Hale Brothers Department Store

Hale Brothers Department Store is a ten-story building at the corner of Market and Fifth Streets, designed by the Reid Brothers with steel frame and reinforced concrete construction. The structure includes two eight-story auxiliary buildings on Stevenson Street that originally served as warehouse space, office areas, and contained a grocery store.

The company was founded in 1876 and grew from a small San Jose store to multiple locations across Northern California by the early 1900s. The main buildings were later designed by the Reid Brothers, while additional structures dating from the 1920s were subsequently added to the complex.

The store was a pioneer in radio business, owning broadcast station KPO and becoming one of the first department stores in the nation to venture into radio. This move reflected the company's ambition to expand beyond traditional retail into modern media.

The complex sits at a prominent intersection in downtown San Francisco, making it easily accessible for visitors walking through the area. The architecture and various buildings are visible from street level, allowing you to see the scope and scale of the original retail operation.

The building received recognition in stages: the main structure was added to the National Register in 1986, followed by three additional structures from the 1920s added in 2001. This delayed recognition shows how the full importance of the complex was understood only later.