Klopfenstein's
Encyclopedia
Klopfenstein's was an upscale men's clothing store in the Seattle-Tacoma Metropolitan Area originally founded in 1918 in Tacoma, Washington
. Stores were operated in most of the area's major shopping malls as well as stores in downtown Tacoma and Seattle, across the street from Frederick & Nelson
's flagship store. It was owned by Hartmarx
from the late 1960s until its closing in 1992.
in 1890 to a Mennonite
family who had come to the Northwest in 1882 from Iowa
. After Graduating from High School, he went to work for a New York-based clothing company, traveling the Tacoma area and selling clothes.
Klopfenstein's history can be traced back to early 1909 when Clarence F. Klopfenstein and a man named Conrad purchased the Uzafovage & Sampson Building at 1321 Commerce Street in downtown Tacoma to house their menswear store.
In 1918, Edward Mason and Klopfenstein entered into a partnership selling men's wear. They opened their new store at 936 Pacific. Mason was president with Klopfenstein serving as vice-president. They soon expanded, opening a store in downtown Seattle in 1924 at 1310 Second Avenue. The next year, Klopfenstein bought out his partner and the store became known as Klopfenstein's.
Boss, Dave Beck
. The store moved again to Fourth Avenue and ownership would be passed to Clarence's son Hugh. In 1966, Klopfenstein's merged with another Seattle clothing store, Leslie - Hughes and for a brief time the company was known as Klopfenstein's - Leslie - Hughes. The store moved again in 1967 to the corner of sixth and Pine Streets in the Heffernan Building, newly remodeled by architects Herbert Sobel and Richard Bouillon. This new, large store cost $500,000 and was described as "elegantly masculine but... friendly". While primarily tailoring (literally) to men's clothing, this new store also included a women's clothing department. "That store became a gathering place for downtown Seattle businessmen, recalled Karl Klopfenstein, a son of the founder. "Often, dozens of businessmen would come to the store after work - perhaps joining in a casual game of miniature golf played around the clothing racks - before moving on to Rosellini's restaurant, and home." Shortly after the new store was built, Hugh sold the family business to the Chicago
based Hartmarx Corporation. They expanded the brand, opening stores in Alaska
, Portland, Oregon
, as well as stores in most of the malls in the Seattle area.
. By 1990, parent company Hartmarx was beginning to struggle financially, and cuts in its holdings were inevitable. An increase in competition from The Bon Marché
and Nordstrom's were cutting into its market, forcing it to scale down prices. Seeing no other option, Hartmarx sold Klopfenstein's and several other stores including Seattle men's store Littler's to HSSA, which proceeded to close all of them. All Klopfenstein stores would be closed by the Summer of 1993, not long after Frederick & Nelson shut its doors.
Tacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
. Stores were operated in most of the area's major shopping malls as well as stores in downtown Tacoma and Seattle, across the street from Frederick & Nelson
Frederick & Nelson
Frederick & Nelson was a department store chain in the northwestern United States, based in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1891 as a furniture store, it later expanded to sell other types of merchandise. The company was acquired by Marshall Field & Company in 1929...
's flagship store. It was owned by Hartmarx
Hartmarx
Hart Schaffner Marx, founded in 1887 and incorporated in 1911, is an American manufacturer of tailored menswear. Its headquarters is at 101 North Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois. Hart Schaffner Marx is the flagship brand of HMX Group, a holding company that engages in the manufacture and marketing...
from the late 1960s until its closing in 1992.
Formative years
Clarence F. Klopfenstein was born in Tacoma, WashingtonTacoma, Washington
Tacoma is a mid-sized urban port city and the county seat of Pierce County, Washington, United States. The city is on Washington's Puget Sound, southwest of Seattle, northeast of the state capital, Olympia, and northwest of Mount Rainier National Park. The population was 198,397, according to...
in 1890 to a Mennonite
Mennonite
The Mennonites are a group of Christian Anabaptist denominations named after the Frisian Menno Simons , who, through his writings, articulated and thereby formalized the teachings of earlier Swiss founders...
family who had come to the Northwest in 1882 from Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. After Graduating from High School, he went to work for a New York-based clothing company, traveling the Tacoma area and selling clothes.
Klopfenstein's history can be traced back to early 1909 when Clarence F. Klopfenstein and a man named Conrad purchased the Uzafovage & Sampson Building at 1321 Commerce Street in downtown Tacoma to house their menswear store.
In 1918, Edward Mason and Klopfenstein entered into a partnership selling men's wear. They opened their new store at 936 Pacific. Mason was president with Klopfenstein serving as vice-president. They soon expanded, opening a store in downtown Seattle in 1924 at 1310 Second Avenue. The next year, Klopfenstein bought out his partner and the store became known as Klopfenstein's.
