Before Amazon Prime and fast fashion, there was Weinstock’s—Sacramento’s homegrown department store and the heartbeat of local shopping. For over a century, Weinstock’s wasn’t just a place to buy clothes—it was a Saturday ritual, a bridal registry destination, and a symbol of elegance in everyday life.
A Sacramento legacy: from dry goods to department store giant
Weinstock’s roots go back to 1874, when founders Harris Weinstock and David Lubin opened a dry goods store in Sacramento under the name Weinstock & Lubin. By the early 20th century, their small shop had grown into a regional powerhouse, anchoring shopping districts throughout Northern California.
After Lubin’s death, the store was renamed Weinstock-Lubin & Co., eventually simplified to just Weinstock’s. During the postwar retail boom, Weinstock’s became part of Broadway-Hale Stores, which would later merge into Federated Department Stores, parent company of Macy’s.
The Hale’s connection: a brief merger of chains
Hale’s Department Store, founded in San Jose in 1876 by Oliver and Marshall Hale, was a major force in Northern California retail. At its peak, Hale’s operated 10 stores across San Francisco (5 locations), Oakland, San Jose, Sacramento (2 locations), and Stockton, offering everything from apparel to appliances.
In the early 1960s, Hale’s merged with The Broadway of Southern California to form Broadway-Hale Stores, which also acquired a controlling interest in Emporium-Capwell. With three major brands in overlapping markets, Broadway-Hale began consolidating.
In 1963, five of Hale’s seven Bay Area stores were closed—including its Oakland store and appliance stores in San Francisco. The Mission Street store in San Francisco shut down in 1967, followed by the final San Jose Hale’s on February 3, 1968.
Meanwhile, in 1965, Hale’s was merged with Weinstock-Lubin to form Weinstock-Hale, operating two sets of stores in Sacramento. By 1968, the Hale’s name was retired entirely, and remaining locations were rebranded simply as Weinstock’s.
Though the Hale’s name disappeared, its legacy lived on through its stores and style—later carried forward under the Weinstock’s banner.
Weinstock's store locations
All stores closed in 1996 unless noted.
1. Weinstocks Sacramento
Opened at K & 12th as Sacramento City Dry Goods Store in 1903. After a fire, it was replaced by a new building in 1924, named Weinstock, Lubin & Co. It was a Beaux-Arts landmark—complete with a grand arch, fine finishes, and elegance at every corner. It closed in 1979 when a new store opened in Downtown Plaza.
2. Weinstocks Sacramento (Hale's)
Opened at K & 9th as Hale's in 1879. Closed in 1976.
3. Weinstock's Country Club (Weinstock-Lubin)
Opened at Sacramento's Country Club Plaza as Weinstock-Lubin on March 4, 1961. Designed by Charles Luckman & Associates of Los Angeles.
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| Contemporary view of the former Weinstock’s at Country Club Plaza in Sacramento, originally opened in 1961. The building’s distinct modernist design features broad horizontal forms and a dramatic entrance that once welcomed generations of shoppers. |
4. Weinstock's Arden Fair (Hale's)
Opened at Sacramento's Arden Fair mall as Hale's in August 10, 1961. 220,000 sq. ft.
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| A modern view of the former 1961 Hale’s department store at Arden Fair Mall in Sacramento, now part of Macy’s. The building retains its mid-century architectural lines, with clean facades and minimal ornamentation that reflect the elegance of early suburban retail design. |
5. Weinstock's Stockton (Weinstock-Hale)
Opened at Weberstown Mall as Weinstock-Hale in late 1965. Demolished.
6. Weinstock's Reno, NV
Opened at Park Lane Mall in July 1967. Closed January 15, 1996. Demolished.
7. Weinstock's Florin
Opened at Sacramento's Florin Mall on October 9, 1967. Demolished.
8. Weinstock's Fresno
Opened at Fashion Fair mall in September 1970. Designed by Charles Luckman & Associates of Los Angeles.
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| The former Weinstock’s at Fashion Fair Mall in Fresno, built in 1970, still showcases its original clean lines and bold modernist geometry. |
9. Weinstock's Citrus Heights
Opened at Sunrise Mall in February 1972. Designed by Charles Luckman & Associates of Los Angeles.
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| The former Weinstock’s at Sunrise Mall in Citrus Heights, built in 1972 and now Macy’s, showcases strong horizontal lines with bold geometric pop-outs. Its low-slung profile and textured concrete panels exemplify the era’s modern retail architecture. |
10. Weinstock's Modesto
Opened at Vintage Faire Mall on February 12, 1977.
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| The 1977 Weinstock’s at Vintage Fair Mall features distinctive angled corners and rows of clerestory windows above the main entrance—marking a modern turn in the chain’s store design. |
11. Weinstock's Murray, UT
Part of a push into Utah with their first store in the state opening at trendy Fashion Place Mall in 1978. Closed in 1993 and sold to Mervyn's. The building was ultimately demolished. It was similar in appearance to the Modesto store.
12. Weinstock's Downtown Plaza
Opened downtown Sacramento in 1979. Replaced the early downtown store that had been in operation since 1924. Demolished.
13. Weinstock's Ogden, UT
Opened at Ogden City Center in 1980. Closed in 1993. Demolished.
14. Weinstock's Salt Lake City, UT
Opened at Crossroads Plaza in October 1980. Closed in 1993 and sold to Mervyn's. The building was ultimately demolished.
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| A 1984 directory from Crossroads Plaza in Salt Lake City, Utah, showing anchor tenant Weinstock’s, which joined the downtown shopping center in 1980 as part of a major retail expansion. |
The final chapter: Weinstock’s becomes Macy’s
In 1995, Federated Department Stores decided to phase out the Weinstock’s brand. In early 1996, stores were converted into Macy’s, or shuttered entirely, bringing an end to 120+ years of regional retail history.
Weinstock’s lives on—in memory and architecture
While the Weinstock’s name is gone, its legacy endures in the memories of shoppers and the architecture of its former stores. From clerestory windows to dramatic corner entrances, these buildings remain symbols of mid-century elegance and community pride.
Weinstock’s wasn’t just a place to shop. It was where people gathered, celebrated milestones, and lived out everyday moments in style. Today, those memories live on—in photos, in architecture, and in the hearts of those who remember Sacramento’s most iconic department store.
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