Friday, June 10, 2011

The Capwell's Story - H. C. Capwell Department Stores

The story of the H. C. Capwell Company is told in this interesting newspaper article from 1968. The article was part of a multi-page spread in the Fremont Argus newspaper commemorating the opening of the Capwell's in the Fremont Fashion Center.

The Capwell's name was used exclusively for stores located in the San Francisco East Bay until 1980 when Capwell's parent corporation, Carter Hawley Hale Stores, opened an "Emporium-Capwell" at Pleasanton's Stoneridge Mall. West Bay residents continued to call it "The Emporium" while East Bay residents called it "Capwell's."

Enjoy!
Scott

1 comment:

Rob said...

Hilltop in Richmond would be the sixth and final store opened with the "Capwells" name in 1976. The Stoneridge and Sunvalley stores opened in the 80's as "Emporium-Capwell" would likely have been Capwells were it not for the name change. What was interesting is that while all the Capwells changed their signs to Emporium Capwell, the Emporiums across the bay did not.