1934 Oakland Tribune 8

Bischoff's Surgical House was a surgical supply house dating from c.1907. They sold surgical instruments as well as wheelchairs, crutches, support hose—all your post-surgery needs.

According to a 1934, article, just after 1906 earthquake, Hutteroth Surgical House of San Francisco opened an Oakland branch, with Fred J. Bischoff as the manager. A year later, he opened a store in his own name. In 1912, his brother Carl A. Bischoff joined the business. 8

The store was in a number of locations over the years. By 1926, they also had a branch in San Jose. 1 At the end of 1934, they moved into their largest location yet, at 1618 Franklin Street. 8 After Fred died in 1940 at age 55, 9 Carl took over the business. At that point, the business was referred to as C. A. Bischoff Surgical Company. By 1959, Fred's son Fred "Bud" Jay Bischoff was running the business. 10

In 1968, the Bischoffs sold the company to to Houston-based Intermedco, 10 and Bischoff's Surgical Supply at 1266 - 14th Street was being managed by Russell Schumacher.

Years Location
1911-1924 1702 Telegraph (ref)
or 1702 Broadway (ref)?
1924-1927 1938 Telegraph (ref)
1927-1931 427 - 20th Street (Elks Building) (ref)
1931-1934 1807 Franklin Street (ref)
1934-1960 1618 Franklin Street 8
1967 1266 - 14th Street (ref)

1911 ad1922 ad1926 ad

1618 Franklin CC SA-BY Our Oakland

Big Trouble in the Surgical Supply Business?

In August, 1932, Mrs. S. M. Du Prau and Mrs. M. E. Hunter "severed" their connection with Bischoff-American Surgical Supply at 427 - 20th (the former location), and opened their own corset shop at 2242 Telegraph. 3 But there seems to have been some sort of disagreement or mis-use of the name. Bischoff's ran an ad saying they were still open and had no branch stores, 4 while someone else ran an ad listing Bischoff's Surgical House / American Surgical Supply at 427 - 20th. 5

Then in 1933, American Surgical Supply ran an ad describing themselves as the "successor to Bischoff's Surgical House". 6 Bischoff's ads started noting they were "the original Bischoff's." 7 Who was running the competing business? Why had they used the Bischoff name? There's no mention in the 1935 Polk's directory of American Surgical Supply.

Links and References

  1. congratulations to Providence Oakland Tribune October 31, 1926
  2. Surgical Co. Opens Store Oakland Tribune& October 13, 1931
  3. 1932 Du Prau ad Oakland Tribune August 21, 1932
  4. 1932 Bischoff's ad Oakland Tribune September 29, 1932
  5. 1932 American Surgical Ad Oakland Tribune September 30, 1932
  6. 1933 American Surgical ad Oakland Tribune March 1, 1933
  7. 1933 Bischoff's ad Oakland Tribune October 19, 1933
  8. Bischoff Firm In New Home Oakland Tribune December 13, 1934
  9. Surgical Firm Founder Dies Oakland Tribune April 7, 1940
  10. The Family That Works Repertoire Magazine July, 2001
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