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J. W. Robinson's was a chain of department stores operating in the Southern California and Arizona, previously with headquarters in Los Angeles, California. It was a division of May Department Stores and merged with May's other Southern California division, May Company California in 1993 to form Robinsons-May.
The traditionally carriage-trade J. W. Robinson's had been acquired by May Department Stores in 1986 with its acquisition of Associated Dry Goods. Robinson's had been acquired by Associated Dry Goods (ADG) in 1957 as its West Coast flagship and operated primarily in Southern California. In 1989 when May Company dissolved its Goldwaters division, based in Scottsdale, Arizona, Robinson's took over Goldwaters Phoenix metropolitan stores.
[edit] Robinson's of Florida
In the 1970s ADG used the Robinson's name to open a new chain of department stores on Florida's Gulf Coast, based in St. Petersburg, Florida. It had been founded in the 1970s as an attempt by ADG to emulate its upscale JW Robinson's stores on the fast-growing Florida Gulf Coast. This newly created division eventually grew to have 10 locations. Rather than invest in the then stagnant Florida market, May sold this division in 1987 to Maison Blanche Co. of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The bulk of the former Robinsons of Florida locations were subsequently sold by Maison Blanche to Dillard Department Stores in 1991.
[edit] Former Locations
- Phoenix
- Fiesta Mall, Mesa (opened 1979 as Goldwaters, became Robinson's 1989, Robinsons-May 1993, Macy's 2006)
- Metrocenter Mall, Phoenix (opened 1973 as Goldwaters, became Robinson's 1989, Robinsons-May 1993, Macy's 2006)
- Paradise Valley Mall, Phoenix (opened 1980 as Goldwaters, became Robinson's 1989, Robinsons-May 1993, Macy's 2006)
- Park Central Mall, Phoenix (opened 1957 as Goldwaters, became Robinson's 1989, closed 1990)
- Scottsdale Fashion Square, Scottsdale (opened 1961 as Goldwaters, became Robinson's 1989, Robinsons-May 1993, closed 2006)
- Los Angeles County Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)
- Santa Anita Fashion Park (now Westfield Santa Anita), Arcadia (opened 1976, became Robinsons-May 1993, closed 2006)
- Montclair Plaza, Montclair (opened 1968, became Robinsons-May 1993, became Macy's after original Macy's (which was formerly The Broadway) anchoring the east wing of the mall moved to Victoria Gardens in nearby Rancho Cucamonga. Set for closure in 2007 but remains open as of April 2008
- Wilshire Boulevard (freestanding), Beverly Hills (opened 1952, became Robinsons-May 1993, closed 2006)
- Los Cerritos Center, Cerritos (opened 1971, became Robinsons-May 1993, closed 2006)
- Puente Hills Mall, City of Industry (opened 1974, became Robinsons-May 1993, becoming Macy's 9/9/2006)
- Glendale Fashion Center, Glendale (opened 1965, closed 1993)
- Downtown Los Angeles (flagship), Los Angeles (Downtown) (closed 1993)
- Northridge Fashion Center, Los Angeles (Northridge) (opened 1988, became Robinsons-May Women's 1993, rebuilt 1995 after Northridge earthquake, temporarily closed 2006, converting to second Macy's 9/9/2006)
- Panorama City (freestanding), L.A. (Panorama City) (opened 1955, closed 1987)
- Sherman Oaks Galleria, L.A. (Sherman Oaks) (became Robinsons-May Men's/Home 1993, closed 1999)
- The Promenade at Woodlands Hills (now Westfield Promenade), L.A. (Woodland Hills) (closed 1993, sold to Bullock's)
- Colorado Boulevard (freestanding), Pasadena (closed 1993, sold to Target)
- Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica (opened 1981, became Robinsons-May 1993, closed 2006)
- Del Amo Mall (now part of Del Amo Fashion Center), Torrance (opened 1981, became Robinsons-May 1993, converting to Macy's 9/9/2006, closing at future date)
- Orange County MSA
- Anaheim (freestanding), Anaheim (opened 1963, closed 1988)
- Brea Mall, Brea (opened 1991, closed 1993, sold to JCPenney)
- South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa (opened 1986, became Robinsons-May Men's/Home 1993, closed 2005, now Bloomingdale's as of Spring 2007)
- Mission Viejo Mall (now The Shops at Mission Viejo), Mission Viejo (opened 1979, became Robinsons-May Men's/Home 1993, closed 1997 in mall redevelopment)
- Fashion Island, Newport Beach (opened 1967, became Robinsons-May 1993, became Macy's 7/2006)
- MainPlace Santa Ana (now Westfield MainPlace), Santa Ana (opened 1987, became Robinsons-May Mens/Furniture 1993, Converted to Macy's Men's/Furniture 2006)
- Westminster Mall, Westminster (opened 1974, became Robinsons-May Men's/Home 1993, closed 1999, sold to Macy's)
- San Bernardino/Riverside MSA
- San Diego MSA
- North County Fair (now Westfield North County), Escondido (opened 1986, became Robinsons-May Men's/Home 1993, closed 2006)
- University Towne Centre (now Westfield UTC), San Diego (La Jolla) (opened 1978. became Robinson-May 1993, closed 2006)
- Fashion Valley Mall, San Diego (opened 1969, became Robinsons-May 1993, closed 2006, reopened as Bloomingdale's 11/18/2006)
- Horton Plaza (now Westfield Horton Plaza), San Diego (opened 1985 , became Robinsons-May 1993, closed 1994)
- Santa Barbara-Santa Maria MSA
- La Cumbre Plaza, Santa Barbara (opened 1967, became Robinsons-May 1993, converting to Macy's 9/9/2006)
- Ventura County MSA
