Stix, Baer, Fuller
Encyclopedia
Stix, Baer and Fuller was a department store
chain in St. Louis, Missouri
that operated from 1892 to 1984. Originally called the Grand Leader, the original central downtown store was located on the north side of Washington Avenue between Sixth and Seventh street and by 1920 had grown to encompass the entire city block.
The store was founded in 1892 by Charles Stix, brothers Julius Baer and Sigmond Baer, and Aaron Fuller. It was a public company
, with its stock
traded on the New York Stock Exchange
. The company was a longtime member of the American Merchandising Companies ("AMC"), a trade association of important, locally owned department stores across the United States. For many years the company was known as the leading high-end fashion store in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area, although a smaller competitor, Scruggs, Vandervoort and Barney, also vied for that position.
In 1937 Arthur B. Baer (1895-1970), the only son of Julius Baer (1861-1940), became President. At one point, Stix's largest shareholders were Arthur B. Baer, Sidney Baer and Leo J. Fuller, who were also the senior officers of the company. However, they hired a series of more experienced retailers to run the business as general managers. Those with the longest tenure were first, Morris Jelenko and later, Frank P. Wolff. The last general manager and president was J. Arthur Baer, son of Arthur B. Baer.
In 1966 the company was purchased by Associated Dry Goods
(ADG) and eventually expanded into the Kansas City
market.
Unable to compete against Famous-Barr
, ADG sold the 13-store division in 1984 to Dillard's
, which also re-branded the stores to the Dillard's name. The flagship store in downtown St. Louis, designed by John Mauran
and built in stages between 1906 and 1991, was briefly closed and reopened in 1985 as part of the St. Louis Centre Mall, but would be shuttered in September 2001, amidst the mall's failure.
team, known as Stix, Baer and Fuller F.C.
. This team won the 1933 and 1934 U.S. Open Cup
national soccer titles.
station with the call sign
WCK. In June 1925 the call letters were changed to WSBF in accordance with the company's initials. The station was sold to the Mississippi Valley Broadcasting Co. in 1927.
, the first television studio in the nation built expressly for educational television
. The Julius and Freda Baer Building was named in memory of his parents and was located on the edge of Washington University’s campus at the southeast corner of Millbrook and Big Bend.
is named for Stix, Baer, and Fuller due to their contribution to help buy the property.
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...
chain in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
that operated from 1892 to 1984. Originally called the Grand Leader, the original central downtown store was located on the north side of Washington Avenue between Sixth and Seventh street and by 1920 had grown to encompass the entire city block.
The store was founded in 1892 by Charles Stix, brothers Julius Baer and Sigmond Baer, and Aaron Fuller. It was a public company
Public company
This is not the same as a Government-owned corporation.A public company or publicly traded company is a limited liability company that offers its securities for sale to the general public, typically through a stock exchange, or through market makers operating in over the counter markets...
, with its stock
Stock
The capital stock of a business entity represents the original capital paid into or invested in the business by its founders. It serves as a security for the creditors of a business since it cannot be withdrawn to the detriment of the creditors...
traded on the New York Stock Exchange
New York Stock Exchange
The New York Stock Exchange is a stock exchange located at 11 Wall Street in Lower Manhattan, New York City, USA. It is by far the world's largest stock exchange by market capitalization of its listed companies at 13.39 trillion as of Dec 2010...
. The company was a longtime member of the American Merchandising Companies ("AMC"), a trade association of important, locally owned department stores across the United States. For many years the company was known as the leading high-end fashion store in the St. Louis Metropolitan Area, although a smaller competitor, Scruggs, Vandervoort and Barney, also vied for that position.
In 1937 Arthur B. Baer (1895-1970), the only son of Julius Baer (1861-1940), became President. At one point, Stix's largest shareholders were Arthur B. Baer, Sidney Baer and Leo J. Fuller, who were also the senior officers of the company. However, they hired a series of more experienced retailers to run the business as general managers. Those with the longest tenure were first, Morris Jelenko and later, Frank P. Wolff. The last general manager and president was J. Arthur Baer, son of Arthur B. Baer.
In 1966 the company was purchased by Associated Dry Goods
Associated Dry Goods
Associated Dry Goods was a chain of department stores that merged with May Department Stores in 1986. It was founded in 1916 as an association of independent stores called American Dry Goods, based in New York City.-History:...
