Builders Emporium

Home improvement store chain based in Irvine, California

Builders EmporiumCompany type| Subsidiary

|

Industry| Home improvement centers
Founded| 1946; 79 years ago (1946) in Van Nuys, California
Founder| Si L. Bercutt
Defunct| 1993; 32 years ago (1993)
Fate| Insolvency
Headquarters|

Irvine, California

U.S.

Number of locations

| 96 (1993)

Areas served

| California, Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Texas
Products| Hardware, lumber
Parent|

* Food Giant (1962–1967)
* Two Guys (1967–1978)
* Wickes Companies (1978–1993)

Builders Emporium was a chain of home improvement stores based in Irvine, California, United States. At the time of its closing in 1993, it had 82 stores in Southern California and an additional 15 in Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona and Texas; 4,300 employees in total.[1]

The chain had a fictional human character, "Pops" Larsen that, in brochures and other media, was portrayed as helping customers with do-it-yourself tasks such as hanging a door.[2]

## History

[edit]

The Builders Emporium chain was started in 1946 in the San Fernando Valley community of Van Nuys by Si L. Bercutt.[3][4][5] The store's motto was "Everything to build anything."[3][6]

Victor M. Carter[7] bought the ailing Van Nuys hardware store in 1949.[8] He introduced the concept of a self-service hardware store with a "do it yourself" training component that became the model for The Home Depot. Carter built Builders Emporium into a leading self-serve retail operation and the largest hardware store in the United States, selling it in 1956, to acquire controlling interest in Republic Pictures just a few years later.[8]

## Acquisition

[edit]

In 1962, Builders Emporium was acquired by Food Giant Markets, Inc.[9] In 1967, Builders Emporium was acquired by Two Guys when Two Guys purchased its parent company Food Giant Markets, Inc. At the time of acquisition, Builders Emporium had 14 locations throughout Southern California.[10][11][12][13] Two Guys later renamed itself Vornado.

The chain was sold by Vornado to Wickes in two installment in 1978. In January of that year, Vornado sold 47 Builders Emporium centers in California to Wickes. In the following month, Vornado sold 12 Builders Emporium home improvement centers in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania to Wickes.[14]

## Shutdown

[edit]

Builders Emporium was forced to close in 1993 after its former parent had a number of financial problems during the previous decade.[4]

## Campaigns

[edit]

