Desmond's

Desmond's was a Los Angeles–based department store, during its existence second only to Harris & Frank as the oldest Los Angeles retail chain, founded in the 1860s as a hat shop by Daniel Desmond at Los Angeles and Commercial streets. The chain as a whole went out of business in 1981 but Desmond's, Inc. continued as a company that went in to other chains to liquidate them. Desmond's stores in Northridge and West Covina were liquidated only in 1986 and survived in Palm Springs into the first years of the 21st century.

Desmond's brother Cornelius was a hatter in San Francisco from at least c.1864 through 1879, for a time working with their other brother Jeremiah. The shop was variously located at Bush and Sansome (1860s), under the Cosmopolitan Hotel (1869) and under the Grand Hotel (1870s) and/or at new Montgomery at Market streets. The exact year that Desmond arrived in Los Angeles, and the location of his first store, varies according to the source:

Desmond's department store, in celebrating its anniversaries, consistently referred to Desmond's first store as being established "near the Los Angeles Plaza" in the year 1882 as did the Los Angeles Times. The Historical Society of Southern California, however, gave the date of Desmond's arrival in Los Angeles as October 14, 1868 The first mention of Mr. Desmond in Los Angeles newspapers was in November 1869, when the Los Angeles Star and Daily News both reported the opening of, and when Desmond first advertised, his "new hat shop", at the corner of Los Angeles and Commercial streets. It thus remains unclear if this was indeed the date of Desmond establishing his first shop, or his second. 1862 was the second year of the American Civil War and the 16th year that the US ruled California, Daniel Desmond arrived in the state via clipper ship via Cape Horn, Chile, as there was no transcontinental railroad. Los Angeles had a population of less than 4,500. In any case, the first store reportedly measured only a few square feet and Desmond was the only employee. Popular styles included tall, plush "toppers" that dandies wore, and wide-brimmed, flat-crowned "fiesta" hats popular with the Californio dones (gentlemen). Desm

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