Walker Scott

Trained under Arthur Letts at Los Angeles' Broadway department store,[2] Ralf Marc Walker was the co-founder/co-worker owner of the 125,000-square-foot department store known as the Fifth Street Store at Fifth and Broadway in downtown Los Angeles, established in 1905.[3] Walker also owned what would later become known as the Houdini Mansion in Laurel Canyon. He died six months before the opening of the San Diego store on October 3, 1935.

Scott (b. Scotland, 1907 — d. United States, 1993) was a protégé of Walker, who had sent him to the New York University of Retailing.[1] Scott opened the San Diego store with Mr. Walker's widow, Eliza Fitzgerald Walker, who was president of the company while Scott was vice president.

Branches and their years of opening:[4][5]

• 1935 Downtown San Diego, 1014 Fifth Avenue, corner of Broadway
• 1959 La Jolla (Walker's purchased Stevenson's, which it operated under its original name for a time).[6] Closed in 1985.
• 1960 College Grove Shopping Center,[6] in eastern San Diego adjacent to Lemon Grove; upon opening it was the largest Walker's store.
• 1963 Linda Vista Shopping Center
• 1964 Escondido Village Shopping Center[6]
• 1968 Clairemont and El Cajon (bought Whitney's Department Stores and operated them by that name for a time). Clairemont store was relocated to Clairemont Square.[6]
• 1970, added fabric stores in Lakeside, Ocean Beach (later a men's a women's sportswear specialty shop)[6] and El Cajon
• 1970 City of Orange, The City shopping center, 160,000 sq. ft., replaced by May Company in 1974.[7][8]
• 1970 Palm Springs (Palm Springs Mall)[9][6]
• 1973 San Carlos[6]
• 1973 Mission Valley Shopping Center[6]
• 1975 Mira Mesa, 63,000 square feet (5,900 m²)[6]
• 1976 Oceanside
• 1982 National City
• 1983 Pacific Beach

In 1984-5 Walker Scott eliminated major-appliance departments and de-emphasizing hardline areas such as housewares and small appliances. In January 1985, facing competition from other stores, the firm closed its downtown and La Jolla stores, leaving it with 12 outlets. Later that same year, Walker Scott sold to Los Angeles retailer Desmond's & Associates. In November 1986 Walker Scott closed its remaining stores.