Guide to the Walker Scott Department Store Records. No online items

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1 No online items Copyright 2006 Special Collections & University Archives. All rights reserved Campanile Dr. MC 8050 San Diego, CA, URL: Phone: MS

2 1915/1993 Special Collections & University Archives Overview of the Collection Collection Title: Walker Scott Dates: Bulk Dates: Identification: MS-0265 Creator: Walker Scott Department Store Physical Description: linear ft Language of Materials: English Repository: Special Collections & University Archives 5500 Campanile Dr. MC 8050 San Diego, CA, URL: Phone: Historical Note: The Walker Scott Department Store was founded in downtown San Diego in The store's original owner, Ralf M. Walker, who already owned and ran Walker's Department Store in Los Angeles, passed away in New York six weeks before the San Diego store's opening. A former stock boy at the Los Angeles store, George A Scott, whom Mr. Walker had sent to the New York University of Retailing (1930) opened the San Diego store with Mr. Walker's widow, Eliza Fitzgerald Walker. Eliza Walker became president of the company while Scott held the title of vice president. Walker s Downtown store opened on October 3, 1935, situated on 5th and Broadway. It eventually expanded to eight stories, and held San Diego County s first escalators. Upon the death of Eliza Walker in 1951, Scott became the president, director, chief executive and principle stockholder of the company. Three years later, the board of directors changed the company s name to Walker Scott Department Store. In 1955, the company established a Service Center for additional accounting and shipping operations. In 1959, they purchased Stevenson s in La Jolla, a store that continued operation under its original name. In 1960, the company opened what was the largest Walker Scott Department Store in the College Grove Shopping Center San Diego's first suburban shopping center. It was situated on the north side of State Highway 94 at College Avenue with direct access from all major traffic roads in the area. The shopping center was surrounded by a parking area capable of accommodating 5,000 cars at one time. Walker Scott s Department Stores opened in the Linda Vista Shopping Center in 1963, the Escondido Village Shopping Center in 1964 and Oceanside in In 1970, the company added a fabric store in Lakeside, Ocean Beach and El Cajon. In 1968, Walker Scott purchased the Whitney s Department Stores and operated two stores ran by that firm in Claremont and El Cajon. The company also operated branch stores in Palm Springs (1970), San Carlos (1973), Mission Valley (1973), Mira Mesa (1975) National City (1982) and Pacific Beach (1983). Each department store featured women s, men s, children s apparel, and accessories, and sold yardage, bedding, appliances, radios, televisions, house wares, draperies, floor coverings, China, silverware, jewelry, furs, cameras, gifts, books, cosmetics, notions lingerie, millinery and toys. In 1975, Robert J. Dicker and Boyd E. Alvord bought controlling interests of the company. The Board of Directors named Dicker as president and chief executive officer of Walker Scott Co. and Alvord as company vice president and secretary. Although sales peaked at $45.5 million in 1983, profitability declined. On January 5, 1989 the downtown store officially closed because it had lost its lease. The combination of a population shift to the suburbs and a new shopping center, Horton Plaza, with four major department stores, opening across the street from Walker Scott s Department Store had pushed the company out of business. Dicker sold the chain to Harold Kapelovitz. He and his investors concluded that substantial loss for the company was imminent due to increased competition in the San Diego retail environment. Kapelovitz decided to close the remaining stores when the leases expired in In addition to business affairs, George A. Scott was involved in numerous civic organizations such as the Boys Club, Salvation Army, USO Advisory Council, Community Chest, Fiesta de Pacifico, YMCA, San Diego Transit, San Diego Council of MS

