California’s Leading Businessman was just a boy from Paris, Ontario

On this very day (March 4, 1907) one hundred and sixteen years ago, John Gillespie Bullock opened the first of what would become one of the world’s most famous chain of department stores. Bullock’s was a chain of full-line department stores from 1907 through 1995, headquartered in Los Angeles, growing to operate across California, Arizona and Nevada Bullock's also operated as many as seven more upscale Bullocks Wilshire specialty department stores across Southern California. Many former Bullock's locations continue to operate now as Macy's. Way back in 1881 an 11-year-old boy named John Gillespie Bullock was working as a stock boy for $2 a week for Henry Rehder, who sold dry goods, boots, shoes and a variety of provisions at the Junction in his store at 11 Market Street in Paris, Ontario Canada.

John G Bullock was promoted to the delivery wagon where he took orders and delivered groceries. John’s father Joseph Bullock was a railroad man of Scottish ancestry, and he died when Bullock was only 2 years old, At age 11 John took a break from his schooling to go to work to help support his family. In his book, Bullock’s Department Store, Devin T Frick states that Bullock mentioned it was always John Bullock’s ambition to someday have a store as big as Rehder’s. In 1891, Bullock received a letter from his uncle, a banker in California, outlining the opportunities there John eventually graduated from Paris High School in 1895 and his mother gave him $150 from her life savings so he could travel to California. In January 1896, John Bullock turned 25 and he made it across two countries and a large continent to arrive in Los Angeles. Upon his arrival the thrifty young man deposited his mother’s donated savings into the Citizen’s National Bank and began hunting for work After great difficulty and much persistence John finally found a job in February helping with the selling of bankrupt stock at a large store at the corner of Fourth and Broadway owned by Arthur Letts. The pay was $2 a day, Bullock accepted, cementing the beginning of a long partnership In 1906 an Easternbased company began building a store at Seventh and Broadway. The company’s capital ran out, however, and the structure’s steel frame was halted at the seventh floor. This building was now half built and without a tenant. The owner had few options but to submit an offer to Arthur Letts, who was interested Letts, however, felt that taking on the operations of another store could be difficult Letts insisted the rent be kept low for the first 10 years and owner, Edwin T. Earl, agreed to his offer. Letts signed a 50-year lease and put John G. Bullock in charge of the new store. Letts confidence in John was so great that he named the new store “The Bullock” and provided John with $250,000 in starting capital.

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In 1923, Bullock and his business partner, fellow Canadian from Vancouver, Percy Glenn “PG ” Winnett, bought out Letts' interest in Bullock’s and the companies became completely separate. Bullock’s Inc. was formed in 1927 and acquired the rest of the business and its assets from the estate of Arthur Letts. In 1929 Bullock & Winnett opened a luxury branch on Wilshire Boulevard, Bullocks Wilshire, located at 3050 Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, California, is a 230,000-square-foot (21,000 m2) Art Deco building Bullock’s advice was sought by Presidents Hoover and Roosevelt. The department store served the upper crust of Los Angeles society. In its heyday, Bullocks Wilshire patrons included celebrities Mae West, John Wayne, Marlene Dietrich, Joan Crawford, Alfred Hitchcock, Greta Garbo, ZaSu Pitts, Walt Disney, and Clark Gable. While struggling to become an actress, a teen-aged Angela Lansbury worked as a sales clerk Future First Lady Patricia Nixon also served a stint on the floor. From his studio, next to the Chanel department, Neil Gittings photographed many celebrities who frequented Bullocks.

John Bullock never forgot his humble beginning in Paris. His decision to do well was made while working and learning at Rehder’s store in his hometown of Paris. He often returned to Paris to visit with his mother, brother Christopher in St George, sister Mrs. T. Mauer in Paris and all his hometown friends

On Oct 10, 1930, the citizens of Paris held a banquet in Bullock’s honour. Toasts were proposed by Mayor Isaac Stewart, Henry Rehder, with whom Bullock began his entrepreneurial journey, Senator J. Fisher from Paris and MP Franklin Smoke, who remarked that Bullock had the admiration and esteem of all. J. R. Inksater looked after the ticket sales and mentioned that the capacity of the hall prevented many more friends from attending. J H Hawkins, who worked with Bullock at Rehder’s store, became third in command of Montgomery Ward and Co. in New York City. O. H. Gibson became vice-president of the Robert Simpson Co , in Toronto Bullock died on Sept 15, 1933 He was a true merchant prince and Bullock’s department stores had become world famous! Henry Rehder was born in Paris, in 1863 to Johann Rehder and Catharina Maria Elsabea Warnke. Henry Rehder had 2 children. He passed away on 04 Apr 1949 in Paris Ontario. By 1993, twenty-four department stores carried his name including the famous Bullocks Wilshire. Bullock’s was absorbed by Macy’s in 1995 for an estimated one billion dollars.

Photo from Paris Museum taken in Paris c 1894 John G Bullock is back left