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| Illustration of Capwell's store which opened to the public in August of 1929, replacing an earlier location built in 1912 |
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| Oakland's Quality Department Stores |
H. C. Capwell Co. (Capwell’s) (1889/1912/1929)
Broadway-Twentieth-Telegraph
Oakland, CA 94612
TEmplebar 2-1111
Basement
The Terrace Room Luncheonette • Post Office • Toys • Sporting Goods • Capwell’s Basement Store
Street Floor
Precious Fashion Jewelry 143 • Silverware 160 • Fashion Jewelry 141 • Hat Bar • Handkerchiefs • Hosiery 251 • Neckwear • Gloves 260 • Fashion Accessories 233 • Handbags 172, 173 • Leather Goods 171 • Cosmetics 120 • Fragrances 121 • Toiletries 124 • Sweaters 380 • Blouses 390 • Street Floor Sportswear 385 • Casual Shoes 423 • Women’s Shoes 421, 427 • Famolare Shoes 421 • Cameras • Stationery 200 • Candy • Books • Home and Business Machines 207 • Notions • Men’s Accessories 510 • Men’s Furnishings 511, 512, 514 • Men’s Sportswear 500, 506, 507, 517 • Men’s Active Sportswear 519 • Vanguard 520 • 20th & Broadway 525 • Men’s Clothing 508 • Men’s Hats • Men’s Shoes 540 • Boys’ Wear 550
Mezzanine
Repair • Travel Service
Second Floor
California Dresses 357 • Social Dressing 345 • California Sportswear 389, 383 • Active Sportswear 384, 386 • Casual Dresses • Town & Country Dresses 352 • California Coats 310 • Suits • Better Dresses 350 • Better Sportswear 393 • Better Coats 300 • Contemporary Sportswear 392 • Furs 400 • Millinery • Designers Gallery • Bridal Shop • Collegienne Shop 348, 374, 376 • Collegienne Sportswear 368, 371, 375 • Collegienne Coats • Collegienne Suits • Collegienne Shoes 421 • Beauty Salon • Sleepwear 444 • Shape Shop 448 • Lingerie 450 • Loungewear 480 • Infants’ Wear 461 • Toddlers’ Wear 465 • Girls’ Wear 471 • Girls’Accessories 464 • Teen Shop 475 • Children’s Accessories 469 • Children’s Shoes • Boys’ Wear 467
Third Floor
Merritt Shops Merritt Dresses 360 • Merritt Sportswear 381 • Merrit Coats and Suits • Merritt Women’s Dresses • Daytime Dresses • Uniforms • Maternity
Sewing Center • Art Needleworkr • Luggage 560 • China 651 • Glassware 632 • Gifts 280 • Table Top 61 • Housewares • Basic Housewares • Decorative Housewares 690 • Cookware 680 • Gourmet Shop • Kitchenware/Gourmet 670 • Small Electrics • Appliances • Lamps • Pictures and Mirrors • Lamps • Radios • Hi Fi • Televisions 706 • Records • Photograph Studio
Fourth Floor
Furniture 603, 605 • Casual Furniture 680 • Rugs 615 • Sleep Shop • Draperies • Curtains • Patio Shop
Fifth Floor
Roof Garden Restaurant
(500,000 s.f.)
The Terrace Room Luncheonette • Post Office • Toys • Sporting Goods • Capwell’s Basement Store
Street Floor
Precious Fashion Jewelry 143 • Silverware 160 • Fashion Jewelry 141 • Hat Bar • Handkerchiefs • Hosiery 251 • Neckwear • Gloves 260 • Fashion Accessories 233 • Handbags 172, 173 • Leather Goods 171 • Cosmetics 120 • Fragrances 121 • Toiletries 124 • Sweaters 380 • Blouses 390 • Street Floor Sportswear 385 • Casual Shoes 423 • Women’s Shoes 421, 427 • Famolare Shoes 421 • Cameras • Stationery 200 • Candy • Books • Home and Business Machines 207 • Notions • Men’s Accessories 510 • Men’s Furnishings 511, 512, 514 • Men’s Sportswear 500, 506, 507, 517 • Men’s Active Sportswear 519 • Vanguard 520 • 20th & Broadway 525 • Men’s Clothing 508 • Men’s Hats • Men’s Shoes 540 • Boys’ Wear 550
Mezzanine
Repair • Travel Service
Second Floor
California Dresses 357 • Social Dressing 345 • California Sportswear 389, 383 • Active Sportswear 384, 386 • Casual Dresses • Town & Country Dresses 352 • California Coats 310 • Suits • Better Dresses 350 • Better Sportswear 393 • Better Coats 300 • Contemporary Sportswear 392 • Furs 400 • Millinery • Designers Gallery • Bridal Shop • Collegienne Shop 348, 374, 376 • Collegienne Sportswear 368, 371, 375 • Collegienne Coats • Collegienne Suits • Collegienne Shoes 421 • Beauty Salon • Sleepwear 444 • Shape Shop 448 • Lingerie 450 • Loungewear 480 • Infants’ Wear 461 • Toddlers’ Wear 465 • Girls’ Wear 471 • Girls’Accessories 464 • Teen Shop 475 • Children’s Accessories 469 • Children’s Shoes • Boys’ Wear 467
Third Floor
Merritt Shops Merritt Dresses 360 • Merritt Sportswear 381 • Merrit Coats and Suits • Merritt Women’s Dresses • Daytime Dresses • Uniforms • Maternity
Sewing Center • Art Needleworkr • Luggage 560 • China 651 • Glassware 632 • Gifts 280 • Table Top 61 • Housewares • Basic Housewares • Decorative Housewares 690 • Cookware 680 • Gourmet Shop • Kitchenware/Gourmet 670 • Small Electrics • Appliances • Lamps • Pictures and Mirrors • Lamps • Radios • Hi Fi • Televisions 706 • Records • Photograph Studio
Fourth Floor
Furniture 603, 605 • Casual Furniture 680 • Rugs 615 • Sleep Shop • Draperies • Curtains • Patio Shop
Fifth Floor
Roof Garden Restaurant
(500,000 s.f.)
