Kaufmann's

Kaufmann's

Company type	Department store chain
Industry	Retail
Founded	1871 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
Founder	Morris Kaufmann, Jacob Kaufmann, Isaac Kaufmann
Fate	Brand retired and stores rebranded as Macy's in 2006; flagship store closed 2015
Successor	Macy's
Headquarters	Pittsburgh , United States
Area served	Eastern United States (Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, West Virginia, others)
Key people	Edgar J. Kaufmann (early 20th century owner and president)
Products	Department store merchandise
Number of employees	Approximately 59 locations at peak
Parent	May Department Stores (from 1946), later Federated Department Stores (from 2005)

Overview

Kaufmann's was a department store chain that began in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

During the early 1900s, ownership of the store was held by Edgar J. Kaufmann, who is also known for commissioning the renowned Fallingwater residence. Following World War II, Kaufmann's expanded into a regional retail chain across the eastern United States and was ultimately owned by Federated Department Stores. At its peak, the company operated approximately 59 locations spanning five states. Before being acquired by Federated on August 30, 2005, Kaufmann's was part of May Department Stores. Under Federated's management, it functioned within the Filene's division headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. On February 1, 2006, the Filene's/Kaufmann's division was dissolved, with store operations transitioning to Macy's East and the newly formed Macy's Midwest. The Kaufmann's brand was officially retired on September 9, 2006, as Federated consolidated former May Company brands under the Macy's name. In 2015, Macy's sold and closed the landmark Pittsburgh location amid a strategic restructuring of its real estate holdings. The building’s new owner, Core Realty from Philadelphia, has proposed redeveloping the site into a mixed-use complex named "Kaufmann's Grand on Fifth" to honor its historical significance.

History

Kaufmann's originated in Pittsburgh in 1871, established by the Kaufmann brothers—Morris, Jacob, and Isaac—as a modest men's clothing shop on the South Side. By 1877, the enterprise relocated to downtown Pittsburgh, where it became famously known as The Big Store. Ownership during the early 20th century rested with Edgar J. Kaufmann.

At one point, Kaufmann's stood out as the leading among seven major department stores in downtown Pittsburgh. These competitors included Kaufmann & Baer—established by cousins of the original Kaufmann family (which transitioned to Gimbel Brothers in 1925); Horne's; Boggs & Buhl; Frank & Seder's; Rosenbaum's; and Boggs & Buhl of Allegheny Center.

Gimbels

In 1913, Morris Kaufmann and his son Edgar acquired full control by buying out other family members and formally incorporated Kaufmanns. Meanwhile, Isaac, Ludwig, and Nathan Kaufmann joined forces with Morris and Julius Baer to launch a separate department store named Kaufmann & Baer Co.. They erected a thirteen-story building spanning 700,000 square feet at the intersection of Sixth and Smithfield streets in downtown Pittsburgh. The store commenced operations on March 18, 1914, emphasizing its independence with advertisements stating "no connection with any other store". On December 2, 1925, Gimbel Brothers acquired Kaufmann & Baer Co., subsequently rebranding it as Gimbels effective January 3, 1928. The entire Gimbels chain was purchased by Batus Inc., a tobacco conglomerate, in 1974. Following years of declining performance, BATUS announced plans to sell Gimbels in 1986. Unable to secure a buyer for the entire operation, Batus opted to shutter the unprofitable Pittsburgh division of Gimbels. This resulted in closing all associated locations and disposing of the properties—except for select high-performing mall-based Gimbels stores that were rebranded as Kaufmann's outlets.

May Company

Following the acquisition of Kaufmann's chain by the St. Louis-based May Company Department Stores in 1946, Edgar J. Kaufmann continued to serve as president. The Kaufmann's division managed retail locations across Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia.

Kaufmann's held a dominant position within its regional market, integrating several other department store brands over time. These included Strouss in Youngstown, Ohio (1986); Sibley's located in Rochester, New York (1991); May Company Ohio based in Cleveland, Ohio (1992), which had previously merged with O'Neil's of Akron, Ohio in 1989; and later, in 1995, the remaining stores from both McCurdy's of Rochester and Hess's from Allentown, Pennsylvania.

Transition into the 21st Century

In 2002, Kaufmann's Pittsburgh headquarters ceased operations, with its administrative functions being merged into those of Filene's Department Stores headquartered in Boston. Subsequently, in 2005, Federated Department Stores Inc. announced an $11 billion agreement to acquire May Department Stores Co., marking a significant consolidation within the retail sector.

Kaufmann's Flagship Store

The flagship Kaufmann's store, erected in 1887 at 400 Fifth Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh, was designed by architect Charles Bickel. Commonly referred to as The Big Store, it underwent multiple expansions and refurbishments throughout its history. By 1916, architects Janssen & Abbott contributed a substantial addition clad in white glazed terra cotta, featuring a prominent public clock at the corner.

