Andrew Saks

Andrew Saks (June 5, 1847 – April 8, 1912)[1] was an American businessman known as the founder of department store Saks Fifth Avenue.

Andrew Saks
BornJune 5, 1847
Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.
DiedApril 8, 1912(1912-04-08) (aged 64)
New York City, New York, U.S.
OccupationRetail businessman
TitleFounder of department store Saks Fifth Avenue
SpouseJennie Rohr
Children3

Biography

Saks was born to a German Jewish family, in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Helena and William Saks (born 1810 or -11, Kingdom of Bavaria).[2] He worked as a peddler and paper boy before moving to Washington, D.C., where he established a men's clothing store[3] with his brother Isadore[4] in 1867. In 1902, they opened a store in New York on 34th Street as Saks & Company. Saks ran the New York store as a family affair with his brother Isadore, and his sons Horace and William.

Personal life

Saks married Jennie Rohr with whom he had three children: sons, Horace Andrew Saks and William Andrew Saks; and daughter Leila Saks.[5] He died on April 9, 1912.[6][7] His daughter, Leila Saks Meyer (1886–1957), returning to attend her father's funeral, survived the sinking of the RMS Titanic in 1912 (five days after his death); her husband, Edgar J. Meyer, son of financier Marc Eugene Meyer and brother of publisher Eugene Meyer, perished.[6]

In 1923, his son Horace sold a majority interest in Saks & Company[3] to Gimbel Brothers, Inc. for $8 million which included Saks & Company's $4.5 million flagship store that was under construction; Horace Saks remained as president.[8] In 1924, Horace Saks and his cousin, Bernard Gimbel, opened Saks Fifth Avenue in New York City.

See also

References
  1. "Andrew Sam's – Dead at 65: President and One of the 'Founders of Dry Goods House of Sake & Co.'". The New York Times. April 9, 1912. Retrieved March 22, 2022.
  2. "US Census 1870 District of Columbia". US Census Bureau via FamilyTree. p. 174. Retrieved October 27, 2023.
  3. Gardner, Mark L. "What's in a Name?—A Brief History of Saks Fifth Avenue". Archived from the original on February 12, 2014. Retrieved January 27, 2014.
  4. "Mauranna G. Lynn Is Engaged To Christopher Andrew Saks". The New York Times. February 15, 1976.
  5. "Jennie R. Saks". geni_family_tree.
  6. Zottolir, Maureen (2016). The R.M.S. Titanic and Washington, D. C.: One Hundred Years: 1912 to 2012 – People, Government Process and Precedent, Investigations, and Locations. p. 103. ISBN 9781468543711.
  7. "John Andrew Saks '36 - Volume 84". Princeton Alumni Weekly. September 7, 1983.
  8. Harris, Leon (n.d.). Merchant Prince: An Intimate History of Jewish Families Who Built Great Department Stores. p. 79.
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