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7th Street Looking West from Spring, Los Angeles, Calif. ( Tichnor Bros. postcard, 1930s)

7th Street is a street in Los Angeles, California running from S. Norton Ave in Mid-Wilshire through Downtown Los Angeles. It goes all the way to the eastern city limits at Indiana Ave., and the border between Boyle Heights, Los Angeles and East Los Angeles. [1]

Originally agricultural land, 7th Street between Broadway (on which corner stood Bullock's) and Figueroa Street, became downtown's upscale shopping district. This began with J. W. Robinson's deciding to build their flagship store in 1915 on Seventh far to the west of the existing Broadway shopping district, between Hope and Grand streets. The Ville de Paris and Coulter's as well as numerous specialty shops came and rounded out the district.

The area lost its exclusivity when the upscale downtown stores opened branches in Hollywood, Mid-Wilshire, Westwood and Pasadena in the late 1920s through the 1940s, notably the establishment of Bullock's upscale landmark branch Bullocks Wilshire in Mid-Wilshire in 1929. [2]

Thirteen large office buildings opened between 1920 and 1928. By 1929, every plot on 7th between Figueroa and Los Angeles Streets had been developed. [2] The area remained an important, if not the most exclusive, center of retail and office space throughout the 1950s, but started a slow decline throughout the 1980s due to suburbanization. It was also the concentration of Downtown financial activity on Bunker Hill, a few blocks north. The flagship department stores like Bullock's (1983), Barker Brothers (1984) and Robinson's (1993) had closed and only the Broadway/Macy's at The Bloc, previously named Broadway Plaza remained. However, in 1986, the Seventh Market Place mall, now FIGat7th, opened, bringing a smaller retail cluster back to Seventh such as the 7th Street/Metro Center station opening in 1991.

With new, large skyscrapers such as the Wilshire Grand Center and the nearby U.S. Bank Tower bridging the gap with Bunker Hill, Seventh Street is now contiguous to the large financial district to the north and is once again a highly desired office district.

Landmarks

In order west to east. Source: Los Angeles Conservancy. [2]

Harbor Freeway to Figueroa

Wilshire Grand, orig. Hotel Statler, demolished
  • Wilshire Grand Center, north side, tallest building in the Western United States. Located on the site of the original Wilshire Grand Hotel, opened in 1952 as the Hotel Statler. In 1954, renamed the Statler Hilton. In 1968, renovated and renamed the Los Angeles Hilton, and later the Los Angeles Hilton and Towers. Renovated again in 1963.
  • FIGat7th, shopping center, originally called Seventh Market Place, housing both a Bullock's and May Co. branch in the 1980s-1990s

Figueroa to Flower

Barker Brothers Building

Flower to Hope

Roosevelt Building
  • Roosevelt Building (The Roosevelt), 727 W. Seventh Street, Curlett and Beelman (1927), Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #355/ National Register of Historic Places: Renaissance Revival building, purported to be the largest office building in Southern California when it opened. Curlett and Beelman designed six buildings on Seventh Street. Converted in 2008 to 222 residential units. Spectacular original restored mosaic marble floors in the lobby.
  • The Bloc Los Angeles, originally built in 1973 called the Broadway Plaza, housing The Broadway department store after it moved from Broadway and 4th streets, now a Macy's

Hope to Grand

J. W. Robinson's Building, 600 W. 7th St.
  • J. W. Robinson's Building, 600 W. Seventh Street, Noonan and Richards (1915), Edgar Mayberry with Allison and Allison (1934 remodel), Los Angeles. The first major department store to move to Seventh Street from Broadway. Almost nine acres of floor space on seven floors. Robinson’s was immediately successful and spurred the further development of 7th Street as an upscale shopping district. In 1934, a major remodel gave the store its current Moderne façade, replacing the original Beaux Arts design.
  • Second Union Oil Building, 617 W. Seventh Street, NE corner 7th & Hope, architects Curlett and Beelman (1923) [3] [4]
  • Broadway Plaza (later Macy’s Plaza, now The Bloc), 700 W. Seventh Street, Charles Luckman Associates (1973): hotel, offices and shopping center originally with a Broadway department store branch replacing its downtown flagship on Broadway (the street)

