White Front was a chain of discount department stores in California and the western United States from 1929 through the mid-1970s. The stores had a distinctive front architecture with an enormous, sweeping archway having the store name spelled out in letters fanned across the top. For several years, White Front was the leading discount store in the U.S.
History In 1929, the company was founded and opened its first store at 7651 S. Central Avenue in Florence, South Los Angeles. In 1950 it expanded this store. In a 1950 advertisement, the company tongue-in-cheek explained that its lone location was in a "low rent area".
Origins and initial growth White Front traced its origin to the opening of a small Los Angeles self-service grocery store on Central Avenue near 77th Street by a 23-year redhead named Harry Blackman just a few weeks before the stock market crash of 1929. Blackman had worked in the food store business for several years by working through various positions up to store manager before he decided he wanted to start his own business. He opened the White Front Market, named after the color of the store front, on Central with $200 cash and $10,000 credit with wholesalers. He tried to carry items that his customers wanted and tried to help them by allowing his customers to pay for their groceries on credit until they received their relief checks. A 1934 article in the Los Angeles Evening Post-Record showed that Blackman's grocery store, White Front Market, was located at 7710 South Central Avenue and a 1940 ad in the Los Angeles Times showed the market was still at the same address six years later.
At first, the small store did not sell non-food items such as small tube radios. His initial foray happened purely by accident. A radio salesman that he knew came into the store one day and asked Blackman if he could help him sell some small portable radios in his store that were priced at $9.95 by having Blackman display them near the cash register. The radios were not selling at all at the list price until a woman offered to purchase one on credit with $0.50 down and then $0.50 per week until the radio was paid off. Blackman was able to sell the rest of the radios to other customers under the same terms. Later, another customer offered to purchase the same radio for $8 in cash. Under the new cash terms, Blackman found out that he could that he could sell even more radios at a quicker rate while still making a small profit. He later branched out and start selling other small household appliances in his grocery store, such as toasters and steam irons. This side business continued until the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 when consumer goods production was halted as US factories switched over to produce war-related goods for the armed forces. Blackman himself was drafted into the army in 1943, and his wife Lillian operated the grocery until his return after the war.
After Blackman returned from the Army, he opened a major appliance store across the street from the grocery at 7657 S. Central Avenue called White Front Household Appliance. His new store sold large appliances such as refrigerators, washers, and televisions in addition to small appliances such as mixers, toasters, and radios. Gradually, his store expanded down the block to occupy most of the neighboring store fronts on Central. When the store expanded to the end of the block, it shortened its name to White Front Appliance and the address was changed to 7651 S. Central Avenue. By 1954, the company had changed its name to White Front Stores and began to carry other items such as furniture, jewelry, carpeting, luggage, cameras, and silverware.
White Front opened its second store in October 1957 at 16040 Sherman Way in Van Nuys. The new store, at 50,000-square-foot, was larger than the original store on Central. Celebrities attending the grand opening included Bozo the Clown and Engineer Bill. At this time, the leaders of this company were Harry Blackman as president, Sam Nassi as vice-president, and Harry's wife Lillian as secretary-treasurer. Ironically, Nassi would return years later to help White Front's liquidate its store inventory in 1973.
In April 1959, the two store chain was acquired by Interstate Department Stores, Inc., for $1,650,000 (~$ in ) in cash and shares. Interstate expanded the chain to other California locations and broadened its retail mix beyond the original housewares., Memories, Torrance High School Class of 1973. Around this same time, Interstate had also acquired another discount department store chain in the eastern part of the country called Topps Discount Stores, but Interstate always had kept the two chains separate.
Rapid growth in California under Interstate
After receiving cash from its parent Interstate, White Front was able to expand throughout the Los Angeles metropolitan area and into the rest of California. The company was known for its opening ceremonies which included governmental officials and Hollywood celebrities.
In November 1960, White Front opened the third store in their chain at Harbor and Wilken Way in Anaheim. Celebrities at the grand opening included the California attorney general Stanley Mosk and actress Marilyn Maxwell.
The fourth White Front store was opened on Olympic Blvd. in East Los Angeles in October 1961 by converting an existing building that had been used as its general offices and a warehouse.
In March 1962, the company opened its fifth store on Azuza Avenue in Covina. Grand opening celebrities attending were actors Keenan Wynn, Mark Stevens, Gail Davis and Greta Thyssen.
The sixth White Front store was opened on Orange Show Road in San Bernardino in October 1962. Celebrities included were actors Johnny Weissmuller, Greta Thyssen, Alan Mowbray, and Gail Davis.
In November 1962, the seventh store was opened at Jefferson and Hauser Blvds. in West Los Angeles. Celebrities attending were actors Greta Thyssen, Alan Mowbray, Keenan Wynn and Gail Davis.
The eighth White Front store was opened on Torrance Blvd. in Torrance in March 1963. Celebrities included were actor Ricardo Montalbán, comedian Soupy Sales, actress Gail Davis, actress Mala Powers, and actor Johnny Weissmuller.
In May 1963, the ninth store was opened on Roscoe Blvd. in Canoga Park. Celebrities included were comedian Pinky Lee, comedian Bill Dana, actress Gail Davis, rock duo Jan and Dean, and jazz musician Big Tiny Little.