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| Walnut Creek Broadway Plaza March, 1954 Compton's |
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Hayward
22301 Foothill Blvd.
September, 1957
Compton's
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El Cerrito Plaza
#1 El Cerrito Plaza
July, 1958
140,000 sq. ft.
Kirby's
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Fremont
2500 Mowry Avenue
February, 1968
183,000 sq. ft.
Mission Buffet
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Hilltop Mall
Richmond
August, 1976
150,000 s.f.
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Coming in due course.
I worked part time as a stock boy in the Oakland store for several years in the 1960s while I was a student at Berkeley. It was a great store, lovely old building.
ReplyDeleteIn the 70s I worked at I. Magnin across the street...
ReplyDeleteCapwells had a branch of the Post Office in the basement - that was where I took the meters to be for postage refill. There also was a very large pink coffee shop type restaurant in the basement.
I always liked Capwells
Just bought a beautiful old wooden chair that had HC Capwell's Broadway, Telegraph stamped on the bottom of the seat. Nice wood work and I really like the design. Glad to know its a bit old and I enjoy knowing where it came from.
ReplyDeleteI vividly remember the El Cerrito Plaza store. It had a large, red neon sign which you could see from BART and up in the El Cerrito hills (if you were driving on Arlington Blvd., you could clearly see it). Capwell's was bought out by the Emporium in the early 60s, but the stores only became known as Emporium Capwell in the 80s sometime.
ReplyDeleteThe El Cerrito Capwell's was the first place I ever saw automatic faucets in the bathroom; an annoying development. I do believe nothing remains of the original department store structure remains since El Cerrito Plaza's redesign in the 1990s.
I fondly worked for the Emporium Capwell in the late 1980's until their demise in the 1990's. I was dispatched to the Downtown Oakland store after the Oct 1989 earthquake that shook the building slightly off its foundation. I worked weeks in the dusty 'bargain basement' that was the clearance center at the time. The 20th St BART train station opened up to the basement entrance. I remember the huge freight elevators that were still operated by hand to raise them just to the right level of each floor to load and unload all the merchandise! The Roof Garden on the 5th floor was beautiful on a sunny day! They still had "The Lace House" placards on the front entrances and the beautiful chandeliers on the high ceilinged first floor.
ReplyDeleteI have a beautiful, well kept hat box with the original "Capwell's" logo on the top. Does anyone know of a place where I might be able to sell it?
ReplyDeleteCristin (creichmuth AT yahoo DOT com)
9/03/16 - I worked in the women's dresses area, 2nd floor - Christmas help from Oct 1963 to Jan 1964.
DeleteAs a child we used to "play" on the elevators. Capwell's in Oakland was considered "plush". Loved it!
Jansatwork@hotmail.com
How much
DeleteTo Cristin,
ReplyDeleteWe are working on a film right now that deals with Capwells Department Store history. I would love to purchase that hat box if I could. My email is monty@hpr.com
Thanks so much,
Monty
I have a vintage pink beaded clutch/purse that is trimmed in metal and I was wondering if anyone had information on it I still have the original HC Capwell box it came in though the box is tattered. Please email me at erins@lincolnxing.org if you think you might know more about it.
ReplyDeleteThanks
Erin
I live in Oakland with my wife and daughter. While we were visiting my in laws near Boston, they gave to my 4 year old daughter a child's size fox fur muff and hat still in the Cadwell's original box from 1965 or so. Round trip back to Oakland after 45 years.
ReplyDeleteWorked at Capwells Department store in the early 70's. Remember when Marqauz Hemingway was there to promote her perfume.
ReplyDeleteThese memories are wonderful, I never worked at Capwell's but I shopped there! I enjoyed the Walnut Creek Capwell's from 1976 to 1993, and I worked at East Bay MUD in Oakland and walked to Capwells every pay day to treat myself!
ReplyDeleteMy family shopped at Capwell's in the 1940's. It was far more elegant than our other downtown Oakland shopping destinations, Sear's, Penny's, or Hales. Capwell's smelled of perfume and luxury; Sears smelled of popcorn (there was a popcorn machine at the bottom of the basement stairs).
ReplyDeleteI worked in Capwell's as a "salesgirl" when I was in college (1959-63) Dress code was solid color dresses or skirts in black, beige, gray or brown. White blouses. Stockings a must. Shoes were pumps or flats.
I worked there first as a part-time "floater" salesgirl while in college, later as a management trainee and assistant department manager after I graduated, between 1968 and 1973. While I was there the dress code was softened slightly to allow pants suits (top and bottom of the same color), and the color choices were enlarged to green and navy. We were given 15% off on any purchase and 20% off on things we could wear to work. I made $1.88/hour to start and $650/month when I left to go back to school.
DeleteThey had more branch stores, 11 I think by the time they joined Emporium.
ReplyDeleteMy family owned the Downtown Foodmart across the street. It too was built in 1929. 305@nyms.net
ReplyDeletecan anyone tell me if they sold furs I have a beautful fur coat with high shouldernad long black
ReplyDeleteand the tag says THE H.C.CAPWELL co.
FUR SALON
if any on can help me my email is
smailliwkl@comcast.net thank-you lorraine
Yes they had a fur salon...
DeleteYes they did sell furs. My husband bought me an opposum coat at Capwells. I still have it.
DeleteOh Yes, my grandmother worked in the better coats and fur salon at Capwells. I got my first job there as a gift wrapper. I think the wage was about 1.50 per hour then. It was a wonderful store, when store's still made beautiful windows. Our big thing was at Christmas to go get an ice cream cone and drive around the block to see all the decorations. Sad, indeed, that these wonderful companies are out of business and the buildings as well are probably gone.
DeleteI was a department manager when the earthquake in 89 did so much damage. My office was on the mezzaine. Fond memories of the people. I just set up a Face Book group for pictures and memories should anyont be interested
ReplyDeletedonlambsf@earthlink.net
I worked at Capwells downtown Oakland in the mid 1770s as an assistant junior buyer, and as a promotion we hosted an appearance of the Commodores before Lionel Richie broke off from the band. I was just out of college and this was my first job so I had no idea what to expect. What a mob scene with screaming fans!