Grand to Olive

Brockman Building

Olive to Hill

Ville de Paris (department store) under construction 1916

7th & Broadway

Loew’s State Theatre

Broadway to Spring

A.G. Bartlett Building

Spring to Main

7th & Main

Los Angeles Board of Trade Building
  • Los Angeles Board of Trade Building / California Stock Exchange (SW corner 7th/Main), 111 W. Seventh Street, Curlett and Beelman (1926), since 2009, apartments. Winged creatures adorn the building.
  • Santee Court, 714, 716, 720, and 724 S. Los Angeles Street, Arthur W. Angel (1911), Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument #710. Block of industrial buildings converted (203) to mixed-use (residential, commercial, retail, and arts), facing a courtyard.
  • Heywood Bros. & Wakefield / Dearden's Home Furnishings buildings: 700-710 S. Main Street, 1899, Architect unknown (ca. 1899); John Parkinson remodel (ca. 1902); 712-718 S. Main Street, R. B. Young (1901): Now closed, the last incarnation of Dearden's was especially patronized by Latino Angelenos familiar with its Spanish-language advertising, and comprised three buildings, all of which previously housed furniture stores: Heywood Bros. & Wakefield Company (circa 1899) on the corner, which become Overell’s in 1906; Hulse, Bradford & Company (1901) just to the south; and a third industrial structure to the rear.

Department stores on 7th Street and on Broadway

This is a table of the openings of department stores along the 7th Street and Broadway corridors:

