Bullock's
A Los Angeles department-store chain that operated from 1907 to 1995 and became known for upscale merchandise and Southern California retail development.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Bullock's was an American department-store chain founded in downtown Los Angeles in 1907 by John G. Bullock with financial and organizational support from Arthur Letts, the owner of The Broadway. The business developed from a single full-line store into a prominent upscale retail organization serving Southern California and, for periods of time, customers in Arizona, Nevada, and Northern California. Its assortment combined conventional department-store categories with a comparatively elevated emphasis on designer apparel, accessories, cosmetics, home goods, and service-oriented shopping environments. The company established a distinct identity within Los Angeles retail. After Arthur Letts's death, John G. Bullock and P. G. Winnett bought out Letts's interest in 1923, separating Bullock's from The Broadway. In 1929, Bullock & Winnett opened a luxury store on Wilshire Boulevard. That location became Bullocks Wilshire, one of the most prestigious specialty department stores in the region. The Wilshire operation later expanded beyond its original site and was managed as a separate division, while the standard Bullock's stores continued to operate as upscale full-line department stores. Bullock's also expanded through ownership and property development. In 1944 it acquired I. Magnin & Co., a San Francisco-based luxury specialty retailer. I. Magnin retained its own identity and management structure, but complemented Bullock's in several California shopping districts. Beginning in 1958, Bullock's developed a group of open-air shopping centers originally branded Fashion Square. These centers were anchored by large Bullock's stores and surrounded by a relatively limited number of specialty retailers, creating carefully curated retail environments rather than conventional high-density shopping malls. The projects included centers in Santa Ana, the San Fernando Valley, Torrance, and La Habra. In 1964, the publicly held Bullock's/I. Magnin organization was acquired by Federated Department Stores. Federated preserved substantial autonomy for Bullock's, Bullocks Wilshire, and I. Magnin and supported expansion outside the Los Angeles area. Bullock's opened stores in Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Northern California, while a separate Bullock's North division attempted to establish a stronger presence in the San Francisco Bay Area. The North division opened six stores between 1972 and 1982 but was closed in 1983, with most of its locations sold to other retailers. The chain's retail positioning emphasized fashionable and luxury merchandise. Bullock's stores carried designers including Giorgio Armani, Jean-Paul Gaultier, Missoni, Valentino, Salvatore Ferragamo, Hugo Boss, and Gieves & Hawkes. Federated also experimented with Bullock's Woman, a specialty concept aimed at younger affluent women seeking designer clothing in plus sizes. The concept began in Las Vegas in 1987 and expanded to several other markets before eventually being absorbed into Macy's women's departments. Bullock's entered a period of rapid corporate change after Federated became the subject of a takeover contest in the late 1980s. Bullock's and I. Magnin were sold to Macy's in 1988. Macy's dismantled much of Bullock's Los Angeles corporate structure, merged Bullocks Wilshire into I. Magnin, and placed the full-line Bullock's stores under its Macy's South organization. These changes weakened the brand's local autonomy and disrupted the consistent upscale positioning that had previously distinguished the chain. After Macy's filed for bankruptcy protection in 1992, underperforming stores and divisions were closed or restructured. I. Magnin was liquidated in January 1995, and Bullock's ceased operating as an independent department-store brand in 1995. Following Federated's acquisition of Broadway Stores in 1996, the remaining traditional department-store operations in California were consolidated under the Macy's nameplate. Many former Bullock's locations subsequently continued as Macy's stores, but the Bullock's brand itself was discontinued.
