Lost department stores of the West: Gottschalks (1904—2009)

Gottschalks always felt like a retail mystery to me—one of those strange blips on the department store timeline. Though the name had long been known in the Central Valley since 1904, it didn’t make its curious debut until 1988 in the Santa Cruz area, then 1989 in the Bay Area. And when it did, it raised a few questions: What is a Gottschalks? How do you even say it? And why does their logo have a daisy on it? Was this a store or a gardening catalog?

Naturally, I had to investigate.

Their first Bay Area metro store bloomed quietly at Antioch’s Somersville Towne Center—though back then, it was still clinging to the name County East Mall. Freshly remodeled with enough mirrored ceilings to make Narcissus himself swoon, the mall looked ready for a new era. As for the new anchor? Well… meh. It was fine. It had clothes, cosmetics, cookware—but this was 1989, and department stores were already starting to either evolve or unravel. Gottschalks didn’t quite scream “future.” It barely whispered “present.”

Gottschalks opened its first Bay Area store in 1989 at Somersville Towne Center, formerly County East Mall.

Still, I was told by more than one shopper-in-the-know: the better the area, the better the store.

After operating a few off-mall stores around Santa Cruz since September 1988, Gottschalks made a bigger move in June 1990 by opening a brand-new location at Capitola Mall. Stepping inside felt like walking into a perfectly preserved time capsule. The store was unapologetically 1990—mauve accents, bold geometric shapes, and a domed skylight that beamed with retro ambition. It wasn’t exactly my scene, but I couldn’t help being charmed.

At Capitola Mall, Gottschalks embraced 1990 mall aesthetics—mauve accents, skylights, and geometric flair. It was the largest store in the chain.

By 1994, Gottschalks pushed further north into Sacramento, planting a flag at the oddly quiet Country Club Plaza—a mall so modest it barely pinged the radar. It felt random. And to this day, I think it was the only Gottschalks I ever saw in that region.

Gottschalks quietly expanded into Sacramento in 1994 with a store at Country Club Plaza.

Then came 1997, a rough year for Bay Area mall lovers still nursing the loss of Emporium-Capwell. So when Gottschalks opened at Santa Rosa’s Coddingtown Mall—replacing a gloomy Macy’s Clearance Center that had overstayed its welcome—it felt like a small win. Sure, it was no Emporium, but at least someone turned the lights on.

In 1997, Gottschalks replaced Macy’s Clearance Center at Santa Rosa’s Coddingtown Mall (originally a Liberty House store).

And then, in 1999, Gottschalks made a move that still has me scratching my head: they opened a store in Blackhawk Plaza. Yes, that Blackhawk. Danville fancy. The mall had just lost a Saks Fifth Avenue after less than a year, and here comes Gottschalks, all daisyed-up, stepping in like it belonged next to art galleries and boutiques. The locals weren’t exactly thrilled. This wasn’t Bonwit Teller, after all. But I went. And yes, they carried Waterford Crystal. So, not exactly bargain basement. Still, the vibe was off, and I didn’t go back. The store closed in 2006 and few noticed, really.

Gottschalks' unexpected move into upscale Blackhawk Plaza in 1999 raised eyebrows—and carried Waterford Crystal.

As the 2000s rolled in, so did the financial headlines: acquisitions, lawsuits, expansion plans. Gottschalks eventually grew to 80 stores across six western states. Impressive, really. But trouble loomed. In 2009, the company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. They couldn’t find a buyer. By July that year, all the stores were gone—liquidated and shuttered, just like that.

Looking back, Gottschalks never quite made my mall rotation. It didn’t have the draw of Macy’s, the charm of Emporium, or even the wild-card energy of a Sears appliance department. But I’ll always remember that daisy on the logo. There was something hopeful about it. Soft. Slightly out of place. But memorable all the same.

And in the end, maybe that’s exactly what Gottschalks was. A store slightly out of place, but one I’m glad I wandered into—at least once.

Key Gottschalks locations and dates

The 1900s

Gottschalks Fulton Mall, Fresno: 1904–October 1, 1988.

The 1970s

Gottschalks Fashion Fair Mall, Fresno: 1970–2009. The store moved from its original space to the former Weinstock's when that chain closed in 1996. 

Gottschalks Vintage Faire Mall, Modesto: 1977-2009. The store moved from its original space to the former Weinstock's when that chain closed in 1996.

Macy’s Men’s and Home at Vintage Faire Mall in Modesto, housed in the former Gottschalks building (the first location)—its distinctive stepped facade and large arched entryway remain a hallmark of the original 1970s architecture.

The second location of Gottschalks at Vintage Faire Mall after taking over the former Weinstock's building in 1996.

Gottschalks Manchester Center, Fresno: 1978–2009.

The iconic Gottschalks store at Manchester Center, Fresno. The façade, now silent, once served as a Valley retail landmark.

The 1980s

Gottschalks Sherwood Mall, Stockton: 1987–2009.

Gottschalks County East Mall, Antioch: 1989–2009.

The 1990s

Gottschalks Capitola Mall, Capitola: 1990–2009. Relocating its downtown Santa Cruz store.

Gottschalks Country Club Plaza, Sacramento: 1994–2006. Replaced JC Penney.

Gottschalks, Carson Mall, Carson City, NV: 1995–2009.

Gottschalks West Valley Mall, Tracy: Oct. 1995–2009.

Gottschalks Park Lane Mall, Reno, NV: 1996–2008. Replaced Weinstock's.

Gottschalks Blackhawk Plaza, Danville: 1996–2006. Replaced Saks Fifth Avenue.

Gottschalks Coddingtown Mall, Santa Rosa: 1997–2009. Replaced Liberty House.

The 2000s

Gottschalks Redding, Nov. 2000–2009. Gottschalks originally opened a 7,776 sq. ft shop in Mount Shasta Mall in 1993, then, after a lot of mall drama, moved to a full-size store in 2000 on Hilltop Drive.

Gottschalks River Park, Fresno: 2005–2009.