The tenth White Front store was opened on Hegenberger Road in Oakland in early October 1963. This was the first store to open in Northern California. Dignitaries included were California state officials such as Governor Edmund G. Brown Sr., Lieutenant Governor Glenn M. Anderson, and Attorney General Stanley Mosk. Celebrities attending were actors Jayne Mansfield, George Jessel, Marvin Miller, Troy Donahue, and Gail Davis.
In late October 1963, the chain open its 11th store on Laurel Canyon Blvd. in Pacoima. Celebrities included actors Troy Donahue, Rick Jason and Gail Davis.
The 12th White Front store was opened on Moorpark in San Jose in November 1963. This was the second store to open in Northern California.
In May 1964, the 13th store was opened on El Camino Real in Sunnyvale. This was the third store to open in Northern California.
The 14th White Front store was opened on Arden Way in Sacramento in August 1964. This was the fourth store to open in Northern California. Celebrities included were actors Jayne Mansfield, Mickey Hargitay, Gail Davis, and Marvin Miller.
In early November 1964, the 15th store was opened on Contra Costa Blvd. in Pleasant Hill. This was the fifth store to open in Northern California. Celebrities included were actors Mamie Van Doren, Marvin Miller, Rick Jason, and Gail Davis.
The 16th White Front store was opened on Mountain Avenue in Ontario in late November 1964. Celebrities included were actors Gail Davis.
In May 1965, the 17th store was opened on Blackstone Avenue in Fresno. This was the sixth store to open in Northern California. Celebrities included were actors Gail Davis, Marvin Miller and Rick Jason.
The original Central Avenue store was "burned to the ground" during the August 1965 Watts riots. This caused the store count to drop back to 16.
The 17th White Front store was opened at Florin Road and Stockton Boulevard in South Sacramento in September 1965. This was the seventh store to open in Northern California and the second in Sacramento. Celebrities attending were actors Marvin Miller and the rock group The Turtles.
In November 1965, the 18th store was opened on El Camino Real in South San Francisco. This was the eighth store to open in Northern California. Celebrities included were actors Carol Channing, Jayne Mansfield, Marvin Miller, Rick Jason, and Gail Davis plus the musical group Liverpool Five.
A pair of stores, the 19th and 20th stores in the chain, were opened in San Diego county in late November in La Mesa and in San Diego. Celebrities included were actors Jayne Mansfield, Rick Jason, Marvin Miller, and Gail Davis plus the Jerry Gray Orchestra.
In September 1966, the 21st store was opened on Bristol Street in Costa Mesa. Celebrities included were actors Jayne Mansfield, Quinn O'Hara, Joanie Sommers, Mark Miller, Chris Robinson, Marvin Miller and Rick Jason.
The 22nd White Front store was opened on Woodruff in Downey in November 1966. Celebrities included were actors Joanie Sommers, Lori Saunders and Marvin Miller.
In March 1967, the 23rd store was opened on Central Avenue in Los Angeles on the site of the original Central Avenue store that was razed to the ground 19 months prior by angry rioters. Celebrities included were comedian Bill Cosby and actors Carole Cole, and Rick Jason.
The first two stores to be built outside of California were opened in Washington state in October and November 1967.
In April 1968, White Front announced that they were closing their Van Nuys store and liquidating its stock. At that time, the Van Nuys store was the oldest one and the only one that predated the acquisition of the company by Interstate. The result of this closing reduced the official store count by one.
The 27th White Front store in the nation, the 24th in California and the ninth in Northern California, was opened on Sixteenth Street, on the site of the former Seals Stadium, in San Francisco in October 1968. Celebrities attending were singing star John Gary; comedian Pat Paulsen; and actors Rose Marie and Lainie Kazan.
The last mention of the rebuilt Central Avenue store was in a December 1968 White Front ad. This ad also mentioned the 11 other Los Angeles-area stores. Of the 12 stores total, 8 were in Los Angeles County, 2 in Orange County, and 2 in San Bernardino County. There are no verifiable records when the Central Avenue store closed.
In March 1969, the 26th White Front store was opened on Mowry Avenue in Newark. This was the tenth store in Northern California. Celebrities included were singer Bill Medley of The Righteous Brothers; comedian Charles Nelson Reilly; plus actors Richard X. Slattery, Barbara Stuart, Dick Gautier, Warren Berlinger, Elizabeth Allen, Ann B. Davis, Bill Mumy, Susan Saint James, and Jay Silverheels.
The 27th store in the chain was opened in the Puget Sound area of Washington state.
In December 1969, the 28th White Front store in the nation and the 25th store in California was opened on Ventu Park Road in Thousand Oaks. Celebrities included were actors Lainie Kazan and Darby Hinton.
The 29th White Front store in the nation and the 26th one in California was opened on the Imperial Highway at Normandie in the southwest portion of Los Angeles County in March 1970. This store is one of the first of the "new look" stores without the distinctive arch entryway. Celebrities attending were NBA player and coach Bill Russell, Los Angeles Rams defense back Ron Smith, actor Don Mitchell, singer Abbe Lane, and singer Della Reese.