Store Opened Left Moved or closed? Location Sq ft Sq m Architects Current use
SPRING ST. BETWEEN TEMPLE AND SECOND
Coulter's
(1st sequential
location) 		1884 1898 Moved Hollenbeck Block, SW corner 2nd & Spring Historic Broadway station
Hamburger's (1st seq. loc.) 1888 1908 Moved Phillips Block, Franklin & Spring Burgess J. Reeve Site of City Hall
Mullen & Bluett 1889 1910 Moved 101–5 N. Spring Empty lot
Jacoby Bros.
(1st seq. loc.) 		1891 1900 Moved 128–134(–138) N. Spring at Court Site of City Hall
The Hub 1896 1916 Moved Bullard Block, Spring at Court Morgan & Walls Site of City Hall. The Hub moved to 430 S. Broadway. [5]
BROADWAY
Broadway from 2nd to 3rd
Ville de Paris [6]
(A. Fusenot Co.) 		1893 1898 Moved Potomac Block, 221-3 S. Broadway Block, Curlett & Eisen added to Coulter's late 1907, demolished 1958, now a parking lot
Coulter's
(3rd seq. loc.) 		1905 1917 Moved Potomac Block: 225-7-9 S. B'way through to 224-6-8 S. Hill. 1907: expanded into 219-221-223 B'way. 157,000 [7] 14,586 Block, Curlett & Eisen demolished, site of parking lot
Boston Dry Goods
( J.W. Robinson Co.) 		1895 1915 Moved 237–241 S. Broadway Theodore Eisen, Sumner Hunt Parking lot
I. Magnin/
Myer Siegel
(1st seq. loc.) 		1899 ? Moved Irvine Byrne Block,
251 S. Broadway [8] 		Sumner Hunt Wedding chapel
Broadway from 3rd to 4th
Coulter's
(2nd seq. loc.) 		1898 1905 Moved 317–325 S. Broadway through to 314–322 Hill St. [9] ( Homer Laughlin Bldg.) 86,000 [10] John B. Parkinson became Ville de Paris
Now Grand Central Market
Jacoby Bros. (2nd seq. loc.) 1899 [11] 1935-6 Moved [12] [13] 331-333-335 S. Broadway 60,000 5574 John B. Parkinson [14] Was "Boston Store" in late 1930s. [15] Currently independent retail. 2 of 4 floors were removed.
Ville de Paris
(2nd seq. loc.) 		1905 1917 Moved. 317–325 S. Broadway through to 314–322 Hill Street [9]
Homer Laughlin Building 		96,000[ citation needed] 8919 John B. Parkinson Grand Central Market
J. J. Haggarty
 New York Store 		1905 1917 Moved 337–9 S. Broadway Small retail. Only 2 stories remain.
J. M. Hale (Hale’s) 1909 ? ? 341-343-345 S. Broadway [16] retail, top floors were removed
BROADWAY south of 4th St.
Broadway from 4th to 5th
The Broadway
(1st seq. loc.) [17] 		1896 1973 Moved SW corner 4th & Broadway, later through to Hill 1924, 577,000 [18] 53,605 Junipero Serra State Office Building
Bon Marché 1907 Liquidated [19] Bumiller Building, 430 S. Broadway
The Hub
(2nd seq. loc.)		 1907 1916 Moved 430 S. Broadway In 1907, The Hub opened at the former Bon Marché. [19] In March 1916, The Hub moved to 337–9 S. Spring. [20] closing in 1922. [21]
Myer Siegel
(2nd seq. loc.) 		1899 ? Moved 455 S. Broadway Became part of Fallas Paredes
Broadway from 5th to 6th
Fifth Street Store
(Steele, Faris & Walker), later Walker's 		1905 ? Closed SW corner 5th & Broadway 1917: 278,640 [22] 1917:25,887 Replaced existing store with new building in 1917. [22]
Building later housed Ohrbach's
Ohrbach's Closed SW corner 5th & Broadway Former Walker's store. [22]
Building later housed Ohrbach's
Silverwoods 1904 ? ? 556 S. Broadway (NE corner of 6th) 1920: 115,420 [23] 1920: 10,723 Broadway Jewelry Mart
Broadway from 6th to 7th
Jacoby Bros.
(3rd seq. loc.) 		1936 [13] 1938 [24] Liquidated 605 S. Broadway [13] Became a  Zukor's (1940), [25] now mixed-use
Central Dept. Store [26] 1907 1908 609–619 S. Broadway 85,000 [27] 7897 Samuel Tilden Norton Demolished, now site of Los Angeles Theatre
Myer Siegel
(3rd seq. loc.) 		Moved 617 S. Broadway Samuel Tilden Norton Demolished, now site of Los Angeles Theatre