3 Churches, San Diego Hospital Association and many other committees. Scott was named Mr. San Diego by the Grant Club in 1954 and was the 1964 winner of the Golden Man and Boy Award of the Boys Club of San Diego. In 1976, the Central City Association named Scott Man of the Century. Scott wrote his book Your Future in Retailing in 1961 and donated all proceeds from the book to the National Distributive Education Clubs of America Program. Scott lectured extensively on retailing and merchandising as chairman of the Committee On Careers In Retailing of the National Retail Merchants Association. During his lifetime, he raised over $75 million dollars for local causes and received more than 200 civic and service awards. Scott was born in Scotland in 1907, lived in Canada briefly and came to the United Sates and became a citizen in In 1952, he married Evelyn Hjelm. Their two children are George Walker Scott born in 1953 and Andrea Cox born in He died at the age of 86 in Access Terms This collection is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms. Corporate Name: Walker Scott Department Store Company -- Archives Genre/Form of Material: Artifacts Corporate Records Photographs Personal Name: Scott, George A. Scott, George A. -- Portrait Walker, Eliza Fitzgerald Walker, Ralf M. Walker, Ralf M. -- Portrait Topical Term: California economic conditions of the 20th century Department stores -- California -- History Department stores -- California -- San Diego County -- History -- 20th century -- Sources Processing Information: Processed by Alex Tea, May Conditions Governing Use: The copyright interests in these materials have not been transferred to San Diego State University. Copyright resides with the creators of materials contained in the collection or their heirs. The nature of historical archival and manuscript collections is such that copyright status may be difficult or even impossible to determine. Requests for permission to publish must be submitted to the Head of Special Collections, San Diego State University, Library and Information Access. When granted, permission is given on behalf of Special Collections as the owner of the physical item and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder(s), which must also be obtained in order to publish. Materials from our collections are made available for use in research, teaching, and private study. The user must assume full responsibility for any use of the materials, including but not limited to, infringement of copyright and publication rights of reproduced materials. Conditions Governing Access: This collection is open for research. Preferred Citation: Identification of item, folder title, box number, Walker Scott Department Stare Records, Special Collections and University Archives, Library and Information Access, San Diego State University. Arrangement of Materials: I. Management Files, ) Business Files, ) Civic Files, II. Minutes, MS

4 III. Newsletters, IV. News Clippings, V. Photographs, VI. Artifacts, Scope and Contents This collection documents the activities of the Walker Scott Department Store Company, run by George A. Scott. The records date from , with the bulk of the documents created in the 1960s during the company s expansion to other branch stores. The series are Management Files, Minutes, Newsletters, News Clippings, Photographs and Artifacts. The Management Files are further divided into Business files and Civic files. The Minutes include records of company meetings. The Newsletters include various company publications. The News Clippings include articles from local newspapers. The Photographs include pictures from formal events. The Artifacts include various audiovisual materials, attire, scrapbooks and portraits. The Management Files series includes Business Files and Civic Files. The Business Files document the activities and business throughout the company s existence, and contain such topics as advertising, store openings, stock, leases, financing, insurance, contracts and interactions with other retailers. It also includes opening plans of the College Grove branch and its groundbreaking ceremony which included family night, constructors night, symphony night and all faiths night. The Civic Files contain certificates, correspondence, budgets and project plans that Scott sponsored. He planned fundraisers for organizations such as the Boys Club, Salvation Army, USO and the War Chest. These files are labeled by subject and filed alphabetically. The Minutes document the board meetings from The minutes document issues, events and personnel affiliated with the department store. They reflect the efforts of department managers, executives, fashion, expense or salary committee members. A range of topics such as sales, promotions, and customer service are covered and range from specific store issues to overall district trends. They illustrate the problems the company had encountered in retail competition and loss of profits. The minutes are labeled by date and committee and filed chronologically. The Newsletters include various company publications including The Clarion, Time and Tide, The Friendly Chatter and Walker Scott News. The Clarion documents the earliest newsletters from Walker s Department Store in Los Angeles. Time and Tide and The Friendly Chatter document the first newsletters in Walker s Department Store in Downtown San Diego. The bulk of the company newsletters are Walker Scott News which range from 1955 to The department store had expanded during this time so the newsletters included columns for each branch store as well as overall trends for the district. It also featured employee accomplishments, store events and sales advice. The newsletter issues are labeled by date and filed chronologically. The News Clippings include articles from various local San Diego newspapers from the Downtown Store opening in 1935 until his death in The clippings include the department store s advertisements, sales, promotional events and philanthropist events. Many of these articles discuss the success of the company. There are two large sections of a newspaper covering the opening of the Walker s Department Store in Downtown San Diego in There is also a large section in the College Grove Independent in 1960 that advertised Walker Scott merchandise. The bulk of the clippings are small articles. The clippings are labeled by date and filed chronologically. The Photographs collection consists of photographs from It includes photographs of Scott with friends, colleagues and associates at various events and associations. These photographs have no internal arrangement and are housed in 11 folders. The Artifacts consist of booklets, scrapbooks, loose pages of scrapbooks, portraits, posters, attire, awards and other memorabilia. The scrapbooks and loose scrapbook pages include newspaper articles, photographs, certificates, programs and other paper material. They are numbered in no discernible order. The posters and booklets describe the company or store events. The awards include a bronze plaque and a large certificate for Scott s philanthropist work. There are several sound recordings including 7 magnetic tapes records of store meetings, a cassette of Scott s memorial service and a record of the company s 25th anniversary. Attire includes commencement gowns and a mortarboard, traditional Mexican clothing and a sombrero. The portraits are of Walker and Scott. The smaller artifacts are labeled by subject and filed chronologically in folders while the larger artifacts have no internal arrangement. Management Files Business Files MS

