Garfinckel's Department Store

Garfinckel's Department Store is an eight-story department store building in downtown Washington, D.C. Julius Garfinckel's company erected the store on the northwest corner of 14th and F Streets, across from the Willard Hotel, which is one block from the Treasury Department and less than two blocks from the White House.

This article is about the department store flagship building. For Garfinckel's department store company, see Garfinckel's.
Garfinckel's Department Store
Location1401 F Street, N.W.
Nearest cityWashington, D.C.
Coordinates38°53′50.38″N 77°1′55.4″W
Area(less than 1 acre (4,000 m2)
Built1925-1929
ArchitectPorter and Lockie, Starrett & van Vleck
Architectural styleOther, Moderne
NRHP reference No.95000353 [1]
Added to NRHPApril 4, 1995

In 1995, Garfinckel's historic flagship store, located at 1401 F Street, NW, Washington, was placed on the National Register of Historic Places. From 1997 to 1999, the property was redeveloped into a modern office building and shopping center named Hamilton Square.

History

Garfinckel's first retail location opened in 1918, and was located at 13th and F Streets, Northwest, Washington, D.C.,

The company expanded to the new location in 1929. The $2,000,000 structure was designed by architects Starrett & van Vleck of New York.[2] By 1936, there were more than 500 employees.[3]

Garfinckel's flagship store reputation was not without controversy. It was both widely known and acknowledged that blacks were not welcome at the flagship store and in fact, were not permitted to try on clothing. However, by the 1970s Garfinckel's employed African-Americans in multiple positions throughout the organization including sales people, buyers and divisional merchandise managers and no one was restricted from trying on clothing. Mannequins were also presented in more than one skin tone.

After Garfinckel's bankruptcy in 1990, the store remained vacant for several years until it was redeveloped in 1999.[4]

Borders Group bookstore was a street level tenant until it closed in 2010. The building owner considered a restaurant and retail store to occupy the space.[5][6]

References
  1. "Garfinkel's Department Store". Landmark Hunter.com. April 27, 2017. Retrieved January 2, 2018.
  2. "Special from Richmond, June 21: Virginia Exports Increased. North Carolina Also Shows Gain Over Last Year," The New York Times, June 23, 1929, p. N12
  3. "Special from Washington, Nov. 6: Julius Garfinckel Dies In Washington - Merchant and Philanthropist Succumbs to Pneumonia in the Capital at 62," The New York Times, Nov. 7, 1936, p. 17
  4. "Garfinckel's, Washington's Fashion Arbiter".
  5. Missy Frederick, Jonathan O'Connell (December 21, 2009). "Hamilton Square Borders may become a T.J. Maxx". Washington Business Journal.
  6. O'Connell, Jonathan (June 21, 2010). "14th Street Borders to become Clyde's restaurant". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 2, 2018.

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