J. W. Knapp Company Car Magnet
7.5'' × 4.5'' / Rectangle / 1 pc
$6.99
Sale price
$6.99
Regular price
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Keep a piece of Lansing's department-store story close with this J. W. Knapp Company car magnet. The business began as Jewett & Knapp in Albion in 1893, relocated to Lansing, and grew into a downtown landmark before reaching shoppers through branches around the region. Its history mirrors the evolution of retail in Michigan, from independent dry-goods beginnings to city-center and mall stores. A memorable choice for former customers, local-history fans, and collectors of regional business names.
J. W. Knapp & Co., commonly known as Knapp's, was a department store chain based in Lansing, Michigan, serving mid-Michigan. In 1893, Joseph W. Knapp, a salesman from Hillsdale, opened a dry-goods, coat, and carpet store in Albion with Frank W. Jewett under the name Jewett & Knapp. By 1897, the store had moved to North Washington Avenue in Lansing. In 1908, Jewett and Knapp sold the business to Frank Lackey, who renamed it J. W. Knapp Company; Knapp continued to manage operations. The store moved that year to South Washington Street. A new downtown building at 300 South Washington opened in 1939, on the former Hotel Downey site, and the store grew to occupy a city block by the 1940s. In the 1950s, the company was sold to the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, alongside other mid-Michigan department store businesses. Knapp's added an East Lansing branch, then a Meridian Mall store in Okemos in 1969. Lansing Mall and Westwood Mall locations acquired from Wurzburg's followed in 1972. L.S. Good Co. bought the Mott Foundation divisions in 1970 and declared bankruptcy in 1980. The mall stores were sold to JCPenney; the downtown store had already closed. Its building later became office and mixed-use space.
J. W. Knapp Company Car Magnet
$6.99
Sale price
$6.99
Regular price
Keep a piece of Lansing's department-store story close with this J. W. Knapp Company car magnet. The business began as Jewett & Knapp in Albion in 1893, relocated to Lansing, and grew into a downtown landmark before reaching shoppers through branches around the region. Its history mirrors the evolution of retail in Michigan, from independent dry-goods beginnings to city-center and mall stores. A memorable choice for former customers, local-history fans, and collectors of regional business names.
J. W. Knapp & Co., commonly known as Knapp's, was a department store chain based in Lansing, Michigan, serving mid-Michigan. In 1893, Joseph W. Knapp, a salesman from Hillsdale, opened a dry-goods, coat, and carpet store in Albion with Frank W. Jewett under the name Jewett & Knapp. By 1897, the store had moved to North Washington Avenue in Lansing. In 1908, Jewett and Knapp sold the business to Frank Lackey, who renamed it J. W. Knapp Company; Knapp continued to manage operations. The store moved that year to South Washington Street. A new downtown building at 300 South Washington opened in 1939, on the former Hotel Downey site, and the store grew to occupy a city block by the 1940s. In the 1950s, the company was sold to the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, alongside other mid-Michigan department store businesses. Knapp's added an East Lansing branch, then a Meridian Mall store in Okemos in 1969. Lansing Mall and Westwood Mall locations acquired from Wurzburg's followed in 1972. L.S. Good Co. bought the Mott Foundation divisions in 1970 and declared bankruptcy in 1980. The mall stores were sold to JCPenney; the downtown store had already closed. Its building later became office and mixed-use space.
| 7.5'' × 4.5'' | |
| Width, in | 7.50 |
| Height, in | 4.50 |
Product features
- 100% vinyl face with matte finish for a muted, non-reflective look
- Black magnetic backing grips metal surfaces and removes cleanly
- All-weather durability—resists rain and sun exposure
- Available in three sizes to fit vehicles, toolboxes, or merch displays
- Printed with Digital-Direct Printing (DDP) for sharp, long-lasting color
Care instructions
- Wipe the dust off gently with a soft, dry cloth.
EU representative: HONSON VENTURES LIMITED, gpsr@honsonventures.com, 3, Gnaftis House flat 102, Limassol, Mesa Geitonia, 4003, CY
Product information: Generic brand, 2 year warranty in EU and Northern Ireland as per Directive 1999/44/EC
Care instructions: Wipe the dust off gently with a soft, dry cloth.