ReplyDeleteI remember when they were hosting Ertha Kitt when she was touring in the musical "Timbuktu", such a tiny lady, there was a line going out the door to see her. I also remember a resteraunt in the basement of Capwell's where Mon and I would eat lunch. During the late 60's or early 70's they had a "Mod" Teen section, done in psychidellic colors and teen girls and their Mom's could rest and have a coke from the coke machine. I do rememember the post office, the Bart Station in the basement as well as a Lady who would mend ladies 'laddered' nylons. In the mezzanine was a watch repair and travel section. And the ladies in the cosmetics mixing your own special blend of face powder, I think the brand was "Charles of the Ritz". The place was elegance personified.
ReplyDeleteI worked as an internal security officer in the Oakland from 1978-80. My job was to check employees handbags as they existed the store. After closing hours I would check doors and ring out registers. My job was full-time while I was a full time student at Merritt College 1981 graduate.
DeleteI have a recipe box full of printed recipes with weekly dates in 1930 on them. The bottom of each card says "Susan Little, Director, Post-Enquirer Bureau of Home Economics-- Free Cooking Classes Every Thursday-- Auditorium of The H. C. Capwell Co., Oakland". I'd love to find out more about this.
ReplyDeleteI worked iin the addressograph department between high school and college (1959). Then, three years later, I registered china and silver for my bridal registry on Capwells's first floor. Downtown shopping was a wonderful place to shop in thoses days. So much has changed...sign!
ReplyDeleteHello I never knew the pleasure of Emporium capwell, but my wife is a child did. Apparently in the 1987/1988 years, they put out a rabbit for Easter called Sunny Bunny. This was my wife's prized possessions a child and she practically wore it out, so her grandmother threw it away and she has never forgotten. Since you all remember the store, I am posting this story here in hopes that one of you may still have one of these stuffed rabbits, if you do, I would gladly buy it from you. The_clockwork@hotmail.com
ReplyDeleteI worked as a stock boy at the Fremont Store from 1970 to about 1977-78. I was paid a generous hourly rate because management wanted to keep the Teamster's Union at bay. I also had paid vacations and medical insurance. My income and related benefits from Capwell's allowed me to go to college (U.C. Berkeley) and law school (Santa Clara University). I will be forever grateful to Capwell's and the Teamster's Union.
ReplyDeleteThere was one other significant side benefit as well: my wife of 36 years. She was the cute little redhead in the Art Gifts Department. We have three children and three granchildren and counting.
I grew up in Oakland in the 1960s. Every year we would go to see Santa at the main Capwell's, in that big window facing the corner. Many family photos from the era. Also, my grandmother would take me to matinees at the Fox Oakland (in its declining days) and then bring me to Capwell's to buy me a hair ribbon from the notions counter. Sometimes we'd have a treat in the basement cafe, where the cream for her coffee was served in thumb-sized glass milk bottles. I loved that store. It was my first credit card.
ReplyDeleteI have a few scattered memories from trips to the Plaza Capwell's in the 70's mostly with my mother. The price of most items in the candy machine on the ground floor was $0.15, and I remember thinking that seemed a bit low. People smoked in the store, and I vividly recall the heavy stand-ashtrays scattered around the store. My mother would cash checks upstairs at a kind of banking window; seems like something out of the 60's. They proudly featured the first Pong console when it came out. I think we got one for Xmas that year. Around that same time I remember they were offering the Pet Rock. Final memory is of getting Gerald Irons's (I think...) autograph one evening with my dad near the toy section upstairs.
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother, Lillian Rose Buffum, worked in the yardage department of the Oakland store for 24 years, about 1942-1962, I believe. I still have her scissors that she used to cut fabric during all that time. I also have somewhere her length-of-service pins. Capwell's honored their longtime employees with pins for every five years of service, I believe, and gave them a lovely commendation and party when they retired. I remember, during WWII, my grandmother would take two or three of her grandchildren at a time for a special outing. First we'd go to Capwell's, where Grammy would buy us a hankie or a pair of socks with her 20% discount, then it was a movie at a theater nearby (can't remember the name), and finally ice cream at Edy's.
ReplyDeleteOh, how I missed working at the Emporium on Broadway. It was a beautiful store back in the early 90's. I started out as a stock clerk working for Michael Moore for a year and then moved on to the sales floor working any shift that was available to me until they put me in the Young Men's department. The camaraderie there was good.
ReplyDeleteI loved the Emporium..Gift Dept., was recomended to Executive training program by Mr Wertenbaugh, but went anotherdirection
DeleteMy mother and her sisters shopped at Capwell's Oakland in the 1930's when my mom owned a beauty salon a few blocks from the UC Berkeley campus. When I was a child, we'd always make a trek from our home in the 'burbs to Capwell's during the holidays - and have lunch at the Pepto-Bismol-Pink ladies luncheonette in the basement. When I was a pre-teen, would go to Capwell's with an older cousin and felt so grown-up. In 1968, I went to work for Capwell's in the 1st floor cosmetics/wig department - where I custom-blended chignons for customers while they waited and cut/styled wigs. Met the love of my (early) life when he parked my car one morning in a lot across the street(who is now a retired physician.) Capwell's 1929 architecture/interior was so elegant - wood, brass & glass - and their holiday decor gorgeous. Capwell's held so many memories for me - and I still miss it.
ReplyDeleteSeveral people have mentioned the luncheonette in Capwell's basement. It was called The Terrace Room.
ReplyDeleteI grew up with Capwell's. My Mother worked in Accessories from 1958 until 1970. Her name was Rose and she could put together outfits like no one else. We lived in Berkeley, caught the bus up the street from our house and got off at Capwell's. I was there about three times a week. I remember the Christmas windows and the Luncheonette in the Basement. I got all my clothes there. Capwell's was like part of the family because I spent so much time there. I would go to ballet lessons nearby and walk to Capwell's to take the bus home with my Mother. When I graduated from CAL I went to work as an Executive Trainee at the Emporium. Just keeping it in the family. We also shopped at the El Cerrito store and ate hamburgers at a restaurant next door. I love them because they were so delicious because the grease just ran down my arm. Ah the good old days.
