Pacific Clay primarily sold Hostessware through large full-service department stores and specialty shops in Southern and Central California. Bullock’s Department Store at Broadway & 7th had a huge pottery department and Parmelee-Dohrmann at 436-444 S. Broadway (practically across the street from each other) in downtown LA’s department store row, remained two of Pacific’s largest distributors. In fact, Parmelee billed themselves as “the largest china and arts goods store on the Pacific Coast.”
Pacific extended distribution into other western states (Washington, Oregon, Nevada, Arizona) in the early-to-mid 1930s. You’ll find newspaper display advertising during the period in western publications, but nothing further east than Chicago (Marshall Fields). Around 1936, Pacific made a national play through an advertising campaign in Better Homes & Gardens. In 1938, Pacific published an add in Life magazine listing national distribution outlets for their Coralitos line. All the locations are either better name department or specialty stores.