Mullen & Bluett (2nd seq. loc.) 1910 1960s Moved 610 S. Broadway
(Walter P. Story Bldg.) [28] 		Morgan, Walls & Clements Mixed-use
Desmond's 1924 1972 [29] Closed 616 S. Broadway 85,000 [30] 7897 A. C. Martin [31] Renovated 2019 as office space, a restaurant and a rooftop bar. [30]
Harris & Frank
2nd concurrent location 		1947 1980 [32] Closed 644 S. Broadway
( Joseph E. Carr Building) 		Robert Brown Young [33]
Bullock's
(1st seq. loc.) 		1907 1983 Closedb NW corner 7th & Broadway
by 1934, most of the block 6th/ 7th/ Broadway/ Hill 		1907: 350,000
1934: 806,000 [34] 		1907: 32,516
1934: 74,880 		Parkinson & Bergstrom St. Vincents Jewelry Mart
Broadway from 7th to 8th
F.W. Woolworth 1920 719 S. Broadway Ross Dress for Less
Reich and Lièvre 1917 c.1927 737-745 S. Broadway (Isaac Bros. Bldg.)
Broadway from 8th to 9th
Hamburger's
(2nd seq. loc.)
After 1925:
May Company
(1st loc.) 		1906 1986 Moved SW corner 8th & Broadway
by 1930, entire block 8th/ 9th/ Broadway/ Hill 		1906: 482,475 [35] [36]
1930, >1,000,000 [37] 		1906: 44,823, 1930 92,903 Under renovation to become tech campus
Broadway from 9th to 10th
Blackstone's 1917 901 S. Broadway (SE corner 9th) 118,800 [38] 11,037 John Parkinson Building became The Famous,
now residential, retail
Eastern Columbia 1930 1957 [39] 849 S. Broadway through to Hill 1930: 275,650 [40] (expanded in 1950) [41] 1930: 25,609 Claud Beelman Residential condo
SEVENTH STREET (from Broadway west to Francisco)
Seventh between Broadway and Hill
Bullock's (see above)
Seventh between Hill and Olive
Ville de Paris, from 1919 B. H. Dyas 1917 1933 Liquidated 420 W. 7th (SE corner Olive) Dodd and Richards L.A. Jewelry Mart
Seventh between Olive and Grand
Haggarty's 1917 1963 [42] Closed Brockman Building,
520–530 W. 7th at Grand [43] [44] [45] [46]
 George D. Barnett,
Barnett, Haynes & Barnett 		Apartments
Coulter's (4th seq. loc.) 1917 1938 Moved 500 W. 7th (SW corner Olive) Dodd and Richards Mixed-use. Coulter's moved to Miracle Mile.
Seventh between Grand and Hope
J. W. Robinson's (2nd seq. loc.) 1915 1993 Closed 600 W. 7th ("7th, Hope & Grand") 1915: 400,000 [47]
1923: 623,700 sq ft (57,940 m2) [48] 		1915: 37,161
1923: 57,944 		Noonan & Richards (1915), Edgar Mayberry/Allison & Allison (1934 remodel) Mixed-use
Desmond's 7th St. (2nd seq. loc.) 1934, [49] expanded 1937 [50] Closed 2nd Union Oil Building, 617 W. 7th. St. 22,500 (1937) [51] 2090 Alexander Curlett and Claude Beelman Walgreens [52]
Seventh between Hope and Flower
The Broadway (2nd loc.), later Macy's 1973 Open Open Broadway Plaza 750 W. 7th (Hope to Flower) 250,000 [53] 23,226 Charles Luckman In operation
Desmond's 7th St. (1st seq. loc.)
(B'way store remained open) 		1927 [49] 1934 Moved Roosevelt Building, 717 W. 7th St. Alexander Curlett and Claude Beelman Shoo Shoo Baby (restaurant)
Barker Bros. (final downtown loc.) 1926 1984 [54] Closed 818 W. 7th (Flower to Figueroa) 1,000,000 [55] 93,000 Curlett and Beelman Offices
Seventh between Figueroa and Francisco/I-110
Bullock's (2nd seq. loc.), later Macy's 1986 1996 Closed Seventh Market Place now FIGat7th, 735 S. Figueroa Jon Jerde [56] Gold's Gym (level M1), Target (M2), Zara (M3)
May Company (2nd seq. loc.), later Macy's 1986 2009a Closed Nordstrom Rack (level M1), Target (M2), H&M (M3)
FLOWER STREET from Seventh to Eighth
Weatherby-Kayser shoes 1925 715–9 S. Flower
Myer Siegel (4th seq. loc.) 1927 733 S. Flower
Parmelee-Dohrmann (homewares) 1927 741–7 S. Flower