5 Management Files Business Files Box 1, Folder 1 Advertising Club 1965 Box 1, Folder 2 Anniversary Programs Box 1, Folder 3 Broadway-Hale Box 1, Folder 4 Broadway-Hale Box 1, Folder 5 College Grove All Faiths 1960 Box 1, Folder 6 College Grove Constructor's Night 1960 Box 1, Folder 7 College Grove Cornerstone 1960 Box 1, Folder 8 College Grove Correspondence 1960 Box 1, Folder 9 College Grove Family Night 1960 Box 1, Folder 10 College Grove Financing 1960 Box 2, Folder 1 College Grove Financing 1960 Box 2, Folder 2 College Grove Financing 1960 Box 2, Folder 3 College Grove Groundbreaking Ceremony 1960 Box 2, Folder 4 College Grove In-Store Organization 1960 Box 2, Folder 5 College Grove Opening 1960 Box 2, Folder 6 College Grove Symphony Night Box 2, Folder 7 Corporation Stock Box 2, Folder 8 Corporation Stock Box 2, Folder 9 Debentures Box 2, Folder 10 Debentures Box 3, Folder 1 Walker Estate Box 3, Folder 2 Walker Estate Box 3, Folder 3 Enterprise Box 3, Folder 4 Equitable 1950 Box 3, Folder 5 Fitzgerald Stockholders' Agreement Box 3, Folder 6 Fitzgerald Corporation Proceedings Box 3, Folder 7 Fitzgerald Corporation Proceedings Box 4, Folder 1 Fixture Agreement Box 4, Folder 2 Lease Indenture 1950 Box 4, Folder 3 Lease Indenture 1955 Box 4, Folder 4 Lease Memorandum 1956 Box 4, Folder 5 Loan from E.F. Walker 1953 Box 4, Folder 6 Long Term Financing Box 4, Folder 7 May Co Box 4, Folder 8 May Co Box 5, Folder 1 Memorandum Box 5, Folder 2 Mira Mesa Opening Box 5, Folder 3 Mira Mesa Proposal and Investment 1974 Box 5, Folder 4 Name Ownership 1967 Box 5, Folder 5 Notes and Correspondence Box 5, Folder 6 Reliance Insurance 1989 Box 5, Folder 7 Rotary Event 1961 Box 5, Folder 8 Sears 1978 Box 5, Folder 9 S.E. Economic Development Box 5, Folder 10 Service Center 1972 Box 5, Folder 11 Sperry-Hutchingson Contracts Box 5, Folder 12 Voting Trusts Box 6, Folder 1 Voting Trusts Box 6, Folder 2 Warehouse Box 6, Folder 3 Whitney's Department Store 1963 Box 6, Folder 4 Walker Scott Image 1974 Civic Files Box 6, Folder 5 Boys Club 1981 Box 6, Folder 6 Civic Tribute Box 6, Folder 7 Commencement MS

6 Management Files Civic Files Box 6, Folder 8 Commercial Value Analysis 1969 Box 6, Folder 9 Fiesta Budget Box 6, Folder 10 Fiesta Correspondence Box 7, Folder 1 Jones Elementary School Box 7, Folder 2 Mission Bay Project Box 7, Folder 3 Mission Bay Project Box 7, Folder 4 Personal Correspondence Box 7, Folder 5 Salvation Army Box 7, Folder 6 USO Box 7, Folder 7 War Chest 1943 Box 7, Folder 8 Who's Running SD? 1977 Minutes Box 7, Folder 9 Department Managers Box 8, Folder 1 Department Managers 1941 Box 8, Folder 2 Department Managers 1942 Box 8, Folder 3 Department Managers 1943 Box 8, Folder 4 Department Managers 1944 Box 8, Folder 5 Department Managers 1945 Box 8, Folder 6 Department Managers Box 8, Folder 7 Department Managers Box 8, Folder 8 Department Managers Box 8, Folder 9 Department Managers Box 9, Folder 1 Department Managers Box 9, Folder 2 Department Managers Box 9, Folder 3 Department Managers Box 9, Folder 4 Department Managers Box 9, Folder 5 Department Managers Box 9, Folder 6 Fashion Box 9, Folder 7 Department Managers Box 10, Folder 1 Buyers Box 10, Folder 2 Expense Box 10, Folder 3 Executive Box 10, Folder 4 Fashion Box 10, Folder 5 Department Managers 1966,1968 Box 10, Folder 6 Expense Box 10, Folder 7 Fashion Box 10, Folder 8 Execute Box 11, Folder 1 Salary Box 11, Folder 2 Department Managers Box 11, Folder 3 Executive 1970 Box 11, Folder 4 Executive 1971 Box 11, Folder 5 Department Managers , 1974 Box 11, Folder 6 Executive Newsletters Box 11, Folder 8 The Clarion Box 12, Folder 1 The Clarion Box 12, Folder 2 Time and Tide Box 12, Folder 3 The Friendly Chatter 1943,1948 Box 12, Folder 4 Walker Scott News 1955, 1959 Box 12, Folder 5 Walker Scott News , 1964 Box 12, Folder 6 Walker Scott News 1965 Box 12, Folder 7 Walker Scott News Box 12, Folder 8 Walker Scott News Box 13, Folder 1 Walker Scott News Box 13, Folder 2 Walker Scott News Box 13, Folder 3 Walker Scott News MS

