Sakowitz
Encyclopedia
Sakowitz was a chain of family-owned department store
s based in Houston, Texas
, United States
. The store was founded by two brothers, Tobias and Simon Sakowitz, in Galveston, Texas
in 1902. Other family members were working in the cotton mills in Galveston. The two brothers, Simon and Tobias, began a peddler business, taking orders and delivering clothes on a bicycle to the many merchant seamen in Galveston at that time. Eventually, the chain expanded to thirteen locations, of which ten were in Texas.
L. J. Hooker, an Australian retail development firm, purchased the Sakowitz chain in 1988 so that a location could be opened at Forest Fair Mall (now Cincinnati Mall) in Forest Park, Ohio
and Fairfield, Ohio
. Due, in part, to the fact that Cincinnati was an untested market, the mall straddled two counties (Hamilton and Butler) and that the Australian real estate market tanked, Forest Fair Mall failed. The location of the complex was also in a very middle-class area and having both high and low end stores reside in the same mall proved to be too much.
The Sakowitz chain was liquidated in 1990 and its stores closed. The Sakowitz name has survived in the form of Sakowitz Furs, a fur dealer with one store in Houston, owned by Jerry Gronauer.
, with a second following in Houston, Texas
fifteen years later. The location in Galveston was closed in 1917 and consolidated into the Houston store.
By 1929, the original Houston store on 308 Main Street had relocated to the Gulf Building at 720 Main Street; this store was subsequently relocated even further down Main Street. Eventually, the chain grew to several locations throughout Houston, including a suburban location at Westheimer Road
at Post Oak and one in Nassau Bay across from NASA
. With the increasing popularity of shopping mall
s, several mall-based locations were also added, including one each in the states of Arizona
and Oklahoma
. By the late 1980s, however, Sakowitz had scaled back operations, closing all but the Houston stores.
, to be named Forest Fair Mall. Hooker's plans called for Sakowitz to be one of the mall's anchor store
s, along with B. Altman and Bonwit Teller
, two upscale chains based in New York City
. In 1988, Hooker purchased controlling interest in all three chains so that they could open locations at the new mall; however, the chains proved too upscale for the Cincinnati market, and were subsequently sold off.
The Sakowitz chain was then auctioned off by L. J. Hooker, and all other locations were closed as well. The only remnant of the Sakowitz name is a Sakowitz Furs shop located in Houston, and that is owned by Jerry Gronauer.
Department store
A department store is a retail establishment which satisfies a wide range of the consumer's personal and residential durable goods product needs; and at the same time offering the consumer a choice of multiple merchandise lines, at variable price points, in all product categories...
s based in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The store was founded by two brothers, Tobias and Simon Sakowitz, in Galveston, Texas
Galveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
in 1902. Other family members were working in the cotton mills in Galveston. The two brothers, Simon and Tobias, began a peddler business, taking orders and delivering clothes on a bicycle to the many merchant seamen in Galveston at that time. Eventually, the chain expanded to thirteen locations, of which ten were in Texas.
L. J. Hooker, an Australian retail development firm, purchased the Sakowitz chain in 1988 so that a location could be opened at Forest Fair Mall (now Cincinnati Mall) in Forest Park, Ohio
Forest Park, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 19,463 people, 7,505 households, and 5,238 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,990.4 people per square mile . There were 7,748 housing units at an average density of 1,190.4 per square mile...
and Fairfield, Ohio
Fairfield, Ohio
Fairfield is a city in Butler County in the U.S. state of Ohio, near Cincinnati. Fairfield was incorporated in 1955. The population was 42,510 at the 2010 census. The city school district is one of the largest in Ohio, with Fairfield High School graduating 842 students in June 2009. Fairfield is...
. Due, in part, to the fact that Cincinnati was an untested market, the mall straddled two counties (Hamilton and Butler) and that the Australian real estate market tanked, Forest Fair Mall failed. The location of the complex was also in a very middle-class area and having both high and low end stores reside in the same mall proved to be too much.
The Sakowitz chain was liquidated in 1990 and its stores closed. The Sakowitz name has survived in the form of Sakowitz Furs, a fur dealer with one store in Houston, owned by Jerry Gronauer.
History
Sakowitz was founded by brothers Tobias and Simon Sakowitz, the sons of a Ukrainian immigrant, in 1902. The first location was in Galveston, TexasGalveston, Texas
Galveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
, with a second following in Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
fifteen years later. The location in Galveston was closed in 1917 and consolidated into the Houston store.
By 1929, the original Houston store on 308 Main Street had relocated to the Gulf Building at 720 Main Street; this store was subsequently relocated even further down Main Street. Eventually, the chain grew to several locations throughout Houston, including a suburban location at Westheimer Road
Westheimer Road
Westheimer Road is an arterial road in the western half of Houston, Texas, United States. It runs from Bagby Street west to the Westpark Tollway. Westheimer Road runs roughly parallel to and south of Buffalo Bayou throughout its course. The street was named after Michael Louis Westheimer, a...
at Post Oak and one in Nassau Bay across from NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
. With the increasing popularity of shopping mall
Shopping mall
A shopping mall, shopping centre, shopping arcade, shopping precinct or simply mall is one or more buildings forming a complex of shops representing merchandisers, with interconnecting walkways enabling visitors to easily walk from unit to unit, along with a parking area — a modern, indoor version...
s, several mall-based locations were also added, including one each in the states of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
and Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
. By the late 1980s, however, Sakowitz had scaled back operations, closing all but the Houston stores.
Purchase by L. J. Hooker
In the late 1980s, Australian developer L. J. Hooker proposed an upscale mall in suburban Cincinnati, OhioCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
, to be named Forest Fair Mall. Hooker's plans called for Sakowitz to be one of the mall's anchor store
Anchor store
In retail, an anchor store, draw tenant, anchor tenant, or key tenant is one of the larger stores in a shopping mall, usually a department store or a major retail chain....
s, along with B. Altman and Bonwit Teller
Bonwit Teller
Bonwit Teller was a department store in New York City founded by Paul Bonwit in 1895 at Sixth Avenue and 18th Street. In 1897 Edmund D. Teller was admitted to the partnership and the store moved to 23rd Street, East of Sixth Avenue...
, two upscale chains based in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. In 1988, Hooker purchased controlling interest in all three chains so that they could open locations at the new mall; however, the chains proved too upscale for the Cincinnati market, and were subsequently sold off.
The Sakowitz chain was then auctioned off by L. J. Hooker, and all other locations were closed as well. The only remnant of the Sakowitz name is a Sakowitz Furs shop located in Houston, and that is owned by Jerry Gronauer.
External links
- Sakowitz Furs
- Gonzalez, J.R. "Ever shopped at Sakowitz?." Houston ChronicleHouston ChronicleThe Houston Chronicle is the largest daily newspaper in Texas, USA, headquartered in the Houston Chronicle Building in Downtown Houston. , it is the ninth-largest newspaper by circulation in the United States...
. December 18, 2009.