Peak operations
The store became a gathering place for "discriminating gentlemen", attracting the movers and shakers of Seattle, including pioneers, city councilman, business leaders, and even TeamsterTeamster
A teamster, in modern American English, is a truck driver. The trade union named after them is the International Brotherhood of Teamsters , one of the largest unions in the United States....
Boss, Dave Beck
Dave Beck
Dave Beck was an American labor leader, and president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters from 1952 to 1957...
. The store moved again to Fourth Avenue and ownership would be passed to Clarence's son Hugh. In 1966, Klopfenstein's merged with another Seattle clothing store, Leslie - Hughes and for a brief time the company was known as Klopfenstein's - Leslie - Hughes. The store moved again in 1967 to the corner of sixth and Pine Streets in the Heffernan Building, newly remodeled by architects Herbert Sobel and Richard Bouillon. This new, large store cost $500,000 and was described as "elegantly masculine but... friendly". While primarily tailoring (literally) to men's clothing, this new store also included a women's clothing department. "That store became a gathering place for downtown Seattle businessmen, recalled Karl Klopfenstein, a son of the founder. "Often, dozens of businessmen would come to the store after work - perhaps joining in a casual game of miniature golf played around the clothing racks - before moving on to Rosellini's restaurant, and home." Shortly after the new store was built, Hugh sold the family business to the Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
based Hartmarx Corporation. They expanded the brand, opening stores in Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
, as well as stores in most of the malls in the Seattle area.
Later years and demise
In the Summer of 1989, Klopfenstein's flagship relocated to the newly constructed Two Union Square tower. Their old location would be occupied by Pierce Gallery, later to become part of Pacific Place (Seattle)Pacific Place (Seattle)
Pacific Place is an upscale shopping center located in downtown Seattle, WA on Sixth Avenue and Pine Street. It includes a skybridge that connects it to Seattle's Nordstrom. The shopping center opened in October of the year 1998, and has a total area of . Of its 5 floors, the top floor features an...
. By 1990, parent company Hartmarx was beginning to struggle financially, and cuts in its holdings were inevitable. An increase in competition from The Bon Marché
The Bon Marché
The Bon Marché, whose name means "the good deal" or "the good market", was the name chosen for a department store launched in Seattle, Washington, United States, in 1890 by Edward Nordhoff. The name comes from Le Bon Marché, a noted Paris retailer and one of the world's first department stores,...
and Nordstrom's were cutting into its market, forcing it to scale down prices. Seeing no other option, Hartmarx sold Klopfenstein's and several other stores including Seattle men's store Littler's to HSSA, which proceeded to close all of them. All Klopfenstein stores would be closed by the Summer of 1993, not long after Frederick & Nelson shut its doors.
Timeline
- 1909 - Clarence Klopfenstein & Conrad open for business in downtown Tacoma
- 1918 - Klopfenstein & Mason open new men's store in Tacoma
- 1924 - New Klopfenstein's opens in downtown Seattle
- 1925 - Klopfenstein buys out partner, store now known as just Klopfenstein's
- 1939 - New $80,000 Fourth Avenue Store designed by McClelland & Jones opens on May 13. Ownership passed from father to son, Hugh.
- 1950 - store opened in new Northgate MallNorthgate MallNorthgate Mall may refer to:*Northgate Mall in Durham, North Carolina*Northgate Mall in Hixson, Tennessee*Northgate Mall in Seattle, Washington*Northgate Mall in Cincinnati, Ohio...
- 1960 - First Oregon location opened in Lloyd CenterLloyd CenterLloyd Center is a shopping mall in the Lloyd District of Portland, Oregon, United States, just northeast of downtown. It is owned by Glimcher Realty Trust and anchored by Macy's, Nordstrom, Sears, Marshalls and Ross. The mall features three floors of shopping with the third level serving mostly...
- 1962 - Aurora Village Store opens
- 1965 - Tacoma MallTacoma MallThe Tacoma Mall is the largest shopping center in Tacoma, Washington. It is owned by Simon Property Group. Anchor tenants include JC Penney, Sears, Macy's, and Nordstrom.-References:-External links:*...
location opens on November 26. - 1966 - Store merges with Leslie - Hughes
- 1967 - Klopfenstein's moves into new $500,000 home at 6th & Pine Streets, Seattle
- 1968 - Company sold to Hartmarx Corporation
- 1984 - Clarence Klopfenstein passes away at age 93.
- 1989 - Downtown store moved yet again to Two Union Square
- 1992 - Hartmarx sells off Klopfenstein's division. All stores are closed by Summer of 1993.
External links
- Klopfenstein's ad from 1927 University of WashingtonUniversity of WashingtonUniversity of Washington is a public research university, founded in 1861 in Seattle, Washington, United States. The UW is the largest university in the Northwest and the oldest public university on the West Coast. The university has three campuses, with its largest campus in the University...
yearbook (Tyee)