ReplyDeleteI remember, they sold and stored furs in the 1940's and early 50's, as young boy in the 1940.s and 1950.s we used to rush downtown to Capwell.s to see the elaborate Christmas decoratins. I moved to the subburbs in !954.
ReplyDeleteIremember as High school student in the early 1950,s, we went to Capwells after school at Oakland Tech. .To listen to records one friend had to call homeand I was leaning on a box by the phone,soon I was surronded by several security guards. The box was a money payment box>
ReplyDeleteWorked at the Alice St. warehouse in early '70's and the main warehouse near the freeway in Oakland to closing in ~1981. Nice memories
ReplyDeleteRandy
I worked at Capwell's from 1974 to 1977...Was a great place, housewares on the 3rd floor always had these motherly type women selling blenders, pots whatever for a kitchen (nice ladies)...worked in sales in mens furnishings clock repair, sort of jack of all trades...you knew knew what department, you might end up in, but was fun store...I was in my teens then, and we all had to call our older co workers...(Mr or Mrs or Miss) no first names...LOL
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful memory of respecting your elders, a practice some have forgotten as it is not taught any more. Kudos to you.
DeleteThis store is now a Sears. There is a weird cognitive dissonance when you walk in...
ReplyDeletestanding at the top of the stairs, looking down into a store with beautiful marble and chandeliers with cheap Sears merch. I grew up in Chicago and it reminded me of Marshall Fields.
I worked at the Emporium Capwell on Foothill boulevard in Hayward beginning in 1981 when I was a 16-year old junior at Hayward High. I moved with the store when we relocated to Southland Mall and became simply 'Emporium'. Stayed at that job for 9 years. Met lots of good people and got the BEST customer service training one could ask for. The conflict avoidance, conflict resolution and customer interaction skills we were taught have served me well throughout my life and have given me the edge in more than one job interview. I am very thankful for my time at EC and will always remember those years -- and that place -- with great fondness.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the blog!!
Good CS skills are always a plus for any employee . Most people don't value how much they increase your value. Never let these skills wane.
DeleteGreetings! Our GNARINI side of my family has lived in Piedmont/Oakland since the 1860s. I recently found pictures of me as a little child with the Capwell's Santa dated from 1948 through 1951. Yes, the same Santa. The beauty of their window displays has stuck with me all through the years. Gaea (GNARINI) VAUGHAN
ReplyDeleteI grew up going to the downtown Oakland Capwell's in the 50s and 60s. My mother, Marian Purtymun, worked on the fourth floor three or four months a year taking and processing orders for imprinted Christmas cards. Her office was just off the Sleep Shop, where she would pass Mr. Walters at work selling mattresses and joke around with him.
ReplyDeleteWe always shopped at Capwell's for school clothes and Christmas presents, and would go see Santa there and look at the beautiful window displays. It was such a beautiful building on a December night, all lit up and decorated!
Whenever I went to the store I was fascinated by the system of vacuum tubes through which messages were sent between departments. People dressed up to go shopping downtown, the men in coats and hats and the women in heels, hats, and gloves. No one went shopping in their pajamas!
My sister reminded me this morning that our grandmother, Violet Randall, also worked at Capwell's for many years, in one of the corporate offices on the mezzanine and as a personal shopper. My grandmother never drove a car, and would take the bus down Telegraph every day from San Leandro. Sometimes, if we were visiting her, she would take us on the bus to downtown Oakland to shop at Capwell's, visit the other ladies who worked on the mezzanine (Genise, was one of them), and buy us lunch at the basement lunch counter.
Years later, when I lived in the Boston area, I assciated Jordan Marsh with the elegance, class, and dressiness of Capwell's. Neither exists anymore. :-(
Looking at the picture of the beautiful Oakland store, I also am reminded of the time our grandmother, Violet Randall, waited outside one door while her husband, Harold, double-parked in front of ANOTHER door, each wondering where the other one was and why they were late!
ReplyDeleteI have a postcard of the rooftop gardens and would like to know who designed it, who took care of it and was it available for public use???
ReplyDeleteI own a picture painted by Mrs. Josephine E. Capwell when her address was 145 Monte Cresta Avenue, Oakland, Ca. This was painted in the early 1900's.
ReplyDeleteThe subject is the Palace in Seville, Spain.
She was married to Henry Capwell owner of the
Capwell Stores. It is in the original frame and her idenity is on the bck side of the picture. The size is 28" X 31" in frame.
I am intereted in contacting any of the Capwell family or the Capwell Museum about selling the picture. Please contact me at donnarae@centurylink.net.
Does anyone remember a store on Broadway called 'Halliday's'? I don't know what they carried, exactly, but I do know some items were nice gifts. Each item had a foil sticker on the back that said, 'Halliday's 1750 Broadway, Oakland, CA'
ReplyDeleteChecking whether anyone responded to your question from 2013 regarding Halliday's. I just bought something that had one of their foil stickers on the back and trying to see what they were.
DeleteDon (camdopn@aol.com)
I have many fond memories dating back to my early childhood going to the basement restaurant. We always sat at waitress Tillies station.a tiny little lady with a big deep voice. I can still hear her say "you did,'nt eat all your peas! Then we would go to the sheet music department where Mom bought her piano music. Later after college I joined the executive training program,became a buyer ,and left in 1987.
ReplyDeleteSearching for photos of the Capwell's Estate at 145 Monte Cresta Avenue in Oakland near Piedmont...please respond to my email:
ReplyDeletefrogbharata@aol.com
Thanks, R.L.
I treasure the photos of me in the early fifties sitting on Santa's lap in the big, corner window. Later in life, my mother would bring us to the El Cerrito store to school shop since our hometown, Santa Rosa, didn't have many stores yet.
