Upscale men's apparel store Littler was begun in 1931 by Anson A. "Bob" Littler (1900-1991), who started his career as a clerk at Frederick & Nelson in the menswear department. An avid golfer, Mr. Littler began playing in tournaments around 1926, and competed frequently with fellow retail merchants George H. Bartell (1868–1956) and Eddie Bauer (1899-1986). Also a local civic leader, the three-time chairman of Seafair convinced his golf buddies Bob Hope and Bing Crosby to appear at Seafair in 1958. Mr. Littler was the fifth-longest surviving member of Seattle's Last Man's Club, made up of WWI veterans who celebrated every year at the Rainier Club. By the time he retired and moved with his wife to Santa Barbara in 1965, Littler Inc. had grown to include women's fashion at all three stores in downtown Seattle and a fourth in Pebble Beach, California. The company continued until 1995.
The blank envelope seen here lists the Littler store locations at Fifth and Union an at the Olympic Hotel (now Fairmont Olympic) in Seattle, and in Pebble Beach, California.
Caption information source: "Chicago Apparel Magazine Bows to Seattle's Littler," The Seattle Daily Times, September 5, 1932, p. 16; and "Anson A. 'Bob' Littler, 90, Owner of Clothing Store Chain," The Seattle Times, January 14, 1991, p. D7.
Additional Information: Digital copy of this item available thanks to funding from a 2016 Institute for Museum and Library Services grant. Metadata updated as part of a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services administered by the Library Services and Technology Act, through the Washington State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State.