Builders Emporium was owned by the Santa Monica-based Wickes Companies, and an ad campaign from 1982–1988 features the slogan "We got the message, Mr. Sigoloff", referring to former Wickes chairman and CEO Sanford C. Sigoloff, in a campaign to restore credibility, consumer confidence and sales to the chain after Wickes' bankruptcy. The advertising campaign was a huge hit credited with helping the chain increase sales by 25% the first year it was launched.[15] In 1988 the chain had sales of about 675 million U.S. dollars.[16]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "O.C.'s Builder's Emporium Will Close Its Stores". Los Angeles Times. August 25, 1993. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
2. ^ "The Marketplace". Crescenta Valley Weekly. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
3. ^ a b "Si L. Bercutt; Builders Emporium Founder". Los Angeles Times. July 26, 1991. "Si L. Bercutt, who opened the first Builders Emporium store 45 years ago in Van Nuys, has died at an Encino hospital... Bercutt opened Builders Emporium on Sepulveda Boulevard in Van Nuys in August, 1946. The motto of the store, a forerunner of the modern do-it-yourself hardware store, was "Everything to build anything."... In the early 1950s, Bercutt sold the store, yet continued to attended ribbon-cutting ceremonies for many new stores at the invitation of the new owners. Builders Emporium is now a division of the Wickes Corp., with 108 stores in four states."
4. ^ a b Myers, David W. (August 25, 1993). "O.C.'s Builder's Emporium Will Close Its Stores". Los Angeles Times.
5. ^ "Builders Emporium To Shutter All Its Stores". Associated Press. August 25, 1993.
6. ^ "Early Views of the San Fernando Valley". Water and Power Associates.
7. ^ Tugend, Tom (April 1, 2004). "Victor M. Carter Dies at 94". The Jewish Journal of Greater Los Angeles. Archived from the original on 2013-12-17. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
8. ^ a b Oliver, Myrna (April 2, 2004). "Victor Carter, 94; Businessman Gave Time, Money to Southland Charities". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 14 December 2013.
9. ^ "Food Giant to Acquire Hard Goods Company". Los Angeles Times. January 23, 1962. p. 26\. ProQuest 168025977 - via Newspapers.com. "Food Giant Markets, Inc. has an entered into an agreement to acquire B.E. Enterprises as a wholly owned subsidiary. B. E. Enterprises, Inc., operates the "Builder Emporium Stores," merchandisers of hardware and hard goods in California."
10. ^ "Merger Planned With Vornado by Food Giant". Los Angeles Times. July 11, 1967. p. b7. ProQuest 155754551 - via Newspapers.com. "Food Giant operates 70 supermarkets, 14 Unimart discount stores, 14 Builders Emporium do-it-yourself hardware stores, and six package liquor stores in Southern California. It also operates Meyenberg Milk Products, which serves the 200 franchised Fosters Freeze outlets, and Golden Creme Farms, which operates a milk plant, bakery and ice cream distributorship. Vornado operates 33 "Two Guys" self-service discount department stores on the Eastern Seaboard. Twenty-two of the stores have food retailing departments."
11. ^ "Vornado and Food Giant Terms OKd". Los Angeles Times. July 28, 1967. p. c12. ProQuest 155757248 - via Newspapers.com.
12. ^ "Vornado Agrees To Buy Food Giant in Swap of Stock: Plan Is Subject to Approval By Both Firms' Holders, Final Vote of Directors Cost Put at $52.5 Million". The Wall Street Journal. July 11, 1967. p. 5\. ProQuest 133194053.
13. ^ Gilbert, Les (July 10, 1967). "Vornado Tie To Food Giant Seen in Week: Vornado, Food Giant Merger". Women's Wear Daily. Vol. 115, no. 132\. pp. 1, 15. ProQuest 1523631475. "Vornado operates a chain of 33 Two Guys From Harrison discount department stores in New York and five neighboring States plus an appliance producing firm Food Giant has 14 Unimart Discount Stores and an equal number of Builders Emporium outlets, plus 70 supermarkets in Southern California."
14. ^ "Wickes Profit Up 33.3%". The New York Times. May 23, 1978.
15. ^ "Builders Emporium advertising". The Los Angeles Times. 14 December 1988. p. 71.
16. ^ "McKitrick in new CEO of Builder's Emporium". Los Angeles Times. June 30, 1989. Retrieved 15 June 2019.

## External links

[edit]

* Bathroom Showroom

* v
* t
* e

History of retail in Southern California

Department stores
with origins in|

| Central
Los Angeles|

* Barker Bros.
* Blackstone's
* Brooks Clothing
* Bon Marché
* The Broadway‎
* Bullock's‎
* Bullocks Wilshire
* Central
* City of Paris
* Coulter's
* Dearden's
* Desmond's
* B. H. Dyas
* Eastern-Columbia
* Fallas Paredes
* Famous (Cal Hirsch & Sons)
* Fifth Street Store
* The Globe (51st & S. Broadway)
* Haggarty's ("New York Store")
* The Hub
* J. M. Hale Co.
* Hamburger's ("People's Store")
* Harris & Frank
* Jacoby Bros.
* May Co. (buildings: May Co. Downtown LA - May Co. Wilshire - May Co. Mission Valley)
* Milliron's (Milliron's/Broadway Westchester)
* Mullen & Bluett
* Myer Siegel
* Phelps-Terkel
* J. W. Robinson's
* Robinsons-May
* Sears-Pico
* Silverwoods
* Swelldom
* Ville de Paris
* Walker's (L.A.)

|

L.A. neighborhoods|

* Iver's (Highland Pk)
* Nahas (N Hwd)
* Quigley's (Hwd)
* Rathbun's (N Hwd)
* Robertson Co. (Hwd)
* Sears Pico–Rimpau

Long Beach|

* Buffums
* The Emporium
* Marti's
* Robert's
* Walker's LB
* Wise Company

Pasadena|

* Boadway Bros.
* Meyer's
* Nash's

Rest of L.A. Co.|

* Boston Stores (Inglewood)
* Butler Bros. (Vernon)
* Chaney's (Hawthorne)
* I. H. Hawkins (Redondo Bch)
* Henshey's (Santa Monica)
* Hinshaw's (Arcadia/Whittier)
* Kitson (W Hwd)
* Myers (Whittier)
* Webb's (Glendale)
* Wineman's (Oxnard/Huntington Pk)

