Photo Record
Images
Metadata
Title |
Kress Café |
Object Name |
Print, Photographic |
Collection |
S.H. Kress & Company |
Catalog Number |
1989.13.1.1139 |
Description |
Print, Photographic; B&W; interior photo taken at floor level; print depicts a view of the luncheonette looking down an aisle parallel to the serving counter; a cafeteria type serving couter is visible at left; a row of movable two-place tables is in front of camera and one of four place tables is across the aisle at left; large globe light fixtures hang above double tables; stamp on back "Photo By\Richard Weede\Concord Photography STUDIOS\1717 Galindo, Concord, Calif.\MU 2-1757|Nov-9-1967"; hand written notations "3723\7" and SUN VALLEY MALL" |
Context |
The S.H. Kress & Company, founded by Samuel H. Kress, opened over 300 5-10-25 cent stores in thirty states from New Jersey to Florida and across to California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii. The first Kress store opened in Memphis, Tennessee in 1896. Many of the early Kress stores started out in rented spaces. By 1909, the Company began to open its stores in new structures created by S.H. Kress & Company architects like Edward F. Sibbert and Seymour Burrell, or built for it by contractors and held under lease. The Kress stores particularly thrived during the Great Depression, as they sold inexpensive products in luxurious spaces. Kress stores ranged in architectural styles, from Neoclassical to Art Deco to Modern and International. Towards the end of the S.H. Kress & Company life, shopping centers and malls overtook free-standing commercial buildings as the preferred retail locations, and new Kress stores were placed in large multistore structure. In 1964, the S.H. Kress & Company was purchased by Genesco, Incorporated, and the company was liquidated in 1980 and 1981. Some of the buildings have been demolished, while others have been renovated and adapted. The documents, plans, photographs, and objects that were gifted to the National Building Museum by numerous donors provide a rich array of information relevant to business, social, architectural, land use, race relations, and commercial history in the United States. |
Credit Line |
Courtesy of National Building Museum, gift of Genesco, Inc. |
Place |
Concord, California |
Additional Notes |
Genesco Store Number: 810 Address: Sun Valley Mall Facade Material: Unknown Style: Unknown Primary Building Architect: John S. Bolles Contractors: |
Date |
11/9/1967 |
Photographer |
Richard Weede; Concord Photography Studios |
Studio |
Richard Weede; Concord Photography Studios |
Orig/Copy |
Original Print |
Medium |
Photographic paper |
Object Category |
8: Communication Artifact |
Donor |
Genesco Inc. |
Notes on Related Objects |
Related Units: 15 photographs, 27 plans, 0.5 inch of documents Book Description: "From 1967 to 1977, Kress operated a discount variety store in the Sun Valley Mall. The two-level enclosed mall was designed by architect John S. Bolles of San Francisco." |
Related Publications |
Wilkerson, Susan, and Hank Griffith. A Guide to the Building Records of S.H. Kress & Co. 5-10-25 Cent Stores at the National Building Museum. Edited by Joyce Eliiot. Washington, DC: National Building Museum Publication Office, 1993. |
Caption |
Black and white photograph of café |
Search Terms |
Sun Valley Mall enclosed mall shopping modern Store 810 Concord California S.H. Kress & Co photograph |