| The Palo Alto History Project |
| Bergmann's Department Store 2741 Middlefield Road |
| 2006 |
| circa 1956 |
| Bergmann's Closing and the Decline and Rebirth of Midtown When Bergmann's Department Store closed in July 1992, it signified a dangerous omen for the Midtown shopping district clustered around Middlefield Road. Sadly, by the time it closed, Bergmann's reeked of the past. An old style department store (with the Woolworth's style lunch counter and everything), Bergmann's couldn't compete with the big box giants (Walmart, Target, Kmart) that were increasingly sprouting up just outside Palo Alto's borders. After Bergmann's closed, other Midtown stores fell like dominoes, including Midtown Market, Wells Fargo, and the Midtown Pharmacy. Area activists fought hard against the decline and eventually the city and businesses responded. A merchants association increased membership and became more active and a new neighborhood association emerged. The city commissioned market analyses, held workshops, and spent money sprucing up the long neglected area. Eventually Midtown enticed a Long’s Drugs, Walgreens, Starbucks, Subway, and a host of other businesses which have revitalized the district --- albeit with a far more chain store flavor. The task for finding a new tenant for the Bergmann’s building itself was not so easy. "The best thing that could happen to Bergmann's is if it collapsed," said City Council member Ron Andersen back in 1995. "It's so antiquated. It's just an albatross." The 19,000 square foot building at 2741 Middlefield Road is rather difficult to market: it's deeper than it is wide, which means it's less visible from the street, and it has an awkward mezzanine floor attached to the second floor. But there has always been a major deterrent to tearing it down, which is that only about a third of the store could be rebuilt with today's parking and zoning restrictions. Finally, after 5 years, Bergmann’s was replaced by KnOwhere in 1997 --- a somewhat indescribable store that sold office furniture and books, offered workshops on problem-solving, and rented "incubator" space to people starting their own businesses. Later when the retail portion of KnOwhere was failing, the front of the store was leased out to Ars Vivendi, with perhaps an equally difficult retail mission --- selling organic skin-care products, non-toxic paints, ergonomic furniture, and kids' toys under the same roof as an environmental consultation services. Not altogether surprisingly, today the site has new tenants. Two clothing retailers that are primary catalogue-based have outlet stores here --- Territory Ahead and TravelSmith. Maybe not the same loyal customer base as old Bergmann's, but at least they're still doing business there. -Matt Bowling |
| Bergmann's 1956 opening in which they get the "Key to the City" (PAHA) |
| Palo Alto: Then & Now |
| The new tenants at 2741 |
| Revitalization took place in Midtown with a combination of mom & pops and chain stores like this Starbucks. |
| The Safeway at Middlefield does big business, especially as other Palo Alto grocery stores have closed. |
| A look north on Middlefield, Midtown's main drag. |
| Bergmann' shortly after its opening in the 1950s. As in many street scenes from this era, there is a remarkable lack of street "accessories," as compared to the later photo. The Bergmann's sign stands high above Middlefield Road. |
| Travelsmith and Territory Ahead are now partly obscured by trees, a bench, a trash can, bushes, shrubbery, flowerpots and other beautifications. Today two small folding signs stand outside to lure in customers. |
| I grew up in Palo Alto in the 50's. One of my most vivid memories is of buying Halloween candy at a variety store in Midtown, probably the location identified on your map as the present 7-11 store, on Colorado Avenue. My friends, brother and I used to walk to that store from our houses near El Carmelo Elementary, and spend pennies to buy wax lips, teeth, mustaches, and fingernails around Halloween time. These were 'candy', but not to swallow: they were made of colored wax and sweetened, so you could wear them and afterwards chew them like chewing gum. It seems to me there was a glass counter where the different wax candies were displayed, and we would much anticipate going to the store to pick out what to buy with our limited funds, then walk home savoring the sweetness as we chewed. I also remember, in summer, at the same store, buying sugar dots in rainbow colors, poured onto long, wide strips of paper and somehow solidified, so you could pop them off one at a time and eat them. Funny I remember these two kinds of candy so vividly, but nothing about the rest of the store or the people who ran it or the other customers. -Julie |
| Memories added by readers: |
| Sources: Palo Alto Weekly, Palo Alto Historical Association |
| "Wow, I forgot about the variety store! It was quite the hangout for us neighborhood kids. Bergmann's had a restaurant in back, and free gift wrap upstairs on the mezzanine level. There was also a Toy World store in the building that's now Baskin-Robbins. They later moved downtown. I remember well the Goodwill store and those sloping wooden floors you mention! It must have been really old even back then. I always wondered if it used to be someone's house." -Julie |
| "I loved Bergmann's. It's amazing how much stuff you could find in there, including fabric. When I got married in September, my husband needed a straw hat because the ceremony was on our deck. Bergmann's. I also liked the pharmacy. I still wear a colorful checked muffler I bought there more than 30 years ago. I love the PA Cafe that is near there now, and go there almost every Saturday." -Elissa |
| "Bergman's was a great place to go with my change as a kid in the late 60's and early 70's. I'd spend time among the toys and candy (including wax chewable harmonicas) while my mom was at the hair dressers upstairs. When we got a glimpse of Mr. Bergmann himself, it was like seeing a movie star for us 8 year olds. We could get anything there and the service was personable. My last purchase was a formal black (clip on) bow tie for my dog to wear at my wedding in 1989. They DID have everything." -Mike |
| "I remember the A&W hamburger stand where the Safeway is now. Someone also mentioned to me there was a bowling alley there? I guess I am too young to remember that. Bot, wax lips. I sure remember those. It was a huge loss to a young boy when the Toy World and Variety stores lost out to 7-11 and Baskin-Robbins. It makes me wonder how long Peninsula Hardware will survive. Midtown is a microcosm of the greater American experience where the local shop owners lose out to the chains." -Tracy |