ReplyDeleteLittle did I know that after graduation from college in 1972, I'd join the buyer program and spend 7 great years there. Started out as an assistant buyer in toys in Oakland. The grand opening of the BART station in the basement was a really big deal. I then went to yardage and notions in El Cerrito, Womens dresses and coats in Fresmont, back to Oakland as an assistant buyer in juniors then returned to Fremont as a division manager. Ended up back in Oakland as the first better sportswear and swimwear buyer. It was during the drought of 76. Didn't sell many swimsuits!
Loved traveling to New York where I saw the very first Liz Claiborne line in her loft.
In 1975, they brought in a lot of new executives from Kaufman's in Pittsburg who didn't seem to grasp that California buyers were different than those in the mid-west. Many of them didn't last long, but things were never the same.
Nevertheless, I have lots of great memories and made lots of friends. We had great parties. lol
Memories of the Oakland store in the seventies
ReplyDeleteMy starting salary in 1972 was $600/month that was pretty high back then. They actually adjusted it to $625 before I started. I was rich.
The women's dress code was only dark blue or black dresses. Coming out of college, I didn't have any but fortunately they allowed pant suits before I started.
We were open late only on Thursdays, then they added Mondays, Fridays, Wednesdays, Tuesdays, Saturdays and finally being open on Sundays.
There was no air conditioning and somedays it got really hot. You could see the hot air literally floating down the aisle.
Smoking was allowed until about 1973. Our clothes and the merchandise would just reek.
No electronic cash registers. They were barely electric. You had to punch the keys then hit a tab bar for the total.
"Credit Cards" were little plates with the customers' names on them. You ran a roller over them to get the name on the receipt. Then you called upstairs for approval. Later, we used pneumatic tubes to send the charges upstairs.
This was the decade of the Oakland Raiders being Super Bowl Champs. One year, the men's notions buyer was able to get the Super Bowl memoorabilia into the store the morning after the game. That was a huge deal. We heard there was prison labor involved, but who knows.
Their victory parade went right by the store and many of the players would come in and shop.
About 1976, the store went under a major remodel, a major headache but I still remember the Grand Opening party. Della Reese came and performed. It was something special.
My grandfather, Frederic Hirschler, joined Capwell in 1925 as a stock boy. He climbed the ranks to become the CEO and chairman of the board at Emporium Capwell by the time he retired in 1966. I remember going to the stores when I was a little girl, and I have a vivid memory of the escalator, which had big wide wooden grooves, unlike the metal ones we had back east, where I grew up. We also received boxes of chocolates each winter, with nonpareils that came from "Papa's store." I would be interested in any stories anyone reading this blog would have about my Papa Fred.
ReplyDeletethe very first store was called "The Lace House" and was located on Washington Street (Old Oakland)
ReplyDeleteI loved Capwell's as a young girl and then a teenager back in the 40s and 50s. Had my photo with the Santa in the big window, remember watching a lady repair silk stockings in the basement, the travel agency on a little mezzanine, the pneumatic system that ran all throughout the store and sucked up tubes headed to some mysterious end destination. One bad memory tho...back in those days a clerk would help fit you with your first bra. My mother dragged me to the section where this was done and I was never the same afterward. I still have bad dreams about it.
ReplyDeleteI have a really nice Mink fur stole from Capwells. I inherited from my Auntie who lived and passed away in Oakland. I dont have ocassions to wear it as I live in a state that the weather doesnt alow much use for. May be interested in selling it. email: sherrysmans@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone remember an employee locker area in the Oakland store? I recently purchased a bank of lockers and I believe they are from the Oakland store when it opened in 1928. They are green and have full length and small lockers. I would love more history about them.
ReplyDeleteI worked in the downtown store as a buyer trainee in the early 70s. Until I left for a 40 yr career with Safeway. I remember they delivered your purchases free and they had a lady on the first floor who repaired your gloves...downtown days were a mob waiting to get in especially from the Bart enteance
ReplyDeleteI worked as a personal shopper one Christmas season after college and then transferred to the ad department where I wrote copy. I remember one Levi's ad where the Tribute reversed the colors--the sky was green and the grass was blue. It sold so many pairs of Levi's that the buyer ran it again the same way. We worked hard, played hard, and had alot of fun there. Great people, beautiful store.
ReplyDeleteI grew up with Capwell's as ''the exquisite'' store in Oakland. I worked there in the women's dress dept. the Christmas season of 1963 - 1964 . It was such a formally-dressed store. Beautiful window dressings all year round, with the Christmas season being the best and most elaborate ever. Such a shame we've lost such a simply elegant store!
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother, Edna L. Blay worked for many years at the Oakland Capwells. I believe her tenure was in the late 40's thru early 60's. Grandma was very proud of her role and position and often said not only was she a cashier, she was the head cashier! I know that we'd visit her sometimes at the office and I just don't remember what floor it was on. I also have a photo of me on Santa's lap taken in 1956.
ReplyDeleteThanks, this was fun to read. My great grandfather, Harris Cebert Capwell started the Capwell store. It was no longer owned by the Capwell's when I was born, but I enjoyed reading everyone's comments.
ReplyDeleteI grew up in Hayward and remember shopping at Capwell all the time. Going to Hayward High School across the street it was part of students' traditions to enjoy a plate of french fries dripping in gravy and wash it down with their soda fountain cokes. My wife and I spent many moments when we first met in the wonderful Compton's Cafe in the late evenings. Capwell's and Comptons' provided many wonderful memories.
ReplyDeleteI remember down in the basement area there was a lady that would repair laddered stockings, the heavier silk kind that needed a tiny latch hook, and she would do this work, I was a very young girl in the early 1950's and would watch the lady work on that. Some years later I needed elastic bands that would help hold a hat in place and I had a number of vintage hats, this was in the 70's and the young sales clerks didn't know what I wanted so they brought out this older lady from the wedding department and she knew exactly what I wanted and said they'd have to order it from their New York supplier, I paid for it and they shipped it direct to my home.
ReplyDeleteThat place had all kinds of services, my Mom knew I needed to establish credit for myself since credit cards were coming out and she helped me get my first credit card and it was with Capwell's.
