Famous had its origins with the Cal Hirsch & Sons Mercantile Co., founded in 1860 or 1871 depending on the source,[1][2] which ran Army and Navy surplus stores in St. Louis.[1]
After opening stores in Los Angeles starting in 1913 and later moved its headquarters there. As Cal. Hirsch & Sons, it operated the generically named "Army and Navy Store" at 526 S. Main St. then moved to a larger space next door, what it advertised as the "world's largest Army and navy store" at 530-532 S. Main St. starting in December, 1916.[3] In 1917 it advertised a branch store in San Diego.[4]
U.S. Hirsch was president of the company during the 1930s.[5] By 1948, Urban Hirsch, Jr. was president.[6]
New large store on Broadway
In 1939, it took over the vacated Blackstone's Department Store building at 901 S. Broadway (designed by architect John Parkinson, built in 1917) and renovated and expanded it to 90,000 square feet (8,400 m2) of selling space, shifting the existing 530 S. Main St. store to use mostly as a warehouse. The new Broadway store sold men's, women's and children's clothing, furnishings and accessories; shoes, drapes, furniture, drapes, household utensils and accessories and an entire floor was devoted to toys. It also has a beauty shop and lunch counter.[2]
Expansion across Southern California
Chapman Building at 110 E. Wilshire at Spadra (Now Harbor), where Famous' Fullerton store opened in 1937
In 1950 the stores were sold to the J. J. Sugarman Co., a Los Angeles business investment firm, a value estimated at $3.5 million (~$35.2 million in 2023), reported by the Los Angeles Times as "one of the larges mercantile sales of its kind in recent years in California". The chain at that time consisted of eight stores:[9] Advertising for the Famous Department Store ceases in 1952.[10]
2 stories + basement, 30,000 sq ft (2,800 m2), completed 1929 at a cost of $350,000,[11]Morgan, Walls and Clements architects, art deco style, Long Beach historic landmark building[8]
4th store at the time, 15,000 sq ft (1,400 m2) main floor.[12] Opened December 10, 1932 with ca. 100 employees. National oratory champion Lucille Goldsmith, as well as two other Famous employees from Los Angeles – Yvonne Gregg and Helen Gruda – attended the grand opening.[13] Store manager George J. Kidd. In 1937 it expanded into the basement, selling sporting goods, bicycles, guns, fishing tackle, tires, camping equipment, beach furniture and paint there.[14] On November 8, 1940 opened a second retail floor selling furniture, home decoration, appliances and floor coverings.[15] Modernized and expanded into what it claimed to be the largest store in Santa Ana, adding a third retail floor, a terrazzo floor to the 4th Street entrance, and a self-service elevator. Its grand re-opening was held April 4, 1941.[16]
Fresno, Fulton at Tulare in ex-Radin & Kamp building
5 stories, 6th store at the time, opened November 2, 1935 at a cost of $750,000, more than 100,000 sq ft (9,300 m2) of selling space, staff of more than 200, store manager A. O. Lamb[17]
