Federal's Vanity License Plate
12" × 6"
$17.99
Sale price
$17.99
Regular price
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GhostCorp Apparel - resurrecting iconic corporate ghosts.
Give a vehicle a nod to Federal's, the Detroit department store chain founded in 1929. Its history spans a 1961 merger with Kobacker's, a jewelry-store acquisition in 1969, bankruptcy in 1972, and liquidation in 1980. The company's reach and store history connect Detroit with Columbus, Lansing, and Kalamazoo. This vanity license plate makes a distinctive choice for retail-history collectors and regional nostalgia fans who want to celebrate a memorable name from Michigan's department-store past.
Federal Department Store, commonly known as Federal's, was a department store chain based in Detroit and founded in 1929. Its history includes expansion through a merger and a separate jewelry acquisition. In 1961, Federal's merged with Kobacker's, a department store company based in Columbus, Ohio. In 1969, Federal's bought Shifrin-Willens Jewelers. The chain filed for bankruptcy in 1972; that same year, its stores in Lansing and Kalamazoo closed. One of Federal's holdings at the time of the bankruptcy was the Hoffritz for Cutlery chain, which was sold in 1975 through a leveraged buyout. In 1978, Steven Watstein, also known as Steven West, purchased Federal's. The chain was liquidated in 1980. These milestones trace Federal's from its 1929 founding through a merger, an acquisition, financial difficulty, a change in ownership, and eventual liquidation. The documented locations connect its story to Detroit, Columbus, Lansing, and Kalamazoo.
Federal's Vanity License Plate
$17.99
Sale price
$17.99
Regular price
Give a vehicle a nod to Federal's, the Detroit department store chain founded in 1929. Its history spans a 1961 merger with Kobacker's, a jewelry-store acquisition in 1969, bankruptcy in 1972, and liquidation in 1980. The company's reach and store history connect Detroit with Columbus, Lansing, and Kalamazoo. This vanity license plate makes a distinctive choice for retail-history collectors and regional nostalgia fans who want to celebrate a memorable name from Michigan's department-store past.
Federal Department Store, commonly known as Federal's, was a department store chain based in Detroit and founded in 1929. Its history includes expansion through a merger and a separate jewelry acquisition. In 1961, Federal's merged with Kobacker's, a department store company based in Columbus, Ohio. In 1969, Federal's bought Shifrin-Willens Jewelers. The chain filed for bankruptcy in 1972; that same year, its stores in Lansing and Kalamazoo closed. One of Federal's holdings at the time of the bankruptcy was the Hoffritz for Cutlery chain, which was sold in 1975 through a leveraged buyout. In 1978, Steven Watstein, also known as Steven West, purchased Federal's. The chain was liquidated in 1980. These milestones trace Federal's from its 1929 founding through a merger, an acquisition, financial difficulty, a change in ownership, and eventual liquidation. The documented locations connect its story to Detroit, Columbus, Lansing, and Kalamazoo.
| 12" × 6" | |
| Width, in | 12.00 |
| Height , in | 6.00 |
Product features
- Durable 100% aluminum construction with silver backing
- High-definition, vibrant color printing on white front
- Standard size 12" × 6" (30.5 × 15.2 cm)
- Four pre-drilled holes for easy hanging or mounting
- Assembled in the USA from globally sourced parts (mounting hardware not included)
Care instructions
- Wipe with a damp cloth, air dry or use a soft, non-abrasive cloth