Wikipedia

Myer Siegel

Myer Siegel was a Los Angeles–based department store, founded by Myer Siegel (1866–1934), specializing in women's clothing.

Myer Siegel
General information
Town or cityLos Angeles, California
Siegel the Hatter on Spring Street W side just S of First, Nadeau Block about 1905

History

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Myer Siegel established his store in 1886 at 218 N. Spring St.,[1] at that time selling only children's wear and lingerie. On April 7, 1896, Siegel married Flora Magnin, daughter of I. Magnin, the San Francisco fine clothing maker and retailer.[2] In 1897 and 1898, I. Magnin & Co., manufacturers, advertised its wares for sale at 237 S. Spring St., noting Myer Siegel as the manager.[3]

The I. Magnin store that Siegel managed moved to the Irvine Byrne Building at 251 S. Broadway on January 2, 1899.[4]

First Myer Siegel location

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On June 19, 1904, I. Magnin announced that the Los Angeles store would henceforth be known as "Myer Siegel".[5]

Second sequential location

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After a fire at the Irvine Byrne Building destroyed its store on February 16, 1911, and reopened a new store[6] at the former quarters of the Brockton Shoe store at 455 S. Broadway. The location was later a J. J. Newberry variety store,[7] and later, from 1996 through 2022, part of the Fallas Paredes department store (the store also included the ground floor of the Metropolitan Building to the immediate south, on the northwest corner of Fifth and Broadway).

Third sequential location

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In 1922,[8] Myer Siegel moved again, merging with the firm Seymour's, and moving into its quarters[9] (part of the former Central Department Store) building, at 617-619 S. Broadway.

Branches

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As 1927 began, Myer, Siegel & Co. was operating four stores:[10]

Fourth sequential downtown location

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That year, it built a moved from Broadway to a new $500,000, 6-story-plus-basement, 64,000-sq-ft[14] building, designed by architects Felchin, Shaw & Franklin.[15] It was located at 733 S. Flower Street, just south of Seventh Street, after upscale J. W. Robinson's opened up its giant 400,000-square-foot (37,000 m2) (eventually 623,700-square-foot (57,940 m2)) flagship along 7th between Hope and Grand in 1915, and as more upscale shops such as Desmond's, Coulter's, and many smaller boutiques were also moving to the district.[16]

Fifth sequential location

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By 1934, the company moved to 7th and Olive, the former quarters of retailer B. H. Dyas and Co. By that time the company had, in addition to its downtown flagship, branches in Pasadena, Hollywood and on Wilshire Boulevard in Miracle Mile.[16]

Miracle Mile store

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Its Miracle Mile store at what is now known as the Dominguez-Wilshire Building at 5400–10 Wilshire Boulevard, is considered a landmark by the Los Angeles Conservancy and was renovated in 2000.[17] It had many elements that were innovative at the time: air-cooled fitting rooms, aluminum furniture, exotic woods, metalwork and terrazzo floors. It was financed by and named for the Dominguez family, who received one of the original Spanish land grants in 1784.[18]

Westwood store

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Later in December 1937, a branch opened at 1025 Westwood Boulevard in Westwood, Los Angeles designed by Allen Siple. The University of California photo archives notes: "The large glass brick panel above the marquee allowed light to enter the mezzanine, and marble wainscoting flanked the entrance which was paved in travertine. This building is still standing."[19]

References

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  1. ^ "Myer Siegel advertisement in The Los Angeles Times". Newspapers.com. Los Angeles Times. 1890-05-04. p. 1. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  2. ^ "The Magnin-Meyer Wedding in San Francisco Call". Newspapers.com. San Francisco Chronicle. 1896-04-15. p. 8. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  3. ^ "I. Magnin advertisement in the Los Angeles Times". Newspapers.com. Los Angeles Times. 1898-01-16. p. 12. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  4. ^ "I Magnin moves from Spring to Broadway 1/2/1899". The Los Angeles Times. 1898-12-31. p. 4. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  5. ^ Magnin, I (1904-06-19). "Advertisement 19 June 1904". Newspapers.com. Los Angeles Times. p. 12. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  6. ^ "Advertisement: Myer Siegel & Co. Announce Opening". The Los Angeles Times (Advertisement). 1911-02-19. p. 12. Myer Siegel & Co. Announce their regret of possible inconvenience occasioned to all patrons and their regular customers by the conflagration of their whole store. But are ready to serve and will open for business with NEW spring apparel for women and children. On Wednesday, February 22 At 324 South Broadway. This temporary location will be designated as Store No. 2, and on or before March 1, 1911 We Will Open at 445 S. Broadway to be designated as Store No. 1.
  7. ^ "Newberry Branch to Open Here". The Los Angeles Times. 27 April 1927. p. 33. The J. J. Newberry Company… will open their first western store in the near future at 445-447 South Broadway…. More than 500 persons will be employed in the store… which contains nearly 50,000 square feet of floor space… The basement, the first and second floors are devoted to salesrooms
  8. ^ a b "36 Years' Record for Myer Siegel". Los Angeles Evening Express. 17 April 1922. p. 2. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  9. ^ "Seymour's to Become Part of Myer Siegel". Los Angeles Evening Express. 16 May 1922. p. 25. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  10. ^ "Plan $500,000 building". Los Angeles Evening Express. 16 January 1926. p. 20. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  11. ^ "Fourth Store For Pioneer Firm". Los Angeles Evening Citizen News. 6 November 1925. p. 6. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  12. ^ "Myer Siegel to Give Style Show Monday Evening: Store Will Be Formally Opened To-Morrow". The Fresno Bee. 13 September 1925. p. 2. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  13. ^ "Myer, Siegel & Co. to Open Hollywood Blvd. Store Saturday". Los Angeles Evening Citizen News. 6 November 1925. p. 6. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  14. ^ 60x152-feet per floor x6 stories, as per the article "Plan $500,000 building"
  15. ^ "Industrial Activity Continues Unabated…: Myer Siegel Firm to Erect $500,000 Plant on Flower St". The Los Angeles Times. 10 January 1926. p. 109. Retrieved 25 April 2024.
  16. ^ a b "Myer Siegel Takes Lease". Los Angeles Times. June 24, 1934. Retrieved May 1, 2019.
  17. ^ "Dominguez-Wilshire Building". LA Conservancy. Retrieved 2024-02-29.
  18. ^ Cooper, Suzanne Tarbell; Hall, Amy Ronnebeck; Jr, Frank E. Cooper (2005). Los Angeles Art Deco. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7385-3027-7.
  19. ^ Schultheis, Herman (0194), Myer Siegel Department Store, retrieved 2024-02-29
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