Joseph Magnin Co.

The Joseph Magnin Company was a high-end specialty department store founded in San Francisco, California by Joseph Magnin.

History

Originally named Newman-Levinson, the company changed its name to Newman-Magnin nand later to Joseph Magnin Co.

The store was located at the corner of Stockton and O’Farrell Streets. At the time, I. Magnin Co. was located at Grant and Geary Streets. However in 1948 when I. Magnin built the new flagship store at Stockton and Geary streets, the two flagship stores were less than a block apart. Initially Joseph Magnin was a midrange purveyor of apparel and millinery and was viewed as a second-rate I. Magnin. Within the garment industry, Joseph Magnin Co. was known as “the other Magnin.” For many years Joseph Magnin Co. operated in the shadows of I. Magnin. I. Magnin had many established providers of better fashions and demanded exclusivity; the sellers were barred from selling to Joseph Magnin if they wished to continue to do business with I. Magnin. To partially address this, Joseph Magnin rented the vacant 4th floor of the Stockton/O'Farrel store for a number of years to newly emerging local talent, the designer/manufacturer Eleanor Green, [1] for her design studio and factory.

Joseph Magnin at times did use consumer confusion on the Magnin name to their advantage by calling the store J. Magnin in signage, advertisements, and store bags. The store also self identified as JM.

As of April 2011, Strategic Marks has obtained the Joseph Magnin trademark and plans on re-introducing the famous department store name as part of the virtual mall, along with other nostalgic stores such as The Broadway, The Bon Marche, May Company, Jordan Marsh, Robinson's Department Store, Filene's, Abraham and Straus and many others. The goal is to bring back the great department stores of the 20th century, with the hopes of re-opening the actual 'Brick and Mortar' stores throughout the US.

Post-war era

After World War II, under the leadership of Joseph’s son Cyril Magnin, the Joseph Magnin Co. went more upscale and began courting the younger woman’s market. JM advertisements were distinctive as being glamorous, sophisticated, trendy and youthful. One newspaper ad went to print without the Magnin name. Cyril was furious until he was told the item had sold out; everyone knew it was a JM ad. Marilyn Monroe purchased the suit she wore when she married Joe DiMaggio in 1954 at JM. As of 1960 the store was one of the first in San Francisco to employ Asian-Americans in customer service.

In 1967 JM was responsible for buying Lynda Bird Johnson’s trousseau.

The store also included the 'Wolves Den' department for men only. Men could shop in a clublike area while seated, served martinis, smoking cigars, and being shown merchandise by JM's most attractive women.

Sale and Demise

In 1969 Cyril Magnin arranged for the Joseph Magnin Co. to be purchased by Amfac, Inc. of Hawaii.[2] Amfac owned Liberty House, among other stores, on the West Coast and Hawaii. Cyril remained the chairman of the board of JM. Joseph Magnin grew to a chain of thirty-two stores. In 1977, Amfac sold Joseph Magnin Co. to investors led by the Hillman Company and Gibbons, Green & Rice.[3] Hillman sold the stores in 1982; in 1984, Joseph Magnin Co. filed for bankruptcy and closed its stores.[4][5][6]

References

  1. ↑ , https://www.facebook.com/178125305558276/photos/rpp.178125305558276/1367566573280804/?type=3&theater Facebook: Eleanor Green Deitch
  2. ↑ "Joseph Magnin to Be Acquired by Amfac Inc". Los Angeles Times. January 17, 1969. p. F16. (Subscription required (help)). Alternate Link via ProQuest.
  3. ↑ "Joseph Magnin Stores Sold". Orange County Register. Santa Ana, Calif. 1977-11-19. pp. –1. Retrieved 2018-04-22 – via Newspaper Archive.
  4. ↑ "Joseph Magnin stores sold". Orange County Register. Santa Ana, Calif. 1982-12-09. pp. –3. Retrieved 2018-04-22 – via Newspaper Archive.
  5. ↑ Yoshihara, Nancy (September 18, 1984). "Joseph Magnin Closes All 24 Stores and Files Bankruptcy Petition". Los Angeles Times. pp. E1–E2. (Subscription required (help)). Alternate Link via ProQuest.
  6. ↑ Reports, From Staff and News (1984-09-18). "J. Magnin closes, files for bankruptcy". San Diego Union-Tribune, The (CA) (1,2,3,4 ed.). pp. –3. Retrieved 2018-04-22 – via NewsBank.

Sources

  • Birmingham, Nan Tilson, Store, copyright 1978, ISBN 978-0-399-11899-9.
  • Frick, Devin, I. Magnin & Co. A California Legacy, copyright 2000, ISBN 978-0-9663493-1-3
  • Hendrickson, Robert, The Grand Emporiums, copyright 1980, ISBN 978-0-8128-6092-4
  • Magnin, Cyril and Robins, Cynthia, Call Me Cyril, copyright 1981, ISBN 978-0-07-039492-6
  • Mullane, James Thomas, A Store to Remember, copyright 2007, ISBN 978-0-9788513-0-9
  • Steger, Pat, "A Fitting Tribute" San Francisco Chronicle, April 6, 1999
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.