Ohrbach's Department Store

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J-Man
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Oh!rbach's & Stor

Post by J-Man »

Oh!rbach's (The exclamation point was part of their logo in later years.)

I could be mis-remembering, but I thought Ohrbach's was still around for a year or two after I moved to the LA area in late 1987. I was only aware of the Glendale, Cerritos, Del Amo and Wilshire stores. And I still have a charge card from Ohrbach's.

I also have two large red beach towels from a grand opening celebration at the Industry STOR. I need to have a yard sale-- soon!
Jeff
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Post by Jeff »

There were only 6 total stores in the market. They may have closed in 1987. But definitely not later. This was the weird time that East Coast department stores were moving into Southern California, Ohrbachs was the first, Bonwitt-Teller the second, opening only one store in So Cal, in Palm Desert.

That store didn't last too long and was closed and reopened as a Bullocks Wilshire. Then it closed, becoming a I. Magnin store. Then that closed and became a Bullocks Mens store. Then a Macys mens store and recently closed and will be demolished for a Nordstrom.
J-Man
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East Coast Chains

Post by J-Man »

And there was always talk of another East Coast chain-- Lord & Taylor-- coming to California (and Las Vegas.) With all the shake ups of Federated and May, I doubt that will ever come about.
Jeff
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Post by Jeff »

I remember that Lord And Taylor built a store at the Fashion Show in Vegas but decided not to open. I dont know if that store is the vacant anchor at the mall or the Bloomingdales Home store.
Dean
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Re: Ohrbach's Department Store

Post by Dean »

Jeff wrote:I remember them well. They closed up shop here in LA in 1986. They had only a couple of locations here.

- Los Cerritos Center (still standing, became Mervyns in 1987)
- Wishire Corridor (still standing, today is the Petersen Automotive Museum)
- Del Amo Fashion Square (still standing - upper level is TJ Maxx, lower level is Marshall's)
- Glendale Galleria (its there, it became part of the mall and was subdivided into shops. The elevators in the center are still there too)

I drive by the Cerritos location daily and its funny, you can still see on the tiles where the O H R B A C H S once was hanging. 20 years later......

I found this picture on the LA County archive pages of the Cerritos store in the 70's. The store still looks like this today, still looking ultra modern for the mall. The only change is that a new mall wing was added next to the store.

Image

EXACTLY! Comical how you can STILL see the name on the Cerritos bldg!
Jeff
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Post by Jeff »

The Del Amo store (minus the look) has no remaining label scar. The only one was actually in the mall on the building. This was removed when they redid the wing.

I drive by the Cerritos store and laugh all the time.
TenPoundHammer
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Post by TenPoundHammer »

Jeff wrote:I remember that Lord And Taylor built a store at the Fashion Show in Vegas but decided not to open. I dont know if that store is the vacant anchor at the mall or the Bloomingdales Home store.
I'm pretty sure L & T is the vacant slot at Fashion Show.
Jeff
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Post by Jeff »

Actually the current empty spot was a Robinsons-May.
valleyankee
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Post by valleyankee »

My first real retail job was working at Ohrbachs on 34th street in Manhattan. Those were the days. At this time Ohrbachs was clearly a discounter and stopped doing its knock off designer fashions. I use to like wandering through the back of the house where the stockrooms were built in closed up fashion departments that were no longer needed.

I still can remember where the back door was for the employee entrance on 35th street and if I walk through the Banana Republic which is on the site now, I think I can find a column that is right in the position where I refolded men's shirts on the main floor.
wayne winterland jr.
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Japanese department store before it was an Orbachs

Post by wayne winterland jr. »

In answer to an earlier post about a Japanese Department Store having been in a location before it bacame an Orbach's I believe that this Japanese Department Store which was located in Southern California was named the SEIBU Department Store.
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TheStranger
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Re: Japanese department store before it was an Orbachs

Post by TheStranger »

wayne winterland jr. wrote:In answer to an earlier post about a Japanese Department Store having been in a location before it bacame an Orbach's I believe that this Japanese Department Store which was located in Southern California was named the SEIBU Department Store.
I know the Seibu somewhere on...Sunset? became an automotive museum more recently; the building was listed for sale many times in the early 60s issues of Chain Store Age.
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runchadrun
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Re: Japanese department store before it was an Orbachs

Post by runchadrun »

TheStranger wrote:I know the Seibu somewhere on...Sunset? became an automotive museum more recently; the building was listed for sale many times in the early 60s issues of Chain Store Age.
It's now the Petersen Auto Museum on the corner of Wilshire and Farifax, across the street from the former May Company flagship store. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petersen_Automotive_Museum (the wikipedia entry is wrong about the name of the Japanese store.)

Seibu opened on 3/14/1962. The architect was the prolific firm of Welton Becket and Associates. It closed in March 28, 1964 because of losses. The restaurant on the 4th floor remained open until August, 1967. Ohrbach's bought the store in December, 1967 and opened it August 18, 1969 after adding over 62,000 sq ft to the south.
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Daniel
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Post by Daniel »

An incorrect Wikipedia entry? I'm shocked!
Jeff
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Post by Jeff »

Actually, Seibu is a division of Sogo.....think Bloomingdales and Macys.
rich
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Post by rich »

Sogo had a large international operation, with stores all over Asia. Sogo, itself, was an upscale brand. They went bankrupt several years ago and closed most, if not, all of their non-Japanese stores.
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