Rhodes was one of those department stores that seemed perpetually in transition.
Depending on when you encountered it, the same building might have been Kahn's, Rhodes, RhodesWAY, or Liberty House. The names changed, the ownership changed, and the retail landscape around it changed too.
Yet for two decades, Rhodes was a familiar sight across Northern California, anchoring shopping centers from Sacramento to Fresno, Oakland, Concord, Mountain View, and eventually Dublin.
Although the Rhodes name disappeared in 1975, its story reflects the rapid evolution of postwar retailing in California—an era when new shopping centers were opening almost monthly and department stores were racing to keep up.
Rhodes arrives in California
Rhodes began its journey as part of Western Department Stores, which included regional chains like Kahn’s in Oakland and Olds & King in Portland.
A flagship Rhodes store opened in Sacramento at Country Club Centre on November 12, 1954, marking the brand’s entry into California retail.
Throughout the late 1950s, Rhodes expanded steadily. In 1959, the Rhodes Fresno store opened at Manchester Center.
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| The Rhodes flagship store opened in 1954 at Sacramento’s Country Club Centre, marking the brand’s California debut. |
Kahn’s becomes Rhodes
In 1960, Western Department Stores rebranded many of its outlets, including Kahn’s locations, under the Rhodes name, increasing the chain’s presence across the Bay Area.
Kahn’s Oakland at 15th and Broadway and Kahn’s Concord at Park N Shop both became Rhodes.
That same year, a new Rhodes opened at Southgate Shopping Center in Sacramento.
In 1963, a new Rhodes opened in the San Antonio Shopping Center in Mountain View, called Rhodes Palo Alto.
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| Rhodes Southgate store, opened in 1960 at Southgate Shopping Center, served Sacramento shoppers for 15 years before becoming Liberty House. |
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| Artist’s rendering of the Rhodes store at San Antonio Shopping Center in Mountain View, unveiled in 1963. |
RhodesWAY and Amfac’s acquisition
In 1969, Amfac of Hawaii acquired Rhodes Western, bringing a new vision to the chain: introduce Hawaii’s Liberty House department store to the mainland.
In 1971, after acquiring Baza’r stores, Amfac launched RhodesWAY, a discount store concept aimed at attracting budget-conscious shoppers. RhodesWAY grew quickly but only lasted two years before closing in 1973. Most RhodesWAY locations shut down, except for the Dublin store, which was upgraded to a full Rhodes store in late 1972.
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| Originally a RhodesWAY store in Dublin opened October 1971, upgraded to full Rhodes on November 1, 1972 before transitioning to Liberty House in 1975. Amfac intended to replace the store with a a 32-store enclosed mall, then build a new Rhodes, but it never materialized. |
The transition to Liberty House
By 1973, Rhodes and Liberty House merged marketing efforts into a single mainland division, although stores retained their Rhodes signage temporarily.
In 1974, Rhodes Palo Alto converted to Liberty House.
In 1975, Rhodes Country Club, Fresno, Oakland, Concord, Southgate, and Dublin stores were all rebranded as Liberty House.
This marked the end of the Rhodes name on the West Coast.
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| A 1973 ad marks the merger of Rhodes and Liberty House, promising shoppers the best of both stores. Also featured: a $70 calculator—worth nearly a full paycheck back then. |
The final chapter
By 1975, the Rhodes name quietly vanished from California shopping centers.
Most customers probably paid little attention to the change. The same buildings remained, many of the same employees stayed, and shoppers simply returned beneath new Liberty House signs.
Yet the disappearance of Rhodes reflected a larger trend reshaping American retail. Regional department stores were increasingly being absorbed into larger chains, while shopping centers themselves were becoming bigger, more competitive, and more corporate.
Today, few traces of Rhodes remain beyond old newspaper ads, faded photographs, and a handful of surviving buildings. But for a generation of California shoppers, Rhodes occupied an important place in the state's postwar retail boom—a department store chain that bridged the gap between the downtown era and the age of the suburban mall.
Key Rhodes locations and dates
Rhodes Country Club (Sacramento): 1954–May 9, 1975
Rhodes Fresno: 1959–1975
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| The former Rhodes department store at Fresno’s Manchester Center—once a bustling retail anchor in the 1960s—now houses CalTrans offices. The building’s distinctive mid-century façade still hints at its department store past, even as its purpose has shifted from commerce to civic use. |
Rhodes Oakland: September 6, 1960–March 14, 1975
Rhodes Concord: September 6, 1960–May 9, 1975
Rhodes Southgate (Sacramento): October 27, 1960–1975
Rhodes Palo Alto (Mountain View): October 4, 1963–September 12, 1974
Rhodes Golden Hills (Dublin): 1972–March 14, 1975 (started as RhodesWAY in 1971)
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