7 Newsletters Box 13, Folder 4 Walker Scott News Box 13, Folder 5 Walker Scott News News Clippings Box 13, Folder 6 Undated Box 13, Folder 7 Walker's Opening 1935 Box 13, Folder Box 14, Folder Box 14, Folder 2 College Grove Independent 1960 Box 14, Folder Box 14, Folder Box 14, Folder Photographs Box 14, Folder 6 Box 14, Folder 7 Box 14, Folder 8 Box 14, Folder 9 Box 14, Folder 10 Box 15, Folder 1 Box 15, Folder 2 Box 15, Folder 3 Box 15, Folder 4 Box 15, Folder 5 Box 15, Folder 6 Box 16, Folder 1 Box 16, Folder 2 Framed portrait Framed portrait Artifacts Box 16, Folder 3 17 Years Booklet 1952 Box 16, Folder 4 Favorite Songs of Walkers 1946 Box 16, Folder 5 Friendly Store Booklet 1944 Box 16, Folder 6 Guestbook 1950 Box 16, Folder 7 Loose Papers Box 16, Folder 8 Loose Papers Box 16, Folder 9 Loose Papers Box 17, Folder 1 Negative Slides Box 17, Folder 2 Portraits and Sketches Box 17, Folder 3 Scrapbook 1 Box 17, Folder 4 Scrapbook 2 Box 17, Folder 5 Scrapbook 3 Box 17, Folder 6 Scrapbook 4 Box 17, Folder 7 Scrapbook 5 Box 17, Folder 8 Scrapbook 6 Box 17, Folder 9 Srapbook 7 Box 17, Folder 10 Scrapbook 8 Box 18, Folder 1 Scrapbook 9 Box 18, Folder 2 Scrapbook 10 Box 18, Folder 3 Scrapbook 11 Box 18, Folder 4 Scrapbook 12 Box 18, Folder 5 Scrapbook 13 Box 18, Folder 6 Scrapbook 14 Box 18, Folder 7 Scrapbook 15 Box 18, Folder 8 Scrapbook 16 Box 19, Folder 1 Scrapbook 17 Box 19, Folder 2 Scrapbook 18 MS

8 Artifacts Box 19, Folder 3 Scrapbook 19 Box 19, Folder 4 Scrapbook 20 Box 19, Folder 5 Downtown Meeting Tape 6 January 1959 Box 19, Folder 6 Store Meeting Tape 15 September 1960 Box 19, Folder 7 Beginner's Luncheon Tape 3 October 1962 Box 19, Folder 8 College Grove 35th Anniversary Tape 7 October 1969 Box 19, Folder 9 Company Meeting Tape 21 January 1970 Box 19, Folder 10 Jobholder's Meeting Tape 13 January 1972 Box 19, Folder 11 Jobholder's Meeting Tape 2 October 1973 Box 19, Folder 12 Scott's Memorial Service Cassette 22 October 1993 Box 20, Folder 1 25th Anniversary Record 3 October 1960 Box 20, Folder 2 Album Box 20, Folder 3 Walker Sketch Box 20, Folder 4 SD Store-y Box 20, Folder San Diegans Box 20, Folder 6 Walker's Store Sketch Box 20, Folder 7 Certificate Box 20, Folder 8 R. M. Walker Box 20, Folder 9 3 Large Photographs Box 20, Folder 10 Walker's Silver Jubilee 1930 Box 20, Folder 11 Drugstore Picture Box 20, Folder 12 Plaque Box 21, Folder 1 Commencement Attire Box 22, Folder 1 Fiesta Attire Box 23, Folder 1 Sombrero MS