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Building History

Dry goods merchandiser James Winchester Robinson (1846-1891) opened the Boston Dry Goods Store at North Spring Street and Temple Street in 02/1883, but rapidly outgrew this space. Seeking larger quarters by 1887, Robinson relocated the Boston Dry Goods Store to a building at 69-73 N. Spring Street. On 02/28/1891, Robinson, only 45 years of age, passed away at his residence four days after returning from an East Coast business trip. He had accumulated an estate worth $500,000, a significant sum for the time. Before he died, he had purchased a new piece of property on which he intended to erect an even larger and grander store. The Los Angeles Times stated: "A short time ago he consummated, also, the purchase of the Milligan property on Broadway, opposite the City Hall, where he contemplated building a business block in the spring and removing his store there." Robinson's father, H.W. Robinson, who had retailing experience, came out to Los Angeles from Boston to operate the business following J.W.'s death. The funeral was well-attended. The Los Angeles Times stated on 03/08/1891, "It will be one of the largest funerals ever held in the city. The merchants and business men have decided to turn out in force and pay their last respects to the deceased." (See "The Late J.W. Robinson: The Funeral to Take Place Tomorrow--Tribute of Respect," Los Angeles Times, 03/08/1891, p. 6.) Five years later, in 1896, the Boston Dry Goods Store moved to the new property at 239 South Broadway.

PCAD id: 18449