 1923. Sadly, May Co. abandoned it in the mid-1980s. Now sadly crumbling as the Broadway Trade Center, there are still some hints of its glorious past, both inside and out. "The May Company" signs remain, as do little "H"s found all over the facade for "Hamburger's." We recently walked inside, and I took some pics of what we saw:


Elevator


A leftover directory of how the May Co. was organized before shutting down.


Disassembled escalator


Inside May Co. now


awning


"Erected 1903"

The May Co. and Robinson's merged in the early 1990s to form Robinsons-May -- but as you know, Macy's bought out Robinsons-May and eliminated the brand in 2008. Want more May Co. history? Check out the Department Store Museum here.

Retro Friday: L.A.'s Dearly Departed Retailers, Holiday Edition

"The Broadway *is* Southern California." From 1985, when The Broadway still existed... and it was still considered acceptable to tout the fact that you're selling fur.



In 1989, electronics store The Good Guys still existed... and apparently was still touting electric typewriters!



"It's the shirt all the boys are wearing!" Mervyn's, your Christmas value store.



Zody's -- Tapedeck not available at the Downtown Los Angeles store. Why?



From the 1970s, "The May Company has Christmas under wraps."



From 1998: Lucky means low prices, even during the holidays.

Retro Friday: Old Christmas Commercials

The Gap 1983 Christmas ad -- back before the chain was trying so hard.


The Good Guys 1989 Christmas ad. Love the East Coast accent on this announcer -- so unpolished!


May Co. Christmas ad from 1977.

Retro Friday: Department Store Edition

May Co. ad from 1985

On Thursday night, KCET presented the third edition of its popular "Things That Aren't Here Anymore" specials about old time Southern California.

Here are several shopping things that aren't here anymore: Consolidation meant the end of Southern California department store staples like Robinson's and May Co. (later merged as Robinsons-May, and now bought out by Macy's); discount stores like GEMCO; and drug stores like Thrifty. A few videos:



Robinson's ad from 1983.


The Broadway ad from 1985.


GEMCO ad from 1984.


Thrifty Drugs ad from 1981.

Let's Do The Dorothy Chandler Time Warp

You get quite a time warp feel walking around the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion -- suddenly it's the mid-1960s, and companies such as Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company, J.W. Robinson, Security Pacific National Bank and Carter Hawley Hale Stores (owner of The Broadway) still exist:



Also on the hit list: First Interstate Bank, McDonnell Douglas Corp. and "Warner Communications":

Dreaming of a Downtown Target

(Flickr pic by Tortuga One.)

Following the news that Macy's is shutting down its downtown Los Angeles location at the 7+Fig shopping center (its other downtown location, at Macy's Plaza, will remain open), let the speculation begin on how 7+Fig might fill that 120,000 square foot space.

Blogdowntown's Eric talked to a rep from 7+Fig owner Brookfield Properties, which is looking to fill both that space and another 80,000 square foot space vacated in 1997 by Bullock's. The 7+Fig Macy's was actually a Robinsons-May until Macy's owner Federated bought the May Co. in 2006; it was only a matter of time that the location shut down, as the Macy's Plaza location was close by.

Blogdowntown says Brookfield hopes to combine the two spaces and attract a new retailer downtown; Eric suggests one sure to get downtown residents excited: Target.