tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post7590981946296685572..comments2024-03-25T16:03:25.833-04:00Comments on The Department Store Museum: H. C. Capwell Co., Oakland, CaliforniaBAKhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00279830033473558147noreply@blogger.comBlogger119125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-29212484422350039342022-10-02T20:54:54.224-04:002022-10-02T20:54:54.224-04:00I just found an old paper Capwell’s Gift Certifica...I 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. <br /><br />alittell at cox dot netAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-55830622265524893342022-07-25T21:06:15.921-04:002022-07-25T21:06:15.921-04:00Good CS skills are always a plus for any employee ...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.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14804319679038969823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-19403520660187640632022-07-25T21:02:49.126-04:002022-07-25T21:02:49.126-04:00What a wonderful memory of respecting your elders,...What a wonderful memory of respecting your elders, a practice some have forgotten as it is not taught any more. Kudos to you.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14804319679038969823noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-45295666810927800982022-07-03T12:55:55.157-04:002022-07-03T12:55:55.157-04:00I just framed my portrait back in December,1959.I ...I just framed my portrait back in December,1959.I was 11 months ago.My Mom went to H.C. Capwell had my portrait done.Cheryl Wunnnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-18920290699543526222021-09-10T00:59:55.015-04:002021-09-10T00:59:55.015-04:00My mother's first job after High School in the...My 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.<br /> Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-37601366264477315482021-09-05T23:38:49.715-04:002021-09-05T23:38:49.715-04:00Oh Yes, my grandmother worked in the better coats ...Oh 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.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01137846401113141502noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-28856719385061928822021-07-22T18:19:38.776-04:002021-07-22T18:19:38.776-04:00wonderful times at Capwells loved the store wonderful times at Capwells loved the store Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16221530944078896040noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-74787788745670282162021-06-22T16:57:24.065-04:002021-06-22T16:57:24.065-04:00How much How much Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12216127000630847836noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-24388009299607138002021-05-10T15:47:13.169-04:002021-05-10T15:47:13.169-04:00I grew up in Alameda, CA and we often went to Capw...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. Laurie Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03155588173136592886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-54803583575095974662020-12-07T13:35:22.890-05:002020-12-07T13:35:22.890-05:00I worked with Dorothy Luty at The White House, San...I 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...Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01026070182006424694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-88351831997809492032020-11-21T20:24:39.849-05:002020-11-21T20:24:39.849-05:00Checking whether anyone responded to your question...Checking 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.<br />Don (camdopn@aol.com)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09397475220384318729noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-66701984870549920282020-10-20T09:02:56.992-04:002020-10-20T09:02:56.992-04:00I worked as an internal security officer in the Oa...I 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.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-36557903230381781282020-09-10T21:17:35.252-04:002020-09-10T21:17:35.252-04:00Grew up in Oakland and remember getting dressed up...Grew 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.<br /><br />Later 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. <br /><br />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!<br /><br />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.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-59022238039999529732019-11-26T19:00:38.573-05:002019-11-26T19:00:38.573-05:00When we kids went shopping at Capwell's depart...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!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06142477005799076973noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-64084269281484326452019-09-28T15:07:40.352-04:002019-09-28T15:07:40.352-04:00I remember going shopping with my mom and little s...I remember going shopping with my mom and little sisters.<br />It was such a great place so many things and explore as a child.<br />Lives on for many of us as a time and experience that is long gone.<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-27827902230455798112019-07-25T18:27:53.202-04:002019-07-25T18:27:53.202-04:00I inherited my great grandmother's china that ...I 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!Southern Girl with Calif roots!https://www.blogger.com/profile/02107296619797925216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-87296372324342579502019-07-20T21:54:01.557-04:002019-07-20T21:54:01.557-04:00My memories of the Capwell's Oakland store, in...My 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. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-73683569354951676802019-07-20T21:50:39.069-04:002019-07-20T21:50:39.069-04:00My memories of the Oakland Capwell's store, in...My 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. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11068864696263873374noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-84410851827475599942019-05-26T19:22:44.440-04:002019-05-26T19:22:44.440-04:00I purchased from SVDP a brand new package of 3 men...I 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. Heide V.https://www.blogger.com/profile/07114293236209898649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-13314203466865341872019-05-21T22:57:50.293-04:002019-05-21T22:57:50.293-04:00LOVED THIS STORE. The BEST SELECTION OF CLOTHING I...LOVED 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.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09456634666063566476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-49714807902374100542019-05-21T22:53:29.923-04:002019-05-21T22:53:29.923-04:00Oh my goodness. So happy to find this site. I was ...Oh 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.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09456634666063566476noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-82016778473169713322019-04-28T00:50:51.685-04:002019-04-28T00:50:51.685-04:00The Jerry Lewis theater was in the Safeway shoppin...The Jerry Lewis theater was in the Safeway shopping center in El Cerrito,<br />just off of Moeser Lane. ( 1 1/2 miles away from the E.C. Plaza )Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-61780961196925719332019-03-21T16:04:10.003-04:002019-03-21T16:04:10.003-04:00I was just surfing and found this. Oh what memorie...I 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 himAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10424177108999334592noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-9356762440414494172019-01-19T14:57:20.752-05:002019-01-19T14:57:20.752-05:00I worked there first as a part-time "floater&...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.morganminpinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10990411449956221558noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3723065623705340751.post-22195347281233265962018-12-31T16:23:00.896-05:002018-12-31T16:23:00.896-05:00I attended the 'old' Hayward High in 1961-...I 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. ;-)Snoozinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14729519815635579477noreply@blogger.com