Bakersfield|

* Brock's

Inland Empire|

* Willets (Colton)
* Harris Company (San B'do)

Orange Co.|

* Rankin's (Santa Ana)
* The S.Q.R. Store (Anaheim)

San Diego–Tijuana|

* Barnett-Stine
* Dorian's
* Holzwasser's
* Marston's
* Walker Scott

Elsewhere|

* J. C. Penney
* Montgomery Ward
* Ohrbach's
* Sears

Clothing and shoes|

* Bond's
* Brooks Clothing
* C. H. Baker shoes
* C&R Clothiers
* Hartfield's
* Judy's
* Leed's shoes
* Mandel's (shoes)
* Miller's Outpost/Anchor Blue
* Victor Clothing
* Weatherby-Kayser shoes
* Zachary All

Discount and
membership stores|

* The Akron
* Curacao
* Fedco
* Fedmart
* Gemco
* Pic 'N' Save
* Unimart
* White Front
* Zody's

Drugstores|

* Disco Drug and Discount Centers
* Sav-on
* Schwab's Pharmacy
* Thrifty

Furniture and
home furnishings|

* Barker Bros.
* Dearden's
* Parmelee-Dohrmann

Grocery stores|

* Alpha Beta
* Boys Markets
* Chaffee
* Food Giant
* Giant
* Haas, Baruch & Co./Hellman, Haas & Co.
* Hughes Markets
* Market Basket
* Pantry Food Stores
* Pavilions
* Ralphs
* Shopping Bag
* Stater Bros.
* Smart & Final
* Thriftimart
* Tianguis
* Vons

Home enter-
tainment, appliances|

* Adray's
* Cal Stereo
* Federated Group
* Golden Bear Home and Sport Centers
* Ken Crane's
* Leo's Stereo
* Pacific Stereo
* Rogersound Labs
* University Stereo

Home improvement|

* Builders Emporium
* National Lumber
* Ole's Home Centers

Music|

* Licorice Pizza
* Music Plus
* Peaches Records and Tapes
* The Wherehouse
* Wallichs Music City

On-street shopping|

* Los Angeles:
* Plaza
* 1880s-90s CBD
* Broadway (CBD)
* Broadway & 87th, South L.A.*
* Seventh St.
* Flower St.
* Hollywood Blvd.
* Lankershim, North Hollywood
* Miracle Mile, Wilshire Blvd.
* Westwood Village (near UCLA)
* Other cities:
* Beverly Hills: Rodeo Drive
* Burbank: Golden Mall
* Huntington Park: Pacific Blvd.
* Long Beach: Pine St.
* Palm Springs: La Plaza/Palm Canyon Dr. \- See also History of retail in Palm Springs
* Pasadena: Lake Ave.
* Pasadena: Old Pasadena
* Santa Ana: 4th St.
* Santa Monica: Main St. \- 3rd St. Promenade

L.A.
shopping center
"firsts"|

* Oldest origins of a major L.A. chain: Harris & Frank (1876) - 1st dept. store on Broadway: A. Fusenot Co./Ville de Paris \- 1st dept. store on 7th off Broadway: J. W. Robinson's (1915) - 1st planned shopping district: Westwood Village (1929) - 1st suburban dept. store branch: B. H. Dyas/Broadway Hollywood (1927) - 1st center with multiple supermarkets: Broadway & 87th Street shopping center (1936) - 1st center with department store anchor: Broadway-Crenshaw Center (1947) - 1st enclosed mall: Lakewood Center (1951) - 1st mall in Orange County: Anaheim Plaza (1955) - 1st center with 4 dept. stores: Panorama City Shopping Center (1964)

Shopping centers|

| Los Angeles|

| L.A. Central Area|

* ARCO Plaza*
* Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza
* Beverly Center
* Beverly Connection
* The Bloc Los Angeles
* Broadway & 87th Street*
* Crossroads of the World
* Eagle Rock Plaza
* El Mercado de Los Angeles
* Farmers Market
* FIGat7th
* Grove at Farmers Market
* Japanese Village Plaza
* Los Angeles Mall
* Midtown Crossing & Sears-Pico
* Ovation Hollywood
* Town & Country Market*
* Weller Court
* West Hollywood Gateway

|

Westside|

* Airport Marina Hotel*
* Brentwood Country Mart
* Edgemar
* Malibu Country Mart
* Palisades Village
* Platform, Culver City
* Promenade at Howard Hughes Center
* Santa Monica Place
* Third Street Promenade
* Westfield Century City
* Westfield Culver City