(ADG) and eventually expanded into the Kansas City
Kansas City, Missouri
Kansas City, Missouri is the largest city in the U.S. state of Missouri and is the anchor city of the Kansas City Metropolitan Area, the second largest metropolitan area in Missouri. It encompasses in parts of Jackson, Clay, Cass, and Platte counties...
market.
Unable to compete against Famous-Barr
Famous-Barr
The Famous-Barr Co. , St. Louis, Missouri, was a division of Macy's, Inc. . It was formerly the hometown division of The May Department Stores Company, which was acquired by Federated on August 30, 2005. On February 1, 2006, it was subsumed into the newly created Macy's Midwest division.The...
, ADG sold the 13-store division in 1984 to Dillard's
Dillard's
Dillard's, Inc. is a department store chain in the United States, with 330 stores in 29 states. Headquartered in Little Rock, Arkansas, Dillard's locations are concentrated in Texas and Florida; with a major presence in other states including Arizona, Iowa, Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, Missouri,...
, which also re-branded the stores to the Dillard's name. The flagship store in downtown St. Louis, designed by John Mauran
John Mauran
John Lawrence Mauran, FAIA was an American architect responsible for many downtown landmarks in St. Louis, Missouri, and also active in Texas.- Life :...
and built in stages between 1906 and 1991, was briefly closed and reopened in 1985 as part of the St. Louis Centre Mall, but would be shuttered in September 2001, amidst the mall's failure.
Athletic sponsorship
In the early 1930s, the company sponsored a local St. Louis Soccer LeagueSt. Louis Soccer League
The St. Louis Soccer League was a soccer league based in St. Louis, Missouri, that existed from 1907 to 1938. At its founding, it was the only fully professional soccer league in the United States.-History:...
team, known as Stix, Baer and Fuller F.C.
Stix, Baer and Fuller F.C.
Stix, Baer and Fuller F.C. was a U.S. soccer club which played in the St. Louis Soccer League from 1931 to 1934. The team was known as Hellrungs from 1929 to 1931, St. Louis Central Breweries F.C. from 1934 to 1935 and St. Louis Shamrocks from 1935 to 1938. During its short existence, it won two...
. This team won the 1933 and 1934 U.S. Open Cup
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a knockout tournament in American soccer. The tournament is the oldest ongoing American soccer competition and is presently open to all United States Soccer Federation affiliated teams, from amateur adult club teams to the professional clubs of Major League...
national soccer titles.
Radio station
On April 3, 1922, the firm started a radioRadio
Radio is the transmission of signals through free space by modulation of electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. Electromagnetic radiation travels by means of oscillating electromagnetic fields that pass through the air and the vacuum of space...
station with the call sign
Call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
WCK. In June 1925 the call letters were changed to WSBF in accordance with the company's initials. The station was sold to the Mississippi Valley Broadcasting Co. in 1927.
Television station
In 1955 Arthur Baer donated funds toward the construction of the first building that housed Channel 9KETC
KETC is the Public Broadcasting Service member Public television station in St. Louis, Missouri. Owned by St. Louis Regional Public Media, the call letters KETC represent the St. Louis Educational Television Comission, the former name of the organization responsible for bringing public television...
, the first television studio in the nation built expressly for educational television
Educational television
Educational television is the use of television programs in the field of distance education. It may be in the form of individual television programs or dedicated specialty channels that is often associated with cable television in the United States as Public, educational, and government access ...
. The Julius and Freda Baer Building was named in memory of his parents and was located on the edge of Washington University’s campus at the southeast corner of Millbrook and Big Bend.
Community Relations
- The S bar F Scout Ranch in Knob Lick, MissouriKnob Lick, Missouri
Knob Lick is an unincorporated community in southern Saint Francois County, Missouri. It is located on U.S. Route 67 about eight miles south of Farmington. Knob Lick has a post office with zip code 63651....
is named for Stix, Baer, and Fuller due to their contribution to help buy the property.
External links
- Stix, Baer and Fuller Collection (1908-1978) at St. Louis Mercantile LibrarySt. Louis Mercantile LibraryThe St. Louis Mercantile Library, founded in 1846 in St. Louis, Missouri, was originally established as a subscription library, and is the oldest extant library west of the Mississippi River. Since 1998 the library has been housed at the University of Missouri-St. Louis...
- University of Missouri-St. Louis - }