Lost department stores: Emporium-Capwell (1896

Lost department stores: Emporium-Capwell (1896—1996)

You know what I miss? Emporium-Capwell.

Not just for the prices, though I could swear a decent Arrow shirt once cost twelve bucks. No, I miss the whole production. The drama of the escalators, the hush of the fitting rooms, and—oh—the culinary treasure hunt that was the Market on Market downstairs.

A trip to “The City” wasn’t complete without ducking into the old Emporium on Market Street. You'd pass under that grand rotunda and feel like royalty. But downstairs? That’s where the real magic happened. Fancy cheeses. Glazed fruit tarts. Baskets of imported crackers with names you couldn’t pronounce but definitely had to try. Everything smelled like international sophistication and fresh bread. I was a kid with a paper bag full of croissants and the feeling that I’d somehow stepped into a European train station from the future.

The other day I found an ad from 1984—Emporium-Capwell's big splash at Vallco Fashion Park in Cupertino. You could tell the year by the shoulder pads alone. The deeper I stared, the further I drifted.

Vibrant full-page 1984 ad for Emporium-Capwell. The layout features fashionable models in shoulder-padded outfits, perfectly capturing the retail glamour of the mid-’80s.

1984 vintage ad for Emporium-Capwell.

Colorful 1984 promotional spread for Emporium-Capwell, including a 10% off coupon in the lower corner. The ad blends flashy typefaces, upbeat slogans, and vivid fashion imagery, offering both nostalgia and a deal for savvy shoppers.

1984 vintage ad for Emporium-Capwell.

I seem to remember a commercial for Emporium-Capwell that sang "super station coppertop, Emporium-Capwell." Was I dreaming? The only connection I could make was the red tiles of many of the old Capwell buildings. I hope someone remembers.

These weren’t just stores—they were cathedrals of commerce. I mean, The Emporium at Stonestown opened in 1952, for heaven’s sake. Designed by actual architects (usually, Welton Becket) who made department stores look like museums. Stores had gift wrap stations (plural!), culinary advisors, and flower arrangers. You could buy a concert ticket, try on cologne, and book a flight to Paris—all in one afternoon.

And the buildings! The Emporium in San Francisco? It had ten thousand electric lights when it opened in 1896. That’s not a store. That’s a fairy tale. My grandma knew every square inch of this store, and I traipsed just behind. In Oakland, Capwell’s loomed like a stately library of sweaters and satin slips, and an amazing clearance center. Everywhere, you could feel the quiet hum of purpose. People weren’t just shopping—they were participating in a ritual of style and seasonality.

View of the glass rotunda dome inside The Emporium on Market Street—once a dazzling centerpiece of San Francisco retail.

Inside The Emporium dome in San Francisco.

Historic black-and-white photo of the Capwell’s department store in downtown Oakland, showcasing Art Deco details.

H. C. Capwell store in Oakland from August 4, 1936.

I even remember that Vallco store in 1984. It was considered their jewel box. They cranked music videos in the juniors’ section like it was a mini-MTV studio. And it made you feel, even briefly, like this was the cool epicenter of the Bay.

By the time the ‘90s rolled around, the magic began to flicker. Federated (Macy's) bought up the whole shebang, and Emporium-Capwell faded into Macy’s or oblivion—depending on the store. But for those of us who remember it, walking through Emporium-Capwell was like flipping through the glossy pages of a dream.

And now, every so often, I find myself longing for the shimmer of perfume counters, the friendly disinterest of a cashier behind a wood-paneled register, and yes—even that old gift wrap station where they’d curl the ribbon just so.

It wasn’t just a department store.

It was an era.

And some part of me will always be standing there, croissant bag in hand, just trying to decide between two types of cheddar.

Some fun Emporium-Capwell moments

Anyone remember the funky metallic ceiling in the Directions department?

Interior image showing the flashy metallic ceiling of the Directions juniors’ department in the late 1980s.

A late 1980s newspaper photo showing the Directions department at The Emporium Coddingtown.

The 1983 grand opening of Emporium-Capwell celebration featured an innovative fashion show which featured more than just sample-sized women. Male models, seniors, and a "large-sized" (their words) woman paraded down the runway to a thunderous applause.

Crowd scene from the grand opening of Emporium-Capwell at Southland Mall, which replaced Liberty House.

A 1983 newspaper photo showing the crowded opening of Emporium-Capwell at Southland Mall in Hayward.

Of course, every loyal shopper had their own credit card, also good at Weinstock's, Broadway, Broadway Southwest, and Thalhimer's stores.

Scan of a 1988 Emporium-Capwell charge agreement showing a list of store locations across Northern California, reflecting the retail footprint of the department store chain during the late 1980s.

1988 Emporium-Capwell charge account agreement listing store locations across Northern California, offering a snapshot of the regional department store’s reach before its eventual merger with Macy’s.

The Emporium store chronology

Unless noted, all stores closed in 1996.

1890s

1. The Emporium Downtown - Opened on May 25, 1896 at 835 Market Street in San Francisco.

1950s

2. The Emporium Stonestown - Opened July 17, 1952 at Stonestown Shopping Center.

The Emporium Stonestown Mall.