aas Macy's, breopened in 1986 at Citicorp Plaza, now FIGat7th.


Flower Street shopping district

For a time in the 1920s, Flower Street one block north and south of 7th, was an upscale shopping district. It began with the establishment of Chappell's at 645 S. Flower, which moved there from 7th Street in 1921 into a two-story, Spanish-style building, which exuded intimacy and tranquility compared to busy 7th Street or Broadway. It was innovative in offering parking in the rear. [57]

Barker Brothers opened their huge furniture emporium at 7th and Flower in 1926, two blocks west of J. W. Robinson's, which was already considered far west of the main Broadway shopping district. Myer Siegel followed a half block south, on Flower, that same year, as did Parmelee-Dohrmann, a large purveyor of china, crystal and silver. Other stores were Ashley & Evers, Ranschoff's, and Wetherby-Kayser shoes.

By 1931 Flower's heyday had petered out due to the depression, the opening of Bullock's Wilshire (1929) [58] and I. Magnin (1939) [59] much further west on Wilshire Blvd., as Myer Siegel's 1934 move to 7th Street.

References

  1. ^ Google Maps
  2. ^ a b c Strolling along Seventh Street (PDF). Los Angeles Conservancy. 2010.
  3. ^ "Union Oil Building, 617 West 7th (2 views)". California State Library. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  4. ^ "The Downtown Los Angeles Buildings That Oil Built". PBS SoCal. 27 September 2022. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  5. ^ "Temporary Store: Hub CLothing Company Will Open Through The Holidays, on South Broadway". The Los Angeles Times. 13 October 1907. p. 23. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  6. ^ "Ville de Paris 1901". Calisphere, University of California Library. Archived from the original on 9 September 2018. Retrieved 9 Sep 2018.
  7. ^ "Great Store for Coulter". Los Angeles Times. August 2, 1904. p. 13.
  8. ^ "We move Monday to 251 South Broadway", I. Magnin advertisement in the Los Angeles Times, 31 Dec 1898, p.4
  9. ^ a b "Ad for Ville de Paris". Los Angeles Herald. August 15, 1907.
  10. ^ "PCAD - Coulter's Department Store, Downtown, Los Angeles, CA". Pacific Coast Architecture Database. Retrieved 23 April 2024. AKA: City of Paris Dry Goods Company, Ville de Paris Department Store #2, Los Angeles. Dates: constructed 1905. Total floor area: 96,000 sq. ft. 317 South Broadway.
  11. ^ "Los Angeles Herald 22 August 1899 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu.
  12. ^ "Advertisement for Jacoby Bros./May Co". Los Angeles Times. May 19, 1935.
  13. ^ a b c "Pioneers' Modern Home: Jacoby Bros.Will Open New Store Soon". Los Angeles Times. January 31, 1936. p. 11.
  14. ^ "Will Go Up Rapidly: Work on the Jacoby Building Was Begun Today: Most of the Material for the Big Business Structure Is Already on the Ground". Los Angeles Evening Post-Record. September 1, 1899. p. 1. Architect John Parkinson
  15. ^ "Boston Store Los Angeles 1939 - 331 S. Broadway (old Jacoby Bros.) and 4755 Whittier Blvd". The Los Angeles Times. 1939-11-06. p. 10. Retrieved 2020-12-06.
  16. ^ "Moving to Broadway: J. M. Hale Co. Go to Petticoat Lane". Los Angeles Evening Express. January 23, 1909. p. 4.
  17. ^ "Los Angeles Herald 4 August 1895 — California Digital Newspaper Collection". cdnc.ucr.edu. Retrieved 2020-12-06.
  18. ^ "Framework is now finished: Construction Started Late Last Fall: Additional Will Be Completed During July: Department Store Growth Is Consistent". Los Angeles Times. March 23, 1924. p. 91. Retrieved May 26, 2020.
  19. ^ a b "Temporary Store: Hub Clothing Company Will Open Through The Holidays, on South Broadway". The Los Angeles Times. 13 October 1907. p. 23. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  20. ^ "The Hub ad". Los Angeles Evening Express. 10 March 1916. p. 3. Retrieved 9 April 2024.
  21. ^ "The Hub ad". Los Angeles Evening Post-Record. 8 September 1922. p. 7. Retrieved 8 April 2024.
  22. ^ a b c "Broadway Buildings: To Cost Million". Los Angeles Times. April 22, 1917. p. part V p. 13. Eight stories…plus basement and sub-basement…172 feet on Broadway by 162 feet on Fifth
  23. ^ "Magnificent Pile That Now Graces Broadway Corner". Los Angeles Times. August 31, 1920. p. 9.
