Maison Blanche
Encyclopedia
.
Maison Blanche was a department store in New Orleans
and later also a chain of department stores. It was founded in 1897 by Isidore Newman, an immigrant from Germany
.
Maison Blanche is perhaps best remembered for introducing the locally popular Mr. Bingle
Christmas mascot and for its landmark flagship store on Canal Street
.
in 1950. City Stores Co. filed for bankruptcy in July 1979. While in bankruptcy, they initially intended to consolidate the seven Maison Blanche stores with four B. Lowenstein's stores in Memphis, Tennessee
to form the Maison Blanche Department Stores group, but in early 1982 the Memphis stores were shuttered.
Instead, three of the seven existing Maison Blanche stores, as well as the name, were purchased by Goudchaux's, Inc. of Baton Rouge
, owned by the Sternberg brothers. (Goudchaux's should not be confused with Godchaux's, a specialty store based in New Orleans). Operating as Goudchaux/Maison Blanche, the new company eventually reopened the original Canal Street flagship in 1984, leasing three floors from the new owners.
In the late 1980s, two Florida based retail chains were purchased allowing the company to enter the fast growing Florida
market. In 1987 Goudchaux/Maison Blanche acquired the ten-unit Robinson's of Florida on Florida's Gulf Coast from May Department Stores
; in 1988 they also bought the five-unit Jacksonville-based "May Florida" (formerly May Cohens) from May. The Goudchaux name was dropped at this time and all the stores were renamed Maison Blanche. But the rapid expansion coupled with the oil-related recession in Louisiana proved to be too much for the company to manage, and in 1991 Maison Blanche sold eight west and central Florida
stores to Dillard's
, leaving it with eight Louisiana
stores and eight Florida stores.
Maison Blanche was purchased by Mercantile Stores
Inc. in February 1992 as a 16-store unit. The eight Louisiana stores continued to operate under the Maison Blanche name, until Mercantile Stores was acquired by Dillard's
in 1998. Dillard's subsequently closed the Canal Street store after briefly operating it. The acquisition of Maison Blanche came nearly a decade after Dillard's had purchased another New Orleans area retail institution and Canal Street landmark — D.H. Holmes.
Maison Blanche's original building was on Canal Street. This was demolished around 1908. A distinctive new building, which still stands, was constructed around 1908–1909. At one time there were many medical and dental offices in the top floors; later they became largely empty.
The Canal Street store was closed in 1982 by the City Stores Company and reopened in 1984. In 1997 work began to use the upper floors as part of a new Ritz-Carlton
hotel. The original plan was for the lower floors to continue to operate as a Maison Blanche department store. However, after Dillard's acquired the store with the purchase of the remainder of the Maison Blanche chain, they closed the Canal Street store. The whole building, along with the neighboring Kress
building, is now part of the New Orleans Ritz Carlton, which had a grand opening on October 6, 2000.
The hotel was occupied during and immediately after Hurricane Katrina
. It suffered considerable damage; for example the basement was flooded and the electrical systems, laundry, and staff cafeteria, among other things, were damaged. The Ritz-Carlton reopened on December 4, 2006, after a $106 million refurbishment.
Maison Blanche was a department store in New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
and later also a chain of department stores. It was founded in 1897 by Isidore Newman, an immigrant from Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Maison Blanche is perhaps best remembered for introducing the locally popular Mr. Bingle
Mr. Bingle
Mr. Bingle is a fictional character, a snowman assistant to Santa Claus. Originating as a mascot of the Maison Blanche department store in New Orleans, Louisiana, the character was later marketed by Dillard's and remains part of the pop-culture of the Greater New Orleans area.-History:Mr. Bingle...
Christmas mascot and for its landmark flagship store on Canal Street
Canal Street, New Orleans
Canal Street is a major thoroughfare in the city of New Orleans. Forming the upriver boundary of the city's oldest neighborhood, the French Quarter , it acted as the dividing line between the older French/Spanish Colonial-era city and the newer American Sector, today's Central Business District.The...