San Fernando Valley|

* Americana at Brand
* Burbank Town Center
* Commons at Calabasas
* Fallbrook Center
* Glendale Fashion Center
* Glendale Galleria
* NoHo West
* Northridge Fashion Center
* Panorama Mall
* Promenade (Woodland Hills)*
* Sherman Oaks Galleria*
* Universal CityWalk
* Valley Plaza*
* Westfield Fashion Square
* Westfield Topanga

San Gabriel Valley|

* Eastland Center
* El Monte Shopping Center*
* El Rancho Santa Anita
* Indian Hill Mall*
* The Paseo
* Plaza West Covina
* Pomona Mall*
* Puente Hills Mall
* Shops at Santa Anita

South Bay|

* Del Amo Fashion Center
* Fisherman's Village
* Hawthorne Plaza Shopping Center
* Old Towne Mall*
* Peninsula Center
* Promenade on the Peninsula
* South Bay Galleria
* SouthBay Pavilion

Southeast L.A. Co.|

* Los Cerritos Center
* Cerritos Towne Center
* Citadel Outlets
* Lakewood Center
* La Mirada Mall*
* Plaza México
* Promenade at Downey
* Quad at Whittier
* Santa Fe Springs Mall*
* Santa Fe Springs Shopping Center*
* Shops at Montebello
* Stonewood Center
* Uptown Whittier
* Whittier Downs*
* Whittwood Town Center*

Long Beach|

* Long Beach Plaza
* Long Beach Towne Center
* Los Altos Center
* Marina Pacifica Mall

Northern L.A. Co.|

* Antelope Valley Mall
* Valencia Town Center

Orange|

* Anaheim GardenWalk
* Anaheim Plaza
* Anaheim Town Square
* Anaheim Towne Center
* Asian Garden Mall
* Bella Terra
* Brea Mall
* Buena Park Downtown
* Downtown Disney
* Fashion Island
* Honer Plaza*
* Irvine Spectrum
* La Habra Fashion Square*
* Laguna Hills Mall
* MainPlace Mall
* The Market Place
* Orange County Plaza*
* Orangefair Mall*
* Outlets at Orange
* Shops at Mission Viejo
* South Coast Plaza
* Village at Orange
* Westminster Mall

Riverside|

* Desert Fashion Plaza
* Galleria at Tyler
* Hemet Valley Mall
* Indio Fashion Mall*
* Main St. pedestrian mall, Riverside
* Moreno Valley Mall
* La Plaza (Palm Springs)
* Promenade In Temecula
* Riverside Plaza
* Shops at Palm Desert

San Bernardino|

* Barstow Mall
* Carousel Mall
* Citrus Plaza
* Citrus Village
* Inland Center
* Mall of Victor Valley
* Montclair Plaza
* Ontario Mills
* Redlands Mall
* Victoria Gardens

San Diego|

* Chula Vista Center
* College Grove
* Escondido Village*
* Fashion Valley
* Grossmont Center
* Horton Plaza
* La Jolla Village Square
* Las Americas Premium Outlets
* Linda Vista Shopping Center (demolished)
* Mission Valley
* North County Mall
* One Paseo
* Otay Ranch Town Center
* Parkway Plaza
* Seaport Village
* Shoppes at Carlsbad
* South Bay Plaza
* Westfield Plaza Bonita
* Westfield UTC

Santa Barbara|

* La Cumbre Plaza
* Paseo Nuevo
* Santa Maria Town Center

Ventura|

* Collection at RiverPark
* Esplanade
* The Oaks
* Pacific View Mall
* Simi Valley Town Center

Elsewhere|

* Imperial Valley Mall, El Centro
* Valley Plaza Mall, Bakersfield

See also: History of retail in Southern California – History of retail in Palm Springs — Note: starred (*) listings indicate former regional mall now site of strip-style community center with new name
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