Компания Harris: История универмага в Калифорнии.

Former department store chain based in San Bernardino, CA

The Harris Company was a retail corporation, based in San Bernardino, California, that operated a chain of department stores named Harris', all in Southern California. Philip, Arthur, and Herman Harris – nephews of founder Leopold Harris of what was once the large Los Angeles–based chain Harris & Frank – started the company with a small dry goods store in 1905, and the company eventually grew to nine large department stores, with stores in San Bernardino, Riverside, and Kern Counties. The chain was acquired by Fresno, California–based Gottschalks in 1998. After the acquisition some of the stores continued to operate under the name Harris Gottschalks. In January, 2009, Gottschalks filed for bankruptcy, and on March 31 announced they were liquidating all stores. All of the original Harris stores that were still operating, were finally closed in July, 2009.

Philip, Arthur, and Herman Harris were nephews of Leopold Harris, founder of what was once the large Los Angeles–based chain Harris & Frank; and Philip and Herman had worked there. The three brothers started Harris Company with a small dry goods store in 1905 in the ground floor of the Armory Building at 462 Third Street, between D and E Streets, with a storefront only wide. Philip and Herman closed their White House store at 103 W. 4th Street in Santa Ana and brought the stock to San Bernardino. Arthur Harris joined in 1906, after having worked in his brother in law's store in Anaheim. With $2,500 of Arthur's money, Harris Co. moved across the street. The Harris brothers hired a window trimmer and a dozen employees, and became the most stylish store in town. In 1907, they opened a second floor to house Millinery and Ready to Wear. In 1907, they added what was the first elevator in San Bernardino. They opened a branch in Colton, without success, and in 1908, a branch in Redlands, which was successful. By 1915, the flagship store had annexed what was the Cartwright's Dry Goods building, as well as a clothing store.

By 1919 they started to buy land at 3rd and E to build a new, larger store, which launched on November 7, 1927, with three floors plus a mezzanine, basement and roof garden. There was a tea room, lunch counter, beauty parlor, barber shop, sit down soda fountain, candies, stationery, grocery store called Sage's Market, and a restaurant, Café Madrid. The main entrance archway fitted with Italian marble rose 29 feet, while the interior lobby ceiling was an impressive 32 feet high; the doors were made of hammered copper. The outside face of the building had alternating intricate stone and wrought iron ornamental grillwork, with the Harris coat of arms molded into the stonework. The San Bernardino Sun wrote: Towns do not have department stores. The Inland Empire has arrived." In March 2009, Gottschalks announced that it had lined up a group of bidders to liquidate the chain, if a buyer was not found by March 30. On March 31, Gottschalks announced it would liquidate its remaining stores, and on July 12, 2009 all of the Gottschalks stores were closed.

The original Harris Company store in downtown San Bernardino and adjacent to Carousel Mall is still remembered today for its magnificent Christmas and Easter promotional displays. The family likewise provided lavish holiday decor for its Riverside store and later others, including creative, automated window displays, which became a local tradition for shoppers. This continued until 1998, long after most other stores cut back on lavish displays.