Diamond's

Diamond's was a department store chain headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona that operated from 1897-1984. Originally named The Boston Store,^[1] it was founded by brothers Nathan and Isaac Diamond

Diamond's

Formerly	The Boston Store (1897-1947)
Company type	Public
Industry	Retail
Founded	1897
Founders	Nathan and Isaac Diamond
Defunct	1984 (Acquired By Dillards)
Headquarters	Phoenix, Arizona
Number of locations	12 (1984)
Area served	Southwestern US
Key people	Nathan and Isaac Diamond
Products	Clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products
Parent	Roberts Brothers (1957-1968), Dayton-Hudson Corporation (1968-1984)

History

Logo timeline

The Boston Store was founded in 1897 by brothers Nathan and Isaac Diamond, Jewish immigrants who had in 1891 begun a dry-goods mercantile in El Paso called The New York Store. Hearing of great potential in Arizona the brothers moved to Phoenix.^[1] They set up a store on Washington Street in Downtown Phoenix. by 1941 the Diamond brothers had enlisted the help of family to run the store. Nathan's sons Harold and Bert and Isaac's son Herbert were all involved with management of the store.^[2] The Boston Store was renamed Diamond's in 1947 in honor of the store's 50th anniversary. Harold and Ralph Diamond eventually took over ownership. Roberts Brothers of Portland, Oregon purchased Diamond's in 1957.^[3] That same year the store opened its first branch location at Park Central Mall, the building on Washington Street was subsequently closed.^[4] In 1962 the firm considered expanding into the Tucson market but would hold off on doing so until 1974.^[5] In 1968 Diamond's was sold to Dayton Corporation of Minneapolis.^[6] In 1970 Diamond's acquired Las Vegas based Ronzone's and converted its store at The Boulevard Mall to a Diamond's.^[7] On January 14, 1984 Diamond's consolidated its operations in Mesa by closing its Tri-City Mall location due to its close proximity to the newer Fiesta Mall location.^[8] Diamond's had expanded to twelve stores throughout the Southwest when in September 1984 then owner, Dayton-Hudson Corporation, sold the chain to Dillard's.^[5][9]

Locations

The locations of the former Diamond's department stores.^[10] The Original Flagship Store on Washington Street operated from 1897-1957.

Mall	Location	Opened	Subsequent use
Park Central Mall	Phoenix, AZ	August 25, 1957[11]	Converted to Dillard's, now medical offices
Thomas Mall	Phoenix, AZ	September 23, 1963[12]	Converted to Dillard's, later demolished
Tri-City Mall	Mesa, AZ	August 7, 1969[13]	Closed January 14, 1984, later demolished
The Boulevard Mall	Las Vegas, NV	1968 as Ronzone's, 1970 as Diamond's	Converted to Dillard's
Metrocenter Mall	Phoenix, AZ	October 1, 1973[14]	Converted to Dillard's then Dillard's Clearance, now vacant
Scottsdale Fashion Square	Scottsdale, AZ	Spring 1974	Converted to Dillard's then Sears, now Macy's
Park Place Mall	Tucson, AZ	August 5, 1974[15]	Converted to Dillard's later demolished and replaced with new Dillard's
Meadows Mall	Las Vegas, NV	1978	Converted to Dillard's, now Dillard's Clearance on upper level and Curacao on lower level.
Paradise Valley Mall	Phoenix, AZ	February 1, 1979[16]	Converted to Dillard's then Sears, later demolished
Fiesta Mall	Mesa, AZ	July 4, 1980[17]	Converted to Dillard's then Dillard's Clearance, later demolished
Fashion Show Mall	Las Vegas, NV	February 14, 1981	Converted to Dillard's, now Forever 21
Tucson Mall	Tucson, AZ	July 30, 1981	Now Dillard's
Desert Sky Mall	Phoenix, AZ	December 1981	Converted to Dillard's, now Dillard's Clearance