  24. ^ "Advertisement for liquidation of Jacoby Bros". Los Angeles Times. September 30, 1938. p. 45.
  25. ^ "Downtown Broadway Store Leased in $1,000,000 Deal: Business Prepares to Expend $150,000 in Converting Property to Its Uses". Los Angeles Times. February 11, 1940. p. 63.
  26. ^ "New Department Store Opens Doors to Public". Los Angeles Herald. March 26, 1907. p. 4.
  27. ^ "New Department Store Opens Doors to Public". Los Angeles Herald. March 26, 1907. p. 4.
  28. ^ "Walter P. Story Building". Los Angeles Conservancy. Retrieved August 9, 2020.
  29. ^ "Ad for Desmond's Downtown LA Removal Sale". Los Angeles Times. February 10, 1972. p. 7.
  30. ^ a b Vincent, Roger. "Historic home of clothier Desmond's is ready for its comeback on Broadway". latimes.com. Retrieved on 16 April 2019.
  31. ^ Gray, Olive (September 16, 1924). "New Desmond Store Opened". Los Angeles Times.
  32. ^ "Harris & Frank advertisement". Los Angeles Times. January 17, 1980. Retrieved 7 May 2019.
  33. ^ "Los Angeles Union Station Run-through Tracks Project", p. RA6-PP8
  34. ^ "Bullock's Department Store #1, Downtown, Los Angeles, CA (1906-1907)", PCAD
  35. ^ "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. Alternate Link via ProQuest.
  36. ^ "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. Alternate Link(subscription required) via ProQuest.
  37. ^ "Advertisement for May Company". Los Angeles Times. March 25, 1930. p. 10.
  38. ^ "Material Progress: Millions Going into Broadway Buildings: New Blackstones". Los Angeles Times. April 22, 1917. 90 feet of frontage on Broadway and 165 feet on 9th Street…with 6 stories plus two basement levels
  39. ^ "Eastern-Columbia closes down 1957". The Los Angeles Times. 1957-02-03. p. 26. Retrieved 2020-12-06.
  40. ^ "Concern Occupies New Home Tomorrow". Los Angeles Times. September 11, 1930. p. 8.
  41. ^ "Eastern-Columbia expansion 1950". The Los Angeles Times. 1950-06-18. p. 26. Retrieved 2020-12-06.
  42. ^ "Haggarty's advertisement". June 23, 1963. p. 59.
  43. ^ "J.J. Haggarty Growth Laid to Enterprise". Los Angeles Times. 10 November 1940. p. 67 (Part IV Society, p.9).
  44. ^ Auerbach, Alexander (27 May 1970). "J.J. Haggarty Dress Chain Forced Out of Business by Debt". Los Angeles Times. p. 56 (part III Business & Finance, p.1). Retrieved 23 April 2019.
  45. ^ "New York Store's Life Dream Comes True: J. J. Haggarty Ready to Open New Emporium at Seventh and Grand Tomorrow". Los Angeles Evening Express. September 19, 1917.
  46. ^ "The "New York" to Start Building". Los Angeles Times. November 19, 1916. p. 27.
  47. ^ "24 May 1914, 79 - The Los Angeles Times at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-12-06.
  48. ^ "11 Jan 1923, 27 - The Los Angeles Times at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2020-12-06.
  49. ^ a b "Desmond's New Store Open Today". The Los Angeles Times. 5 March 1934. p. 26. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  50. ^ "Reasons for Expansion Told: Desmond Chief Cites Handicaps of Limited Space". The Los Angeles Times. 21 October 1937. p. 9. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  51. ^ "Expansion of Desmond Store Planned". The Los Angeles Times. 27 December 1936. p. 53. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  52. ^ "617 W. 7th St". Google Maps. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  53. ^ "Broadway Plaza", Pacific Coast Architecture Database
  54. ^ "Ad for Barker Bros". Los Angeles Times. September 24, 1984. p. 6.
  55. ^ Whitaker, Alma (July 13, 1931). "Furniture Has Its Romance: Fascinating Tale Found in Barker Brothers: Enormous Business Started by Outraged Man: Fourth Generation Working at Present Time". Los Angeles Times. p. 23. Retrieved 19 May 2019.
  56. ^ "Grand Opening for Downtown Mall Scheduled : Bullock's, May Co. Anchor Stores in Seventh Market Place". Los Angeles Times. 1986-04-06. Retrieved 2020-12-06.
  57. ^ Longstreth, Richard (1997). City Center to Regional Mall: Architecture, the Automobile, and Retailing in Los Angeles, 1920–1950. MIT Press. pp. 41–43. ISBN  0262122006.
  58. ^ "Designated Historic-Cultural Monuments". Archived from the original on 2011-10-02. Retrieved 2011-10-03.
  59. ^ "Wilshire Galleria", Los Angeles Conservancy
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