3. The Emporium Stanford - Opened February 23, 1956 at the Stanford Shopping Center. A store so big, it had two sets of escalators. The building was demolished in 2016.

Color postcard of The Emporium at Stanford Shopping Center in Palo Alto, featuring midcentury architecture

Vintage postcard of The Emporium at Stanford Shopping Center.

4. The Emporium Stevens Creek - Opened March 8, 1957 in Santa Clara. When the new Valley Fair Mall opened in October 1986, the store would be known as Emporium-Capwell Valley Fair.

1960s

5. The Emporium Hillsdale - Opened September 12, 1962 at Hillsdale Mall in San Mateo. Architect was Welton Becket & Associates.

A 1962 newspaper ad for The Emporium’s grand opening at Hillsdale Mall in San Mateo, showing a little girl pointing excitedly and saying, “Look Mommy, another big E!” next to bold Emporium branding.

Vintage 1962 ad for the grand opening of The Emporium at Hillsdale Mall in San Mateo, featuring a young girl exclaiming, “Look Mommy, another big E!” — a nod to the iconic Emporium signage and growing Bay Area presence.

6. The Emporium Marin - Opened June 26, 1964 at Northgate Mall in San Rafael.

Exterior of the 1964 Emporium department store at Northgate Mall, now repurposed. Features include a wide façade and an outdoor mezzanine deck with decorative railings, reflecting mid-century mall architecture.

The former Emporium at Northgate Mall, built in 1964, still stands with its distinctive façade and a charming outdoor mezzanine deck—once a stylish modern touch for shoppers in the open-air era of retail.

7. The Emporium Santa Rosa - Opened July 14, 1966 at Coddington Mall in Santa Rosa. Believe it or not, The Emporium had the first escalators in Sonoma county. A great feature is the customer patio on the second level.

Newspaper image of the newly opened Emporium store at Coddingtown Mall, featuring Sonoma County’s first escalators.

1966 newspaper photo of The Emporium Coddingtown in Santa Rosa.

Modern photo of the former 1966 Emporium store at Coddingtown Mall, showing a two-level facade with light brown exterior, squared balcony deck, and clean mid-century lines.

The former 1966 Emporium at Coddingtown Mall echoes the Northgate Mall design with its blocky mezzanine deck and modernist form—this time rendered in light brown.

8. The Emporium Almaden - Opened August 8, 1968 at San Jose's Almaden Plaza. Welton Becket designed the store and adjoining shopping center.

Newspaper ad announcing the grand opening of The Emporium Almaden in San Jose, with illustrations of the shopping center.

1968 ad showing the grand opening of The Emporium Almaden.

1970s

9. The Emporium Mountain View - Opened October 29, 1970 on El Camino Real in Mountain View. A large restaurant, the El Camino Room, overlooked El Camino Real. This store looked a bit like an office building. That same year, Emporium-Capwell merged with Broadway-Hale Stores of Los Angeles. Later renamed to Carter Hawley Hale, a name we'd hear a lot later. The Emporium and Capwell's each were assigned as separate divisions in the new parent company.

Vintage advertisement announcing the opening of the Mountain View store along El Camino Real.

A 1970 ad for the opening of The Emporium Mountain View.

10. The Emporium Salinas - A 179,000 sq. ft. store opened July 6, 1972 at Northridge Mall in Salinas.

Exterior photo showing the large Emporium “E” signage at the Salinas Northridge Mall location.

Former Emporium at Northridge Mall in Salinas. Look closely and you can see the big E scar on the right side.

11. The Emporium Tanforan - Opened September 28, 1972 with a 197,000 sq. ft. store at Tanforan Park Shopping Center in San Bruno.

1972 grand opening ad for The Emporium at Tanforan Park Shopping Center in San Bruno, highlighting large parking capacity, air conditioning, and a wide selection of merchandise.

Grand opening ad for The Emporium at Tanforan Park Shopping Center in San Bruno, which debuted on September 28, 1972. Promising “spacious shopping,” air conditioning, and a massive 5,000-car parking lot, the store positioned itself as a modern retail destination for the Peninsula.

12. The Emporium Eastridge - Opened on August 17, 1978 in a former Liberty House store at Eastridge Mall in San Jose.

1978 grand opening ad for The Emporium at Eastridge Mall in San Jose, promoting live magic shows, mimes, a Captain America fitness appearance, and participation from Mademoiselle magazine.

Grand opening ad for The Emporium at Eastridge Mall in San Jose, celebrating its debut on August 17, 1978. Using the slogan “Come see our star,” the event featured a full day of festive entertainment, including H. P. Lovecraft’s Magical Medicine Show, magic and mime from The Wizard and Lisa, health tips from Captain America, and a live appearance by Mademoiselle magazine on location.

Capwell's store chronology

Unless noted, all stores closed in 1996.

1920s

1. Capwell's Oakland - Opened August 5, 1929 at 20th and Broadway in Oakland. It had a beautiful restaurant, The Terrace, which remained open until December 1984.