History
Bullock's began in 1907 at Seventh Street and Broadway in downtown Los Angeles. John G. Bullock established the store with the backing of Arthur Letts, whose Broadway department store was already an important Los Angeles retailer. Following Letts's death, Bullock and P. G. Winnett acquired Letts's interest in 1923, making Bullock's independent from The Broadway. The company moved into luxury retail in 1929 when Bullock & Winnett opened a store on Wilshire Boulevard. Initially described as Bullock's Wilshire, the branch developed into the Bullocks Wilshire division and became a landmark of Southern California luxury shopping. A Palm Springs store opened in 1947 and was transferred to the Bullocks Wilshire division in 1968. In 1972, Bullocks Wilshire became a formally separate division with its own leadership, buyers, and staff. Bullock's expanded its corporate portfolio in 1944 by acquiring I. Magnin & Co. The San Francisco specialty retailer continued to operate as a distinct division and occupied a complementary position alongside Bullock's stores. Bullock's also pursued shopping-center development. Its Fashion Square projects, begun in 1958, used large Bullock's stores as anchors in relatively small, open-air centers with selected specialty retailers. The first opened in Santa Ana, followed by projects in the San Fernando Valley, Torrance, and La Habra. Ownership of several of these properties changed after Federated replaced Bullock's Realty Corporation with Transwest Management in 1970. Federated Department Stores acquired the publicly held Bullock's/I. Magnin organization in 1964. The operating divisions retained their individual identities and upscale positioning. Bullock's expanded into Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Northern California, while Federated created Bullock's North to enter the San Francisco Bay Area. Bullock's North opened stores in Palo Alto, Walnut Creek, Cupertino, San Francisco, San Jose, and San Mateo between 1972 and 1982. The division was closed in 1983; most of its properties were sold to Nordstrom, Emporium-Capwell, or Mervyn's. During its strongest period, Bullock's offered a consistent assortment across most of its full-line stores, including high-end European and American designers. The chain also tested new formats. Bullock's Woman opened in Las Vegas in 1987 to serve younger affluent women seeking designer clothing in plus sizes, then expanded to Palm Desert, Woodland Hills, Burbank, Century City, and Santa Ana. After later Macy's conversions, the concept was incorporated into Macy's women's departments. Macy's acquired Bullock's and I. Magnin in 1988 after a contested change in control at Federated. The new ownership dismantled Bullock's Los Angeles corporate offices, merged Bullocks Wilshire into I. Magnin, and placed the full-line Bullock's operation under Macy's South. The loss of local control and rapid organizational changes weakened the chain's identity and performance. Macy's bankruptcy protection filing in 1992 led to further closures and restructuring. I. Magnin was liquidated in 1995, and Bullock's ceased as an independent brand that year. Federated's 1996 acquisition of Broadway Stores was followed by broad California consolidation under Macy's. Former Bullock's stores therefore survived in many cases as Macy's locations, although the original nameplate ended.
- 1996
California operations consolidate under Macy's
[1]Federated's acquisition of Broadway Stores is followed by consolidation under the Macy's name.
- 1995
Bullock's ceases as an independent brand
[1]The Bullock's nameplate ends amid Macy's restructuring and the liquidation of I. Magnin.
- 1988
Macy's acquires Bullock's
[1]Macy's purchases Bullock's and I. Magnin after the Federated takeover contest.
- 1987
Bullock's Woman launches
[1]The specialty format opens in Las Vegas and targets younger affluent women seeking designer plus-size clothing.
- 1983
Bullock's North closes
[1]Federated ends the Northern California division and sells most of its stores.
- 1972
Bullocks Wilshire becomes a separate division
[1]The luxury division receives its own president, chairman, buyers, and staff.
- 1964
Federated acquires Bullock's
[1]Federated Department Stores acquires the Bullock's/I. Magnin organization.
- 1958
Fashion Square development begins
[1]Bullock's opens its first planned Fashion Square shopping center in Santa Ana.
- 1944
I. Magnin is acquired
[1]Bullock's adds the San Francisco luxury specialty chain while preserving it as a separate division.
- 1929
Luxury Wilshire branch opens
[1]Bullock & Winnett opens the store that develops into Bullocks Wilshire.
Products and positioning
An upscale regional department-store chain combining full-line merchandise with designer fashion, personalized service, and carefully planned shopping-center environments.
