The Eastern

The Eastern, a J Street department store opened in 1926. It was designed by Starks & Flanders and was at that time named Eastern Outfitting Co. At the ground opening of the store Walter Christensen served as the locations general manager and then eventually as its owner. He would later go on to become Sacramento’s Mayor from 1966 to 1967 and is fondly known as “Father of the K Street Mall,” for his efforts to develop K Street to a pedestrian shopping mall.

Coincidentally during the construction of the Eastern, Starks masterpiece the Elks Building located just across the street was being completed.

Picture courtesy of The Center for Sacramento History.