Mary Ann Magnin
Mary Ann Magnin | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1850 Scheveningen, The Hague, Netherlands |
| Died | 1943-12-15 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Known for | Founder of I. Magnin |
Mary Ann Magnin (1850–1943) was a Dutch-American entrepreneur and one of the founders of I. Magnin, a luxury specialty retailer based in San Francisco, California.
Early life
Mary Ann Cohen was born in 1850 in Scheveningen, The Hague, in the Netherlands. She was the daughter of a rabbi. Her family later moved to London, where she spent her childhood.
Career
After the era of the California Gold Rush, Magnin, along with her husband and children, journeyed to the West Coast of the United States, arriving in San Francisco in 1875 after traveling around Cape Horn. She established a boutique in Oakland that focused on infant apparel, lingerie, and bridal trousseaux. In 1877, she expanded her enterprise by transferring it to a larger location in San Francisco, which became known as I. Magnin. Although she stepped down from active management in 1900, she maintained a daily presence at the store until her passing.
Personal life
At fifteen, she married Isaac Magnin on October 8, 1865, at the Great Synagogue of London. Together, they had eight children: Samuel, Henrietta, Joseph, Emanuel John, Victor, Lucille, Flora, and Grover. The family resided at the Saint Francis Hotel near Union Square. Renowned San Francisco artist May Slessinger created miniature portraits of both Mary Ann and her son Grover.
Death
Mary Ann Magnin passed away on December 15, 1943, in San Francisco at the age of ninety-three. She was laid to rest at Hills of Eternity Memorial Park located in Colma, California.