Bullock's Pasadena
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Bullocks Pasadena
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Bullock's Pasadena from the street
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| Location | 401 S. Lake Ave. Pasadena, California, United States |
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| Coordinates | 34°08′21″N 118°07′59″W / 34.139133°N 118.133058°WCoordinates: 34°08′21″N 118°07′59″W / 34.139133°N 118.133058°W |
| Built | 1944 |
| Architect | Wurdeman and Becket |
| Architectural style | Streamline Moderne Art Deco |
| NRHP reference # | 96000776 |
| Added to NRHP | July 12, 1996 |
Bullock's Pasadena, located at 401 S. Lake Ave. in Pasadena, California, is a 240,000-square foot (21 368 m²) Streamline Moderne Art Deco architectural style building now a Macy's department store.
The building was designed by noted Los Angeles architects Wurdeman & Becket, a partnership between Welton Becket and Walter Wurdemen. In addition to the building itself, the architects oversaw the design and installation of all aspects of the store's interior, from the wallpaper and display cases, to the unique mechanical conveyor system that delivered purchases directly to the parking lot.
This attention to detail reflected the architect's philosophy of "total design," or taking responsibility for master planning, engineering, interiors, fixtures and furnishings, landscape, signage and graphics. The department store was purposely crafted to evoke an atmosphere of a "home" or that of an exclusive country club, in keeping with the company president's vision.
The design and merchandising of store were unique and stood in contrast to many older department stores of the time. Bullock's Pasadena was among the first department stores in the country to be located outside of a downtown area and was intended to appeal to the emerging "carriage trade," or those shoppers arriving by automobiles. As such, the store was oriented toward an unheard of 6-acre (24,000 m2) parking lot located behind the structure.
The store's promoters touted it as the "store of tomorrow" and Arts and Architecture magazine described it as "one of the world's most modern buildings." In fact, the design was recipient of an AIA Merit Award in 1950.
The store's elegance and prestige was the impetus for a surge in commercial development on both sides of South Lake Avenue following the Second World War. Previously a residential street bounded by houses, the street was soon dotted with upscale shops, boutiques, national retailers and restaurants and became known as one of the premiere shopping destinations in the San Gabriel Valley.
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