I do remember the furs were sold on the 2nd floor and that there was a watch repair and travel service on the mezzanine. Later BART had an entrance to the Basement department so people could go from BART right to the store. They had a security guard there as well, even shop lifting was a problem then as well. Eventually they closed that entrance as it was not feasible
Thanks for creating this blog! I worked as a stock boy in housewares and candy/furs in the late 1970's and early 1980's, then later as a customer service telephone operator in the credit department. It was were I learned about customer service and worked with some great people. my supervisor (Michael Moore) always kept a job for me whenever I returned home from semester and summer breaks from college.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this blog! I worked in the Walnut Creek store in the 70's as a floater in all departments, then in the cashier cage cashing checks and counting the money every night. It was a great place to work and I agree with other comments, great training.
ReplyDeleteI just loved reading these comments from everyone. Capwell's was also our family's favorite store. I had so many good memories washing over me as I read. First, the pink Terrace Room downstairs, where we ordered sandwiches, and then had angel food cake. Someone commented that they always sat in Tillie's section, and I almost fell off my chair. So did we. My mother would leave my sister and I down there while she shopped, and Tillie just spoiled us to death.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite Christmas shopping memory repeated every year at Capwell's when I was a kid in the 1960s. There was a book section on the ground floor next to the elevator, and my mom used to drop me off there as well, since I was a bookworm. During Christmas time, Capwell's played the best Christmas music, in particular Motown groups singing holiday songs. I distinctly remember Diana Ross over the sound system while I was immersed in reading, and thinking that her voice sounded like molten silver. Heaven. I really miss those times.
My Grandmother, Yolanda Souza worked there many years. Very fond memories of visiting her at work in that great store.
ReplyDeleteMy first job after college was in Capwell's Statistical Office, in 1946. I chose to apply there partly to get the nice things that were so scarce during and just after the war, like silk stockings and sheets. I truly enjoyed that lovely store. Blanche Harbustan, my boss, was a super person to work for. She was so patient with me as I learned to operate a comptometer and several other accounting machines. For Easter she hid See's chocolate Easter eggs in our desks. When I needed a blood transfusion, a lady in the Audit Department provided it. I left to have a family, but I brought my children in for pictures with Santa. Thanks for the memories here.
ReplyDeleteJust discovered this site and what memories it brings back to me. I worked in the Oakland store in 1967-68. Most of my time there I was a cashier. We processed daily revenue,customer payments and had an in house "bank" employees could cash their paychecks or vouchers etc. One section that we supported was in the basement were cash was sent back and forth to the floor staff via pneumatic tubes! It was amazing lol.
ReplyDeleteHi Joan - do you remember any employee lockers or lockers used for other purposes? I have a set of dark green lockers from Capwell's and I believe they are from the Oakland store. I would love to know a little more history of their existence. There are small individual lockers, each connected to a large locker. They each have a large sticker inside explaining a new law that prohibits women and children working more than 40 hours a week without being paid overtime.
ReplyDeleteJason...there were small green lockers on the employee mezzanine level and standard size green lockers in at least the basement stockroom...I remember seeing them.
ReplyDeleteOh, how I loved this store. While I was growing up in the early 1950's it seemed as though my mother and I took many trips to this store and if she was feeling flush we would go across the street to look at the latest fashions at I. Magnins. although she bought very little there, it was way too expensive for us. Does anyone remember the name of the store that was on the street behind Capwells? It was a huge old building with open steel rafters and housed all kinds of different vendor type shops. So nice to find this blog and realize there are still people out there who remember fondly what Oakland was like back in the early days.
ReplyDeleteMy grandfather was part of the "Engineering" staff at the Oakland store i.e. electrician/plant maintenance in the late 50's through the early 60's before passing away. Not sure how long his tenure was. We recently found some pics of the guys in the dept. All wore uniforms with neck ties. His name was Leonard Lamb.
ReplyDeleteLove reading about Capwell's. In the mid 40s my mother always shopped there for my uniforms and dresses. We would eat at the cafeteria. About 47-48 she took me to see the children's book author and illustrator who wrote about animals living in the roots of a tree along a 'chasm'(not the authors name for the place) He made an appearance at Capwell's and I was lucky enough to be chosen and I asked for a picture of a horse. I cherished that poster sized drawing of a circus pony's head for many years. I do not know the author's name or the title of the book. I would like to get a copy but no one seems to remember either book or title. If anyone here does, please reply. Thanks for the blog and walk down memory lane!
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone remember the Jerry Lewis theater right next door to the El Cerrito Plaza Capwells in the 70s?
ReplyDeleteThe Jerry Lewis theater was in the Safeway shopping center in El Cerrito,
Deletejust off of Moeser Lane. ( 1 1/2 miles away from the E.C. Plaza )
My Dad Francis Mahoney was born in Oakland in 1922. When he was six years old, he won a contest sponsored by H.C. Capwell's. The winning prize was a cute puppy which my Dad named "Cappy" (for obvious reasons). His picture with the cute puppy appeared in the Oakland Tribune in 1928. We still have the newspaper clipping. This occurred before the "new" Capwell's store was built in 1929. The old store was downtown near city hall. P.S.: My Dad's grandfather Henry McCloy was one of Oakland's first police officers (Badge #7). We have a photo of him with the Mayor of Oakland in the 1870's!
ReplyDeleteI purchased a 1920's radio from an antique store in the Pittsburgh pa. area. It is a Splitdorf r 500 model. On the inside of the lid is a decal that reads Capwells Oakland. I thought it was prett cool that the radio made it across the country. Now all I have to do is get it working.
ReplyDeleteI purchased at the Goodwill store in Little Rock, AR a vintage Mink fur stole, in excellent condition, with the tag Capwell's California inside. After reading all the comments, I think I purchased a treasure for $8. I would love to have had the memories of the store.
ReplyDeleteI was the jolly old man in the big red suit. Loved working the window there best assignment ever, I believe I was the last one to work the window
ReplyDeleteCapwell's in the 60s/70s. It was a beautiful store and so grand. I worked there during my college semester breaks as a "floater." Worked wherever they needed me. I remember the training and learning to work those big manual push button cash registers. I didn't have an appreciation of the beauty of that place until it was gone. R.C.Williams
ReplyDeleteMy grandmother, Lovern Loven, was a cashier in the Terrace Room. I fondly remember having our Christmas pictures with my brother taken with Santa in the big picture window on the corner of Broadway and 20th. The yearly trips for school shopping using her store discount and the many lunches in the Terrace room.