Department stores · 1907
Bullock's full-line department stores
The core Bullock's format sold a broad department-store assortment including women's and men's apparel, accessories, cosmetics, jewelry, home merchandise, and seasonal goods. Under Federated, most stores were intended to maintain consistent upscale assortments, although several locations had exceptions. The format combined ordinary department-store breadth with a more fashion-oriented and service-led presentation than mass-market competitors.
Luxury department stores · 1929
Bullocks Wilshire
Bullocks Wilshire originated with the 1929 Wilshire Boulevard luxury branch and became the company's most exclusive retail division. It emphasized designer apparel, luxury accessories, cosmetics, and a highly curated shopping environment. The division later expanded to additional Southern California locations, but Macy's consolidated it into I. Magnin in 1989.
Shopping centers · 1958
Bullock's Fashion Square
Fashion Square was a group of open-air shopping centers developed around large Bullock's anchor stores. The centers were intentionally smaller and more selective than many conventional malls, with specialty retailers such as I. Magnin, Desmond's, Mandel's, and Silverwoods. The projects extended Bullock's influence from retailing into shopping-center development.
Department stores · 1972
Bullock's North
Bullock's North was Federated's Northern California division, created to establish a Bullock's presence in the San Francisco Bay Area. It opened six stores between 1972 and 1982, including locations in Palo Alto, Walnut Creek, Cupertino, San Francisco, San Jose, and San Mateo. Federated closed the division in 1983 and sold most of its stores.
Specialty apparel stores · 1987
Bullock's Woman
Bullock's Woman was a specialty concept aimed at younger affluent women who wanted fashionable designer clothing in plus sizes. The first store opened in Las Vegas in 1987, followed by locations in Palm Desert, Woodland Hills, Burbank, Century City, and Santa Ana. After the Macy's conversion of related shopping centers and stores, the concept was folded into Macy's women's departments.
Brand decisions
1995
End the Bullock's nameplateStrategyBackground
Macy's bankruptcy-related restructuring led to closures and the rationalization of underperforming department-store operations.
Action taken
Bullock's stores were closed, converted, or absorbed into Macy's operations, ending Bullock's as an independent brand.
Aftermath
Many former locations continued as Macy's stores, while the Bullock's identity disappeared from active retailing.
1989
Consolidate Bullocks Wilshire into I. MagninStrategyBackground
Macy's reorganized the luxury operations after acquiring the Bullock's organization.
Action taken
Bullocks Wilshire ceased operating as a separate division and its stores were placed within I. Magnin.
Aftermath
The change reduced the independent visibility of one of Bullock's most distinctive luxury identities.
1988
Sell Bullock's to Macy'sM&ABackground
Macy's acquired Bullock's and I. Magnin after a contested takeover battle involving Federated.
Action taken
Macy's took control of the divisions and began integrating them into its broader organization.
Aftermath
Bullock's lost its Los Angeles corporate autonomy; Bullocks Wilshire was merged into I. Magnin and the full-line stores were placed under Macy's South.
Acquisition consideration. (1988)
1987
Launch Bullock's WomanProduct launchBackground
Federated identified a potential gap in youthful designer apparel for plus-size women.
Action taken
Bullock's opened a stand-alone specialty store in Las Vegas and expanded the concept to additional Southern California markets.
Aftermath
The format remained part of the retail portfolio until Macy's later consolidation absorbed it into women's departments.
1983
Close Bullock's NorthStrategyBackground
The Northern California expansion produced a six-store division but did not become a durable regional operation.
Action taken
Federated shut the division and sold most of its stores to Nordstrom, Emporium-Capwell, and Mervyn's.
Aftermath
Bullock's withdrew from its attempted direct expansion across the San Francisco Bay Area.
1964
Accept acquisition by Federated Department StoresM&ABackground
The publicly owned Bullock's/I. Magnin organization was acquired by Federated, despite opposition from surviving founder P. G. Winnett.
Action taken
Bullock's and I. Magnin joined Federated while retaining separate operating identities and upscale positioning.
Aftermath
Federated supported geographic expansion and maintained the divisions as relatively autonomous businesses for a time.
Sources1 sources
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