Liberty House
Liberty House was a Hawaii-based department and specialty-store chain that expanded to the United States mainland and Guam before entering bankruptcy and being absorbed into Macy's West.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
Liberty House was a former American department and specialty-store chain headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii. Its principal commercial identity was built around retailing in the Hawaiian Islands, although the business also operated stores on Guam and, for a period, across several western and southwestern mainland states. The chain sold a broad department-store assortment together with merchandise directed at local, resort, and specialty-shopping demand. The company’s roots extended back to Hackfeld’s Dry Goods, established in Hawaii in 1849 by German trader Heinrich Hackfeld. The retail operation was renamed B. F. Ehlers in 1852, while Hackfeld continued to pursue trading, shipping, land, and plantation interests. Paul Isenberg became a half partner in 1881, and the related family and business interests were reorganized as H. Hackfeld & Co. in 1898. During the First World War, the company became vulnerable to the United States government’s treatment of German-linked property. In 1918, H. Hackfeld & Co. was seized as alien property because a number of Hackfeld and Isenberg heirs still lived in Germany. The business was sold to a newly created consortium known as American Factors, later Amfac. In the same period, the B. F. Ehlers retail store was renamed The Liberty House, a change associated with anti-German sentiment during wartime. The new name subsequently became the enduring retail brand. Liberty House’s later development was closely connected to Amfac’s broader Hawaii business interests. In 1969, Amfac purchased Rhodes Western department stores, giving Liberty House a route into mainland retailing. Former Rhodes locations were progressively renamed Liberty House from 1971 through 1974. The mainland network eventually reached Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, New Mexico, and Washington. The expansion reached a visible high point with the opening of a new San Francisco flagship at Stockton and O’Farrell streets in 1974. The mainland strategy proved difficult to sustain. The stores were geographically dispersed, and results were not strong enough to justify continued investment across the network. Liberty House began withdrawing from mainland operations in 1978. By 1984, the remaining ten mainland stores were sold; nine of the ten California stores were closed that year because of poor sales, while the San Mateo Fashion Island location continued until 1986. The chain later pursued selected regional growth rather than a broad mainland footprint. After Amfac was acquired in a leveraged buyout by JMB Realty in 1988, Liberty House expanded to Micronesia Mall in Guam in 1994. At its peak, its resort-store business reportedly comprised more than 40 locations, reflecting the importance of tourism-oriented retailing to the brand. Liberty House filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 1998 and closed most of its resort-store operations during the restructuring. It emerged from bankruptcy, but its independent existence ended in 2001 when Federated Department Stores acquired the company and merged its operations into Macy’s West. The former San Francisco Liberty House location later operated as the Men's Store of Macy’s Union Square before Macy’s closed it in 2017 for subsequent mixed-use redevelopment. The Liberty House name survives primarily as a historical reference and through a domain forwarding arrangement associated with Macy’s, rather than as an active department-store chain.
History
Liberty House developed from a nineteenth-century Honolulu retail business linked to Hawaii’s commercial and plantation economy. Heinrich Hackfeld established Hackfeld’s Dry Goods in 1849. The retail operation became B. F. Ehlers in 1852, named for Hackfeld’s nephew, while Hackfeld concentrated on trading, shipping, and real estate. Paul Isenberg joined the business as a half partner in 1881, and the related family interests were formally reorganized as H. Hackfeld & Co. in 1898. The company’s German connections became consequential during World War I. In 1918, the United States government seized H. Hackfeld & Co. as alien property because several heirs remained in Germany. American Factors, a newly formed consortium, purchased the business. The same year, the B. F. Ehlers store adopted the Liberty House name, a patriotic rebranding associated with anti-German feeling. American Factors later became known as Amfac and remained the corporate organization most closely associated with the chain for much of its development. For decades Liberty House was primarily identified with Hawaii. Its growth strategy changed in 1969 when Amfac acquired Rhodes Western, a department-store operator with mainland locations. The Rhodes stores were converted to the Liberty House name between 1971 and 1974. This created a network across Arizona, California, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, New Mexico, and Washington, but the geography was difficult to manage and performance did not support continued expansion. A new San Francisco flagship opened in 1974, yet the company began reducing its mainland presence in 1978. The remaining ten mainland stores were sold in 1984, and the last identified California location closed in 1986. After JMB Realty acquired Amfac in 1988, Liberty House concentrated more heavily on Hawaii and tourism-related retail. The chain expanded into Guam with a Micronesia Mall store in 1994. Its resort-store business eventually exceeded 40 locations, but the company entered Chapter 11 in 1998 and closed most of those resort operations. Following its emergence from bankruptcy, Federated Department Stores acquired Liberty House in 2001 and folded it into Macy’s West. This ended Liberty House as an independent operating chain. The former San Francisco flagship subsequently served as Macy’s Union Square’s Men's Store until its 2017 closure and planned conversion for mixed-use purposes.
- 2001
Integration into Macy’s West
[1]Federated Department Stores acquires Liberty House and merges it into Macy’s West.
- 1998
Chapter 11 filing
[1]The company files for bankruptcy protection and closes most of its resort-store operation.
- 1994
Guam expansion
[1]Liberty House opens at Micronesia Mall, extending the chain’s Pacific regional footprint.
- 1984
Mainland stores are sold
[1]The remaining ten mainland stores are sold, with nine California locations closing because of poor sales.
- 1978
Mainland retrenchment starts
[1]The chain begins winding down mainland operations after weak results and difficulties associated with a scattered store base.
