Schuster's
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail |
| Founded | 1883 |
| Fate | Purchased by Gimbels in 1962; brand discontinued in 1969 |
| Headquarters | Milwaukee, Wisconsin , United States |
| Products | Department store goods |
Schuster's, formally known as Ed. Schuster & Co., was a chain of department stores established in 1883 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that has since ceased operations.
Department store presence in Milwaukee
Rather than relying on a single flagship location downtown, Schuster's adopted a model of operating several neighborhood branches. Prominent stores were situated at 2151 N. Third St. (currently Martin Luther King Jr. Drive), the intersections of 12th and Vliet streets, 11th and Mitchell streets, Packard Plaza, and Capitol Court. The Third Street outlet, constructed following significant business expansion, was designed by the architectural firm Kirchhoff & Rose. In 1962, the company was purchased by Gimbels, which managed the stores under the name Gimbels-Schuster's until 1969.
A noteworthy former employee is Golda Meir, who worked at Schuster's after completing high school before moving to Palestine.
Schuster's was a forerunner in marketing techniques, introducing the initial trading stamps in 1891 and launching an early consumer credit system known as the Budga-Plate. The retailer also created the character doll Billie the Brownie (active from 1927 to 1955) and organized the annual Schuster's Christmas Parade. Their memorable advertising phrase was "Let's go by Schuster's where the streetcar bends the corner round."
Other uses
An unrelated set of furniture retailers in Arkansas also operated under the Schuster's name, with locations in Little Rock, North Little Rock, and a store in Pine Bluff that relocated temporarily to Conway. Furthermore, a dining establishment called Schuster's House of Fine Foods existed in Greenville, PA approximately between 1930 and 1945.