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.
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.
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| The Emporium Stonestown |
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.
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| 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.
Scott Parsons
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| A former Emporium-Capwell at Stoneridge, now Macy's |
Some fun Emporium-Capwell stores
The Emporium Stanford
The store was so big, it had two sets of escalators.
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| The Emporium at Stanford Shopping center. |
The building still looks fairly similar, although now it's Bloomingdale's.
The Emporium Stevens Creek
The site also had a Safeway and Stickney's Hickr'y Pit restaurant. Later, a few shops were built in a center called Stevens Creek Plaza. Incidentally, next door was Macy's and Valley Fair Mall. When both malls were torn down and the new Valley Fair Mall opened in 1986, the store would be known as Emporium-Capwell Valley Fair.
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| The Emporium Stevens Creek with parking for 3,000 cars. |
Back in the day, department stores used to print directories. This one is from Emporium-Capwell Valley Fair, shortly after the rebuilt mall opened in 1986.
Capwell's Hayward
Opened in downtown Hayward on September 11, 1957. It closed on September 30, 1983 when the store moved to Southland Mall. It became Mervyn's headquarters before being knocked down.
Capwell's El Cerrito
July 9, 1958 marked the grand opening of Capwell's and adjoining El Cerrito Plaza. The 2-level store cost $6,000,000 and was 232,000 square feet of spacious aisles and modernistic fixtures. The exterior of the store was equally modern with its blue and brown tile.
The Emporium Santa Rosa
Opened at Coddington Mall on July 14, 1966. Believe it or not, The Emporium had the first escalators in Sonoma county. A great feature is the customer patio on the second level.
Anyone remember the funky metallic ceiling in the Directions department?
Capwell's Fremont
Opened at the Fremont Fashion Center on February 22, 1968. The 35-acre center also became home to Safeway and Roos/Atkins.
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This Capwell's became a clearance center in 1987 when the store moved to NewPark Mall in Newark. Inventory became computerized, so clearance centers faded from glory. In 1992, the building was sold to Washington Hospital.
The Emporium Almaden
San Jose got its first Big E on August 8, 1968. Welton Becket designed the store and adjoining shopping center.
The Emporium Mountain View
Opened October 29, 1970 on El Camino Real at the Stevens Creek freeway (85). 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.
The Emporium Salinas
Look closely and you can see the mark of the big E on the right side.
Capwell's Hilltop
The last store to open exclusively with the Capwell's name was at Richmond's Hilltop Mall.
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| Capwell's as Macy's at Hilltop. |
Emporium-Capwell Sunvalley
A new era of architecture. You can see the old sign behind Macy's.
Emporium-Capwell Solano
Opened at Solano Mall in Fairfield on February 3, 1983. The store was designed by Architects Pacifica Ltd.
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| Artists rendering in 1981. |
All I wanted was a pair of IZOD knit shorts.
Emporium-Capwell Southland
Replacing the former Liberty House, Emporium-Capwell opened at Southland Mall. The grand opening 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.
Emporium NewPark
The last store to open, this was a relocation of the Fremont Fashion Center store, which became a clearance center. The store was designed by Architects Pacifica Ltd. As far as I know, this was the only store updated to have just "Emporium" signage on the store after "Capwell's" was dropped by the company parent. The building was gutted to the steel beams and now houses AMC theaters.
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| Artist's rendering from 1986. |
Emporium-Capwell stores
Unless noted, all stores closed in 1996.
- The Emporium Downtown - Opened on May 25, 1896 on Market Street in San Francisco.
- Capwell's Oakland - Opened August 1929 at 20th and Broadway in Oakland.
- The Emporium Stonestown - Opened July 17, 1952 at Stonestown Shopping Center.
- Capwell's Walnut Creek - Opened March 19, 1954 at Broadway Plaza,
- The Emporium Stanford - Opened February 23, 1956 at the Stanford Shopping Center.
- The Emporium Stevens Creek - Opened March 8, 1957 in Santa Clara. When the new Valley Fair Mall opened in 1986, the store would be known as Emporium-Capwell Valley Fair.
- Capwell's Hayward - Opened September 11, 1957 in downtown Hayward. Closed September 30, 1983 when the store moved to Southland Mall.
- Capwell's El Cerrito - Opened July 9, 1958 at El Cerrito Plaza.
- The Emporium Hillsdale - Opened September 12, 1962 at Hillsdale Mall in San Mateo.
- The Emporium Marin - Opened Jun e26, 1964 at Northgate Mall in San Rafael.
- The Emporium Santa Rosa - Opened July 14, 1966 at Coddington Mall in Santa Rosa
- Capwell's Fremont - Opened February 22, 1968 at the Fremont Fashion Center. It became a clearance center in 1987 when the store moved to NewPark Mall, and closed in 1992.
- The Emporium Almaden - Opened August 8, 1968 at San Jose's Almaden Plaza.
- The Emporium Mountain View - Opened October 29, 1970 on El Camino Real in Mountain View.