ReplyDeleteI went through the executive training program at Capwell's in Oakland in 1957 when I was 19 years old. Dorothy Luty was our Training Director. I had worked in the Boy's Department in Walnut Creek while I was going to ECCJC majoring in retailing. I became manager of Gifts, Lamps, Pictures & Mirrors and Home Accessories at the opening of the new Hayward store. Then, I was promoted to Assistant Lamp Buyer. All buying offices were in the downtown Oakland store. I was rather quickly moved to the position of Assistant Gift Buyer under Stan Woolsey, the very colorful buyer of both the GIfts and Lamps. I loved this job and the store. The customer was "King!" I left Capwell's because the personnel manager said I was too young to become a buyer and I'd reached the wage ceiling for (female) assistants. I went to work in San Francisco for Takahashi, buying gifts for their retail stores. I later went on to become gift buyer for Joseph Magnin stores. Capwell's trained me well!
ReplyDeleteI worked with Dorothy Luty at The White House, the year that they closed. She was quite the trainer...I did the store employee newsletter..
DeleteI worked with Dorothy Luty at The White House, San Francisco in the Teaining Department, along with Nancy Yuen (later Louie)..the year the store went bankrupt...what a grand store it was...beautiful dining room...great employee lounge replete with wicker chaise lounges...a full-time nurse..it was a different day indeed...Wilkes Bashford headed up the Mens Dept...
DeleteRaised in San Leandro in the 1950's. The annual Christmas event was to ride the 43 bus to downtown Oakland to visit Santa at Capwells. For those of us in the East Bay, Oakland was THE "downtown"; our local downtowns were the commercial strips from East Oakland/San Leandro/Hayward on E14th Street/Mission Blvd.
ReplyDeleteI was a Dept Manager for Capwells from 1983 to 85. Handbags, hosiery, accessories and the new Gucci shop - 22 employees. David Hoppenworth was my Divisional and Herb Brandt ran the store; I believe Michael Moore was still the OPS Mgr. I was promoted to Handbags Asst Mgr and worked at the San Fran buyers building which was across the alley way from the Employee Entrance.
ReplyDeleteI also worked for Terry VanShirver in the MIS dept then under Ernie Zuffo in the Training Dept. Was the best 10 years of my life! They brought back the Christmas fun on the roof in the early 1990's. I had been an executive trainee with May CO Los Angeles but rec'd wonderful training while at Emporium-Capwells during my career. Rec'd several promotions during Jack Richardson's reign. This was unique since I'm black. They had a variety of races and cultures - you were promoted based on your skills!! Sad to see the building closed.
Still have my Emporium Capwell credit card.
ReplyDeleteMe too! Employee card! 1987
DeleteMy grandmother took me to Capwell's in Oakland, where she had worked making clothing alterations before my sisters and I were born. It was a big store with wooden floors and she let me stay in the record section while she went shopping. I had fun asking them to play different songs from the radio until she returned. It was in the latter 1950's, and I'd just been given a new AM transistor radio for my birthday. I listened to KYA out of San Francisco, and enjoyed going shopping with my grandmother when I was staying with my grandparents. She kept a mason jar full of buttons from all of the different dresses she made for herself and her 3 granddaughters. We would sit by her when she was sewing on her machine, stringing the buttons according to color and/or shape. She knew how to entertain us. When I was in 12th grade, she helped me make my dress for the Senior Prom, sewing the bow onto the back of it, when I had it on, getting ready to leave for the Sir Francis Drake Hotel in San Francisco, May 2nd, 1969.
ReplyDeleteI worked at Emporium Capwell in Oakland in 1980 and '81. To this day is was one of my favorite jobs. It had five selling floors: the basement and 1 thru 4. The fifth floor was the cafeteria and personnel. I met so many people and I have a lot of great memories.
ReplyDeleteI have some glassware marked in a box as "A Gift from Capwell's". Any idea where I might find more information on these pieces?
ReplyDeleteCapwell’s was where my mother took us to buy clothes in the 60’s. Sometimes, we would eat downstairs and am I remembering right that they had chopped olive sandwiches? They were fantastic. We always stopped at the meat market behind Capwells and bought smoked pork chops from the Mosle family. That store became Saags meats. Very fond memories of my youthful days in Oakland.
ReplyDeleteDuring the 70's & 80's, I enjoyed eating at the cafe on the second floor, in the Walnut Creek store.
ReplyDeleteIt is now a macys, however You can look up and still see the corner windows from Broadway Plaza !
I worked at the El Cerrito Capwell store as a senior at Berkeley High in the “Hosiery & Accessories” department... best job, still have my employee credit card from 1987. Carol Inoye was my boss and Troy Wolfinbarger was my boyfriend!!
ReplyDeleteWow!! I am so happy I found a Capwell community!
ReplyDeleteI have a folder with the H.C. Capwell Co. Oakland, and inside, 27 little frames containing pictures I'd like to sell. graphixondemand@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteI worked as a stock boy in the receiving department at the foothill store just for the move to Southland Mall. My boss George Kanakas put me in charge of the receiving department during the move to Southland Mall. Picked up a lot of great buys (75% off Final three days ) The guy who trained me put up Cartoon drawings of a character ( slim Whitman ) everywhere on the freight elevator even during our annual picnic you’ll see a sign slim Whitman says employees go this way. Anyway after year is still making $3.35 I decided to MoveOn Lol .