- 1974
San Francisco flagship opens
[1]A new flagship opens at Stockton and O’Farrell streets during the chain’s mainland expansion.
- 1969
Mainland expansion begins
[1]Amfac’s purchase of Rhodes Western gives Liberty House a platform for entering mainland department-store markets.
- 1918
The Liberty House name is adopted
[1]Following wartime seizure and sale of H. Hackfeld & Co., the B. F. Ehlers store is renamed The Liberty House.
- 1898
H. Hackfeld & Co. is reorganized
[1]The Hackfeld and Isenberg family interests are formally reorganized under H. Hackfeld & Co.
- 1881
Paul Isenberg becomes a half partner
[1]Paul Isenberg joins the business as a half partner, linking the store to the Isenberg family interests.
Products and positioning
A regional department and specialty-store chain rooted in Hawaii, combining broad merchandise with resort-oriented and destination retailing. Its later mainland expansion attempted to extend a strong local retail identity into a geographically scattered western network.
Department-store retail
Hawaii department stores
The core Liberty House format was a general department store serving customers across the Hawaiian Islands. The available reference material identifies the chain as carrying broad department-store merchandise, but does not provide a verified detailed category list or proprietary product names.
Specialty and tourism retail
Resort stores
Liberty House operated a substantial resort-oriented store business, reportedly exceeding 40 locations at its height. These stores supported the chain’s tourism-facing strategy, although the available source does not specify a complete assortment or individual store formats.
Department-store retail · 1971
Mainland department stores
Between the early 1970s and the mid-1980s, former Rhodes Western locations operated under the Liberty House name in several mainland states, including California and other western or southwestern markets. The network was ultimately withdrawn because of weak results and its dispersed footprint.
Department and specialty retail · 1994
Micronesia Mall store
The Micronesia Mall location in Guam represented a later Pacific expansion of the Liberty House format under Amfac and JMB Realty ownership. It formed part of the chain’s regional rather than mainland growth strategy.
Brand decisions
2001
Acquisition by Federated Department StoresM&ABackground
Following its emergence from Chapter 11, Liberty House required a new ownership and operating structure.
Action taken
Federated Department Stores acquired the company and merged it into Macy’s West.
Aftermath
Liberty House ceased to exist as an independent department-store chain.
1998
Chapter 11 restructuringOtherBackground
Liberty House faced financial difficulty after operating a large resort-store business.
Action taken
The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and closed most resort stores.
Aftermath
Although the company emerged from bankruptcy, it was acquired by Federated Department Stores in 2001 and no longer operated independently.
1994
Pacific regional expansionStrategyBackground
After ownership of Amfac changed, Liberty House pursued regional opportunities connected to Hawaii and tourism.
Action taken
The chain opened a store at Micronesia Mall in Guam.
Aftermath
The Guam operation became part of the chain’s final Pacific-era footprint before bankruptcy restructuring.
1978
Withdrawal from mainland operationsStrategyBackground
The mainland network produced poor results and had a geographically scattered store footprint.
Action taken
Liberty House began winding down mainland stores rather than continuing broad investment.
Aftermath
The remaining ten mainland stores were sold in 1984, and the last identified California store closed in 1986.
1969
Entry into mainland retail through Rhodes WesternM&ABackground
Amfac sought to extend Liberty House beyond its Hawaii base.
Action taken
Amfac purchased Rhodes Western department stores, whose locations were subsequently converted to the Liberty House name.
Aftermath
The resulting mainland network expanded across multiple states but was later reduced and sold after poor performance.
1918
Wartime rebranding as The Liberty HouseStrategyBackground
H. Hackfeld & Co. was seized as alien property during World War I, and the B. F. Ehlers store was operating in a climate of anti-German sentiment.
Action taken
The retail store was renamed The Liberty House after the business was sold to American Factors.
Aftermath
The new name became the long-term identity of the Hawaii-based department-store chain.
Recent events
- 2017
Macy’s closes former San Francisco Liberty House men's store[1]
Other
The former Liberty House San Francisco building, then operated as the Men's Store of Macy’s Union Square, was closed for mixed-use renovation.
- 2001
Federated Department Stores absorbs Liberty House into Macy’s West[1]
M&A · Leadership change
After emerging from bankruptcy, Liberty House was acquired by Federated Department Stores and merged into Macy’s West.
- 1998
Liberty House files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy[1]
Bankruptcy
The company entered Chapter 11 protection and closed most of its resort-store business during restructuring.
- 1994
Liberty House expands to Micronesia Mall in Guam[1]
Product launch
The chain opened a location at Micronesia Mall, extending its regional presence in the western Pacific.
- 1988
JMB Realty acquires Amfac[1]
M&A
JMB Realty acquired Amfac in a leveraged buyout, bringing Liberty House under new ownership.
- 1986
San Mateo Fashion Island Liberty House closes[1]
Other
The last noted California holdout, the San Mateo Fashion Island store, ended operations.
- 1984
Remaining mainland Liberty House stores sold[1]
Other
The remaining ten mainland stores were sold; nine California locations closed because of poor sales.
- 1978
Liberty House begins withdrawing from mainland operations[1]
Other
Poor results and the dispersed nature of the mainland network led the company to begin winding down its mainland stores.
- 1974
San Francisco Liberty House flagship opens[1]
Other
Liberty House completed a major San Francisco flagship at Stockton and O’Farrell streets during its mainland expansion.
- 1971
Liberty House mainland stores are progressively rebranded[1]
Other
Former Rhodes Western locations were renamed Liberty House over the period from 1971 to 1974.
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