Buffums Department Store Passport Cover
3.9" x 5.8" / Black
$28.99
Product Details & Size Guide
GhostCorp Apparel - resurrecting iconic corporate ghosts.
Take a Southern California story along on your travels with this Buffums Department Store passport cover. The company started in Long Beach in 1904 and grew from a downtown store into a regional chain of 16 specialty department stores. Its “I've been to Buffums” campaign became a recognizable part of local retail culture, while a short Belmont Shore relaunch added a final chapter in 2015. A distinctive travel accessory for Buffums collectors and fans of Long Beach history.
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.
Take a Southern California story along on your travels with this Buffums Department Store passport cover. The company started in Long Beach in 1904 and grew from a downtown store into a regional chain of 16 specialty department stores. Its “I've been to Buffums” campaign became a recognizable part of local retail culture, while a short Belmont Shore relaunch added a final chapter in 2015. A distinctive travel accessory for Buffums collectors and fans of Long Beach history.
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.
| 3.9" x 5.8" | |
| Height, in | 5.79 |
| Width (Closed), in | 3.94 |
| Width (Open), in | 8.03 |
| Depth, in | 0.39 |
Product features
- Two card slots plus pockets for boarding passes or IDs
- Cruelty-free black PU faux leather exterior
- RFID-blocking lining to protect against skimming
- One-size fits most passports (3.9″ × 5.8″)
- Vibrant front-cover print with potential edge fading on darker solids
Care instructions
- Wipe with a damp cloth, air dry or use a soft, non-abrasive cloth
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: Wipe with a damp cloth, air dry or use a soft, non-abrasive cloth