ReplyDeleteI attended the 'old' Hayward High in 1961-63, which was located downtown Hayward across the street from Capwell's. We had open campus and for lunch we'd often go to the Capwell's luncheonette. My favorite thing to order was their $.27 cent special; French Fries smothered in beef gravy and a Coke. Every once in awhile I'll make the fries...sure brings back good memories. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI was just surfing and found this. Oh what memories. Meeting oakland raiders at el cerrito store. Working in oakland store from 87 til it closed. Working wirh great managers like ron mitchell, Scott, gloria and mike moore who taught how think outside the nine dots.lastly, the celebrities who graced the store.whoopi goldberg, the escovedos bob weir from the grateful dead " hey now". The best was dave stewart.he was only supposed to there for a couple hours and stayed for another hour to make sure everyone had a moment with him
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness. So happy to find this site. I was looking to see how well Capwells did in the earthquake of 89'. I lived on the corner of Telegraph and Grand in 1972 in a 3 story apt. building. It was my favorite store for cloths shopping. They had everything youd ever want in your wordrobe. GOOD QUALITY.
ReplyDeleteLOVED THIS STORE. The BEST SELECTION OF CLOTHING IN THE US. Shopped there in the early 1970's. Lived on Telegraph and Grand, apartment, 3 story building. Very fond memories. Beautiful building too.
ReplyDeleteI purchased from SVDP a brand new package of 3 men's crew neck tee shirts. The brand name on the front was unknown to me so I turned the package over and it's labeled, Emporium-Capwell. A google search got me here. It's interesting that clothing is still being sold by the store name Emporium-Capwell.
ReplyDeleteMy memories of the Oakland Capwell's store, in the 50's, were the big brass trimmed revolving doors, the hobby shop in the basement and the very patient lady that worked there.
ReplyDeleteMy memories of the Capwell's Oakland store, in the 50's, are the big brass trimmed doors, the hobby shop in the basement and the patient lady that worked there.
ReplyDeleteI inherited my great grandmother's china that was brought over from England. My mother got rid of the silverware set (I am heartbroken that she thought it was too ugly to keep! I would polish it up as a child!) I did find one item from it...an anti-tarnish bag with the H.C.Capwell Co., Oakland Calif. logo on it! I decided to look this up and found this site. What a great piece of California history!
ReplyDeleteI remember going shopping with my mom and little sisters.
ReplyDeleteIt was such a great place so many things and explore as a child.
Lives on for many of us as a time and experience that is long gone.
When we kids went shopping at Capwell's department store in Oakland with our mom in the late 1940s, we were expected to dress well first and also behave well at all times while in the store, since going to Capwell's was somewhat of an "event". Viewing Christmas windows and displays at Capwell's and also at nearby Breuner's was always a treat. We kids thought that Breuners had the best mechanical / moving Christmas window displays of the latest toys. Lots of young noses pressed up against that cold glass!
ReplyDeleteGrew up in Oakland and remember getting dressed up to go downtown for shopping - it was the place to go for nice presents and clothing (Easter, parties, etc.). I remember Santa and the Christmas windows for this store and all up and down Broadway. Later in school, we would work in groups to do inventory each January as fundraisers.
ReplyDeleteLater I worked there in Children's for Christmas and stayed on as a Floater. I busked the Jingle Bears and Sunny Bunnies. I learned some great retail tips. Great store and people. I made minimum wage AND commission, so at Christmas work was a crazy, but I earned a LOT of money for someone fresh out of school.
The elevators BOUNCED when they stopped. I loved the lady who worked in the basement post office, where I took packages for mailing. I remember looking at the little belt they had running near giftware on the ground floor; it ran between floors with little pieces of wood on belt - I was told that people stepped on the piece of wood, rode the belt up, and stepped off on the right floor and it was quicker than the elevator ... They also used pneumatic tubes. It was a funny combination of old and new. By the time I started working in the store the basement restaurant was gone. It had become the bargain basement for EC and Neiman Marcus (I would get commissions on $2,000 dresses "marked down"). I remember using the BART entrance a lot, even if it was to cross the street!
I loved the employees' cafeteria, the employee discount, and learning how to run a cash register and close up. The week before Christmas and the morning after were crazy, with lines going out the department and into other areas of the store. One afternoon they taped an episode of "Yan Can Cook" in the Kitchen Department, which was next to us on the 3rd floor. That drew a crowd! The first floor was gorgeous and I continued to shop there until they were acquired and closed down. I miss it terribly.
I grew up in Alameda, CA and we often went to Capwell's and I Magnin (also to Emporium, City of Paris, etc in SF). I ended up working at Capwell's in EDP (Electronic Data Processing - now would be the IT Dept.) in the 70's. Once we went through the Payroll/Personnel computer conversion - Personnel division had be transferred to their dept. - no one there knew anything about computers. Working in the Training Dept, I wrote the employee weekly newsletter "Topics" and the quarterly employee magazine. Also did New Employee Orientation, the old cash register training and planned the Merchandise and Fashion knowledge seminars. During the holidays and events we were all on the sales floor. I remember the Commodores (Lionel Ritchie) and the Village People performing in the store. Also the FIRST King Tut exhibit ticket sales (mobs of people). We then went from the old salesbook/motor cash register system to the computerized register and I taught all the salespeople how to use it (well - I was one of them) - all the stores. We recruited and trained the Management Trainees also. Wow - I loved that job. Emporium and Capwell's were then merged and I went to SF Corporate Training for a short while - then out to the Walnut Creek store to be a Department manager. I "closed" the Oakland Training department to prepare for the move/merger. They had me throw out so much memorabilia. Very sad. I left and joined another, SF based retailer, as I really missed Personnel and Training (Now Human Resources). I remember every inch of the Oakland store. I loved it there and all the wonderful employees.
ReplyDeletewonderful times at Capwells loved the store
ReplyDeleteMy mother's first job after High School in the 1930's was at Capwells and she bought a necklace and earrings with her first paycheck. The earrings were lost many decades ago, but she gave me the necklace for Christmas one year and whenever I have a special event to attend I wear it. It is a beautiful piece.
ReplyDeleteI just framed my portrait back in December,1959.I was 11 months ago.My Mom went to H.C. Capwell had my portrait done.
ReplyDeleteI just found an old paper Capwell’s Gift Certificate from 1978. It is in near mint condition. I would love to find a new home for it. If there is a collector or museum interested in it, please let me know.
ReplyDeletealittell at cox dot net