- The Emporium Tanforan - Opened September 28, 1972 at Tanforan Park Shopping Center in San Bruno.
- The Emporium Salinas - Opened 1973 in Northridge Mall in Salinas.
- Capwell's Hilltop - Opened August 4, 1976 at Hilltop Mall in Richmond.
- Emporium-Capwell Eastridge - Opened in 1978 at Eastridge Mall in San Jose. This store replaced Liberty House.
- Emporium-Capwell Pleasanton - Opened in 1980 at Stoneridge Mall in Pleasanton.
- Emporium-Capwell Sunvalley - Opened February 5, 1981 at SunValley Mall in Concord.
- Emporium-Capwell Solano - Opened February 3, 1983 at Solano Mall in Fairfield.
- Emporium-Capwell Southland - Opened October 15, 1983 at Southland Mall in Hayward. This was a relocation of the Hayward store, and replaced Liberty House.
- Emporium-Capwell Vallco - Opened November 19, 1984 at Vallco Fashion Park in Cupertino. It replaced Bullock's.
- Emporium NewPark - Opened February 7, 1987 at NewPark Mall in Newark. This was a relocation of the Fremont Fashion Center store.
Comments
We always shopped at the Capwells at Fremont's Fashion Center. It was basically the only anchor there but was accompanied by Grodins, Roos Atkins and a smattering of other stores. The big draw was a Farrell's ice cream shop.
Interestingly, the shopping center is still there in a much modified form -- even the department store building is remodeled into an extention for Washington Hospital.
Scott
There is still a little piece of the mall still left in almost it's original condition that is just to the west of the former department store. Interesting that it was very similar in design to Almaden Plaza.
Especially when you consider that all these old department stores had "tea rooms".
Scott
And yes, bigmallrat, the Marin store was indeed at Northgate Mall, but would you know if the Sears store there originally a City of Paris store?
Scott
Thanks!
www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=131724583510697
Thanks!
www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=131724583510697
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=131724583510697
Joe Walsh
Anyway we had a professional culinery advisor named Patti Foley who drove a cool Corvette.Anyway David,you use to along with other employees come over to Patti's area and grab free samples of what food she conjured up for that day.
I remember January 28th,1986 the morning of the Space shuttle disastor,You had all the TV sets on that morning and we gathered around watching the disastor unfold before our eyes.As far as working at Emporium,I made allot of great friend there from 1984-86.
Even though like all jobs,it was fun,but it was also a pain in the butt!
I still remember working in the store the day the workers came to take down the “Emporium” sign and put up the “Macy’s” neon on the store . . . I’ve lost both of my parents, and I can say that seeing this nameplate change was almost as painful as losing my beloved parents. The workers doing this change realized how emotional it was for us and did this as sensitively as possible. Knowing that Broadway Stores, Inc. (parent company of Emporium Capwell from the late 60’s) had 6 times the debt-to earnings when Federated Department Stores acquired them made it understandable that this had to happen to survive, but you hope that the Department Store field can continue to be profitable.
All of you that have fond memories of large, heavily staffed department stores of the past: think about your next purchase and who it’ll help more. Us remembering the past and wishing it was still here, just look ahead 10 years from now when all department stores could be just a memory. Make that purchase at a department store instead of a specialty store and keep them around – even if they aren’t the rosy past that they were. Maybe someone can reinvent an elegant, efficient, profitable, pleasure-filled department store sometime in our future. I’m confident that all of us would shop there if someone has the passion and drive to turn our past into a great future.
Plus, it's really fun reading stories of the people who shopped at Capwell's .. it gives me a much clearer idea of my family in California. Most migrated back to the East Coast but there are a few of us Capwells who would love to live back in this area. I hope I can learn more of where I can Capwell department store history for me and my family thru this site. Thank you so very much.
I worked there in the evening and made the customers bounce in with my personal music ,added a younger class of clothing. As great as it was I can't remember the name of the store, did not need a resume then.
What was the name of the Womans Dept. store (For older women)in 1977 on the right side as you walk out of the Emporium on the corner?
I worked there in the evening and made the customers bounce in with my personal music ,added a younger class of clothing. As great as it was I can't remember the name of the store, did not need a resume then, need one now.
The_clockwork@hotmail.com
I wanted to share a face book page I've started for the Emporium on Market st. down town San Francisco. I originally made it for former employees but I'm expanded it to include every one so please have a look! Thanks!
http://www.facebook.com/groups/348540701857540/
for the Emporium for about 15 years. I do miss it because it's turned out to be the only decent job I've ever had.
I became assistant manager in china because Regina got the assistant manager position in housewares. I remember you David. You worked with my best friend Elaine.
I loved that place so much. I was heartbroken when it closed. The Vallco housewares department trained us on everything we sold. I loved not selling on commission. The changes towards the end were sad.
I did end up with fetishes from my time there - Eggs Benedict and absolutely anything that goes in a kitchen!
I was there from opening till 87 or so. I worked at the Santa Teresa store for a little while and later I came back to Vallco but about 3 days in heels on those concrete and tile floors was all I could stand.