In the late 1920s, Edgar G. Kaufmann commissioned a redesign of the main retail floor, which was executed by local architect Benno Janssen alongside his partner William Cocken. At its peak, the building was Pittsburgh’s largest department store, encompassing twelve floors of retail space and occupying an entire city block downtown. Eventually expanded to thirteen stories, the store covered approximately 1.2 million square feet.

Kaufmann also engaged renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright to craft his executive offices atop The Big Store, as well as his private residence 'Fallingwater' (1934) located at the company's Bear Run retreat in Pennsylvania. The interior of these offices was preserved and later installed within London's Victoria and Albert Museum. Additionally, Kaufmann commissioned architect Richard Neutra to design the desert residence known as the Kaufmann House (1946) situated in Palm Springs, California.

"Meet me beneath Kaufmann's clock"

File:KaufmannsStoreClockMacys.jpg

Kaufmann's Clock at the flagship store

The Kaufmann's flagship Big Store featured a notable outdoor clock located at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Smithfield Street, present since the building's original construction. Initially installed in 1887, the clock was freestanding and displayed four faces. When the store expanded in 1913, the present clock was put in place. This timepiece has become a symbol of Pittsburgh and frequently appears in imagery used to promote and represent the city. It quickly gained popularity as a central rendezvous point downtown, inspiring the well-known phrase "Meet me under Kaufmann's clock." In 1983, this clock became the backdrop for a political media event involving City Councilman "Jeep" DePasquale and Councilwoman Michelle Madoff, when Madoff challenged DePasquale to meet her beneath the clock to fulfill a promise related to a tax she introduced that generated funds he doubted. Both the Kaufmann's main building and its clock are recognized as Pittsburgh Historical Landmarks.

Marking the centennial of the clock in 2013, Macy's commemorated the occasion by retailing themed merchandise and decorating the Smithfield Street windows with vintage photographs of the iconic timepiece. One display highlighted entries from a Pittsburgh Post-Gazette contest where readers shared their fondest memories of "Meeting Under Kaufmann's Clock." Additionally, Macy's organized a weekend celebration that included a block party on Smithfield Street directly outside the store.

Transition to Macy's

File:Kaufmann's-Macy's Transition Logo.png

Kaufmann's to Macy's transition emblem

After Macy's acquisition in 2006, USA Today published a feature highlighting the consolidation of regional retailers into Macy's, including reflections from Pittsburgh locals about the store and its iconic clock: "As young girls dressed in their finest outfits and Mary Jane shoes, they took streetcars downtown to visit the 11-story Kaufmann's department store. Jean Wenner, 81, recalls growing up with Kaufmann's—gathering beneath the elaborate clock, dining at the Tic Toc restaurant, and later bringing their children to Secret Santa."

Kaufmann's Holiday Parade

Kaufmann's initially sponsored the Celebrate the Season Parade, which debuted in downtown Pittsburgh in 1980. The parade was traditionally held on the Saturday following Thanksgiving for over three decades. Following Macy’s acquisition of May/Kaufmann's in 2006, Macy’s assumed sponsorship responsibilities. The event showcased balloons, live music performances, and celebrity appearances centered around the flagship Kaufmann’s store on Fifth Avenue. In February 2014, Macy’s declared it would discontinue its role as the main parade sponsor in collaboration with WPXI. Subsequently, from 2014 through 2016, Pittsburgh Public Schools partnered with WPXI to support the parade.

File:Kaufmanns2007.JPG

This image from 2007 shows a Macy’s at The Waterfront still bearing Kaufmann’s signage despite having been rebranded a year earlier. The newer Macy’s sign is faintly visible behind nearby trees. Although Macy’s later covered this sign, remnants of Kaufmann’s lettering remain noticeable. This location closed in 2018.

Acquisition and Store Closure

Following the acquisition of Kaufmann’s parent company in 2005, the flagship Kaufmann’s store was rebranded under the Macy’s banner. Despite the transition, several holiday customs associated with Kaufmann’s persisted under Macy’s ownership, such as animated Christmas window displays and Santa Land. As late as 2006, plaques commemorating Kaufmann’s remained visible on the building.

On July 13, 2015, Macy’s announced the sale of its downtown property to Core Realty, marking the end of its use as a department store after 128 years. The store officially closed on September 20, 2015. Plans were announced to redevelop the site into a mixed-use facility. The redevelopment project aimed to incorporate apartments, dining establishments, and a hotel; however, scheduled openings in late 2017 were delayed due to lack of permanent electrical service in the building. By August 2018, developers anticipated permitting residents and guests by year-end. As of April 2020, completion had yet to be achieved and plans were underway to transfer ownership to another developer. In 2020, Target Corporation announced intentions to open a 22,000-square-foot outlet on the building’s first floor by Christmas 2021. Burlington Coat Factory became the second-floor tenant in September 2023. Overall, upper levels have been converted into 311 residential units alongside a parking garage with capacity for 410 vehicles.

See also

• Bellcamp Stores
• List of department stores converted to Macy's
• List of defunct department stores of the United States

External links

• Archived official website
• Fallingwater official site
• Western Pennsylvania Conservancy official website (archived)