Haggarty's


Haggarty's was a department store chain founded in Los Angeles in 1906 and which closed in May 1970 due to not keeping up with fashion trends and a resulting $4.4 million in debts. It had more than a dozen branches at its peak.
The chain was founded by J. J. Haggarty who opened his first store the "New York Cloak and Suit House" in 1906. After opening three more stores on Broadway between 3rd and 6th streets, he finally opened his "vision", a large "uptown" Los Angeles store, at the southeast corner of W. Seventh St. and Grand Avenue, this time under the name J.J. Haggarty Inc.
After Mr. Haggarty's death the chain was bought by Clyde H. DeAcres, who had been president of Sherman, Clay and Co. in San Francisco, retailers of musical instruments. In 1938, DeAcres opened a four-story branch store in Beverly Hills on Wilshire Boulevard near Rodeo Drive.
At the time of the chain's demise the principal owner was Mrs. Lila M. Ash, the wife of Roy Ash, the president of Litton Industries, a large defense contractor. She had invested about $9.5 million in Haggarty's.

Branches

Shortly before bankruptcy in 1970, the chain operated locations in Beverly Hills, Palm Springs, Downey, Canoga Park, and four Hafter's-Haggarty's shops in the San Diego area.

Mansions

Mr. Haggarty built a mansion in the West Adams district of Los Angeles at 3330 West Adams Blvd., and a 32-room Mediterranean-style, $750,000 summer home on the Palos Verdes Peninsula at 415 Paseo del Mar, near Malaga Cove, with lawns and gardens designed by the Olmsted Brothers and furnishings from Italy.