Jonas Martin Frost Sr., William Cohen Frost, Harry Hertzberg
Defunct
1989 (1989)
Headquarters
San Antonio
,
United States
Area served
Texas, United States; boutique in Boston, Massachusetts
Key people
Irving Mathews (CEO 1960–1986), Joel Edward Rath (CEO 1986–1988), Don Morris (CEO 1988)
Products
Luxury retail goods
Frost Bros. was a luxury retail chain headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. Its inaugural store opened in 1917 at 217 E. Houston Street in the heart of Downtown San Antonio. Renowned for exceptional personalized service, Frost Bros. emphasized customer recognition, tailored shopping preferences, and dedicated personal shoppers. The level of customer care paralleled that of prestigious retailers such as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Nordstrom. In April 1988, Frost Bros. sought bankruptcy protection, and by mid-1989, the chain’s final four stores were closed following unsuccessful restructuring efforts.
History
Origins in 1917
The Frost Brothers Company was officially incorporated in San Antonio on June 30, 1917, with initial capital amounting to $20,000. The founders included Jonas Martin Frost Sr. (1888–1945), William Cohen Frost (1884–1942), and Harry Hertzberg (1883–1940).
1960–1989
File:Battelstein's -- Houston.jpgPreviously a prominent downtown Houston skyscraper, Battelstein's has remained vacant since 2003 (2021).
File:Battelstein's Department Store Logo.pngFollowing acquisition, Houston-based Battelstein's department store was rebranded as Frost Bros. From 1960 until 1986, Irving Mathews served as chief executive officer of Frost Bros. In 1970, the specialty retailer was acquired by Manhattan Industries, which subsequently merged the upscale Houston department store Battelstein's into the Frost Bros. brand. Manhattan Industries also purchased Lichtenstein's in Corpus Christi in 1972 and converted it into a Frost Bros. location by 1977. In 1980, the retail conglomerate Garfinckel, Brooks Brothers, Miller & Rhoads, Inc. acquired Frost Bros. for $27.2 million.[1] By 1986, Frost Bros. operated twelve stores across Texas, along with a Gucci boutique located at Copley Plaza in Boston. Under merchandise manager and buyer Murry Berkowitz’s leadership, the company distinguished itself through unique product assortments and employee development.
In 1986, Dallas entrepreneur Sam Wyly and his wife, Torie Steele Wyly, acquired Frost Bros. from Manhattan Industries. Soon after the purchase, Wyly appointed Joel Edward Rath (born 1938), formerly a senior executive at Neiman Marcus, as president and CEO.
In June 1987, Frost Bros. expanded by acquiring Delman Shoe Salons, which was operated as a division within the company.
By 1988, leadership changes included the appointment of Don Morris as chairman and CEO of Frost Bros., while Larry Gore, president of Delman, also took on the role of president of Frost Bros. These changes followed the resignation of Joel E. Rath from his positions as president and CEO. Sam Wyly continued to serve as chairman and retained majority ownership.
File:Lichtenstein's Department Store Logo.pngThe Corpus Christi-based Lichtenstein's department store was rebranded as Frost Bros. after acquisition After an unsuccessful attempt to reorganize under bankruptcy protection, Frost Bros. ceased operations and underwent liquidation in mid-1989.[2]
Personnel
Founders
Jonas Martin Frost Sr. (1888–1945)
William Cohen Frost (1884–1942)
Harry Hertzberg (1883–1940)
Executives
Gilbert Lang, appointed president of Frost Bros. in 1962
Sidney Berkowitz, associated with Frost for 17 years until 1947; in 1950, he assumed the role of executive director at the Neiman-Marcus New York office
Murray Berkowitz
Richard Frontman, initially a dress designer who later advanced to president
Irving Allen Mathews (1917–1994), served as buyer, store president, and director from 1945 through 1988
Eugene Lacritz (1929–2012), held senior executive positions between 1963 and 1988
References
↑"Garfinckel to Buy Frost, Specialty Stores in Texas," The Washington Post, Mar 7, 1980, p. D1.
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