Buffums Department Store Ceramic Coffee Mug
11oz
$12.99
Product Details & Size Guide
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Start the day with a reminder of Buffums, the celebrated department-store name rooted in Long Beach. The business began in 1904 and expanded into a regional chain of 16 specialty stores, with its downtown flagship serving as a local landmark for generations. Its memorable “I've been to Buffums” line became part of Southern California shopping culture. This coffee mug is a thoughtful pick for former shoppers, local-history fans, and collectors of retail memorabilia.
Buffums began in Long Beach, California, in 1904, when Charles and Edwin Buffum and other partners bought the Schilling Bros. dry goods business and began operating it as The Mercantile Co. The business grew from a downtown store into a regional chain of 16 specialty department stores across Southern California. Its downtown flagship expanded over several decades: a new building opened in stages in 1924, a parking garage followed in 1941, and additions in 1960 and 1964 enlarged the complex. From the 1950s, the chain gradually added stores and promoted its specialty-store identity. Known locally as the “Grand Dame” of department stores, Buffums used the advertising line “I've been to Buffums” in the 1970s and 1980s. Australian retailer David Jones bought the chain in the 1970s; by the time of its attempted sale in the 1980s, it had become part of Adelaide Steamship Company. In 1982, the Long Beach store and headquarters moved to Long Beach Plaza after the downtown complex was sold; that complex was demolished in 1985. Buffums entered liquidation after the 1990 Christmas season. A brief retail relaunch opened in Long Beach's Belmont Shore neighborhood in October 2015 and closed in March 2016.
Start the day with a reminder of Buffums, the celebrated department-store name rooted in Long Beach. The business began in 1904 and expanded into a regional chain of 16 specialty stores, with its downtown flagship serving as a local landmark for generations. Its memorable “I've been to Buffums” line became part of Southern California shopping culture. This coffee mug is a thoughtful pick for former shoppers, local-history fans, and collectors of retail memorabilia.
Buffums began in Long Beach, California, in 1904, when Charles and Edwin Buffum and other partners bought the Schilling Bros. dry goods business and began operating it as The Mercantile Co. The business grew from a downtown store into a regional chain of 16 specialty department stores across Southern California. Its downtown flagship expanded over several decades: a new building opened in stages in 1924, a parking garage followed in 1941, and additions in 1960 and 1964 enlarged the complex. From the 1950s, the chain gradually added stores and promoted its specialty-store identity. Known locally as the “Grand Dame” of department stores, Buffums used the advertising line “I've been to Buffums” in the 1970s and 1980s. Australian retailer David Jones bought the chain in the 1970s; by the time of its attempted sale in the 1980s, it had become part of Adelaide Steamship Company. In 1982, the Long Beach store and headquarters moved to Long Beach Plaza after the downtown complex was sold; that complex was demolished in 1985. Buffums entered liquidation after the 1990 Christmas season. A brief retail relaunch opened in Long Beach's Belmont Shore neighborhood in October 2015 and closed in March 2016.
| 11oz | 15oz | |
| Height, in | 3.74 | 4.61 |
| Diameter, in | 3.15 | 3.43 |
Product features
- Microwave-safe for quick reheats
- Dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup
- Available in 11oz and 15oz sizes
- Glossy white ceramic with vibrant, long-lasting print
- Lead- and BPA-free, comfortable C-handle
Care instructions
- Clean in dishwasher or wash by hand with warm water and dish soap
EU representative: HONSON VENTURES LIMITED, gpsr@honsonventures.com, 3, Gnaftis House flat 102, Limassol, Mesa Geitonia, 4003, CY
Product information: Generic brand, two year warranty in the EU and Northern Ireland
Care instructions: Clean in dishwasher or wash by hand with warm water and dish soap