.
Corporate history
Maison Blanche was acquired in 1923 by City Stores Company, which merged Maison Blanche with Loveman'sLoveman's of Alabama
Loveman's of Alabama was a Birmingham, Alabama-based chain of department stores with locations across Alabama. It adopted this name to distinguish it from Loveman's department stores operating in Chattanooga, Tennessee and in Nashville, Tennessee.-History :...
in 1950. City Stores Co. filed for bankruptcy in July 1979. While in bankruptcy, they initially intended to consolidate the seven Maison Blanche stores with four B. Lowenstein's stores in Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
to form the Maison Blanche Department Stores group, but in early 1982 the Memphis stores were shuttered.
Instead, three of the seven existing Maison Blanche stores, as well as the name, were purchased by Goudchaux's, Inc. of Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge is the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is located in East Baton Rouge Parish and is the second-largest city in the state.Baton Rouge is a major industrial, petrochemical, medical, and research center of the American South...
, owned by the Sternberg brothers. (Goudchaux's should not be confused with Godchaux's, a specialty store based in New Orleans). Operating as Goudchaux/Maison Blanche, the new company eventually reopened the original Canal Street flagship in 1984, leasing three floors from the new owners.
In the late 1980s, two Florida based retail chains were purchased allowing the company to enter the fast growing Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
market. In 1987 Goudchaux/Maison Blanche acquired the ten-unit Robinson's of Florida on Florida's Gulf Coast from May Department Stores
May Department Stores
The May Department Stores Company was a national department store chain in the United States, founded in 1877 by David May. The company ceased to exist in 2005 when it was merged with Federated Department Stores, Inc . Prior to the merger it was headquartered in Downtown St. Louis, Missouri...
; in 1988 they also bought the five-unit Jacksonville-based "May Florida" (formerly May Cohens) from May. The Goudchaux name was dropped at this time and all the stores were renamed Maison Blanche. But the rapid expansion coupled with the oil-related recession in Louisiana proved to be too much for the company to manage, and in 1991 Maison Blanche sold eight west and central Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
stores to Dillard's
Dillard's
Dillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,...
, leaving it with eight Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
stores and eight Florida stores.
Maison Blanche was purchased by Mercantile Stores
Mercantile Stores
Mercantile Stores Company Inc. until 1998, was a traditional department store retailer operating 102 fashion apparel stores and 16 home fashion stores in 17 states. The stores were operated under 13 different nameplates and varied in size, with the average store approximating . Store names...
Inc. in February 1992 as a 16-store unit. The eight Louisiana stores continued to operate under the Maison Blanche name, until Mercantile Stores was acquired by Dillard's
Dillard's
Dillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,...
in 1998. Dillard's subsequently closed the Canal Street store after briefly operating it. The acquisition of Maison Blanche came nearly a decade after Dillard's had purchased another New Orleans area retail institution and Canal Street landmark — D.H. Holmes.
Canal Street landmark
The Canal Street store was closed in 1982 by the City Stores Company and reopened in 1984. In 1997 work began to use the upper floors as part of a new Ritz-Carlton
Ritz-Carlton
The Ritz-Carlton is a brand of luxury hotels and resorts with 75 properties located in major cities and resorts in 24 countries worldwide...
hotel. The original plan was for the lower floors to continue to operate as a Maison Blanche department store. However, after Dillard's acquired the store with the purchase of the remainder of the Maison Blanche chain, they closed the Canal Street store. The whole building, along with the neighboring Kress
S. H. Kress & Co.
S. H. Kress & Co. was the trading name of a chain of "five and dime" retail department stores in the United States, which operated from 1896 to 1981....
building, is now part of the New Orleans Ritz Carlton, which had a grand opening on October 6, 2000.
The hotel was occupied during and immediately after Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
. It suffered considerable damage; for example the basement was flooded and the electrical systems, laundry, and staff cafeteria, among other things, were damaged. The Ritz-Carlton reopened on December 4, 2006, after a $106 million refurbishment.