White & Kirk

Sakowitz

Company type	Private
Industry	Retail
Founded	1902
Founder	Louis Sakowitz, Samuel Sakowitz, Simon Sakowitz, Tobias Sakowitz
Defunct	1990
Fate	Liquidation
Headquarters	Houston, Texas , United States
Area served	United States (primarily Texas)
Products	Apparel, department store goods

Sakowitz began as a men's apparel retailer and evolved into a modest chain of family-operated upscale department stores headquartered in Houston, Texas. It was in business from 1902 until its closure in 1990. The company played a pivotal role in introducing numerous prominent European fashion designers to the American market, including André Courrèges, Yves Saint Laurent Rive Gauche, Zandra Rhodes, Givenchy, and Ermenegildo Zegna. Sakowitz distributed its catalogs nationwide across all fifty states and internationally.

Founding

Leebe Shaikovich, an Ashkenazi Jewish immigrant from Korostyshiv in Volhynia—now part of Ukraine but then within the Russian Empire—arrived in the United States in 1886. Upon arrival, his name was Anglicized to Louis Sakowitz. Settling in Galveston, Texas, Louis initiated a peddling business, delivering clothing to merchant sailors by bicycle. Subsequently, he and his son Samuel launched a small retail outlet near the docks, while his brothers Simon and Tobias were employed elsewhere in the city for a period. In 1902, the Sakowitz Brothers established a gentlemen's haberdashery at 2113 Market Street in Galveston. By 1911, they expanded to Houston with a store at 308 Main Street; Simon managed the Houston location while Tobias oversaw the larger Galveston store. The Galveston branch was shuttered in 1917, consolidating operations solely in Houston.

Flagship store in downtown Houston

By 1929, the Houston store had moved from its original site to the Gulf Building at 720 Main Street, designed by renowned local architect Alfred C. Finn.

In 1951, Sakowitz relocated once more to a modern five-story building at 1111 Main Street (corner of Dallas and Main), also crafted by Finn. This marked the first occasion that Sakowitz directly operated its entire department store, including women's departments that had previously been run under franchise agreements.

Though the building's exterior remains intact today, its interior has been converted into a parking garage. The store featured:

• 8,073 square feet of polished and antique mirrors
• 10,872 incandescent and fluorescent light fixtures
• 32 public telephones available to customers
• 205 internal store telephones
• Approximately 254,000 square feet of total retail space
• The iconic Sky Terrace restaurant
• Two “Red Reminder” telephones positioned at entrances for customers to contact any department if an item was missed during shopping

Expansion

Sakowitz inaugurated its initial suburban outlet in 1956 at Gulfgate Mall.

In 1959, the company launched a substantial, standalone retail space measuring 187,000 sq ft (17,373 m²) on Westheimer Road near Post Oak, close to The Galleria.

Over time, the retailer grew to encompass 16 stores, with 14 situated in Texas, and one each in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Sakowitz II format

Several of the newer suburban outlets were branded under the "Sakowitz II" concept, essentially functioning as junior department stores. These smaller-format stores catered to customers within a 3-to-5-mile (5-to-8 km) radius, contrasting with the 5-to-20-mile (8-to-32 km) reach typical of full-line locations. The first Sakowitz II store opened in 1978 at Champions Village; a subsequent location in Clear Lake City—also known as Ports O' Call or NASA—followed in 1979.

Examples of these stores included Champions Village in Northwest Houston and another near the NASA area.

Distinctively, Sakowitz II stores did not feature floor-to-ceiling partitions, allowing sales associates to assist clients across various sections such as men's, women's, and children's apparel, along with accessories and footwear. These smaller outlets implemented Sakowitz’s "I.D.A." merchandising approach: innovational, directional, and acceptational. Innovational fashion was showcased centrally, directional merchandise extended outward from the center, and acceptational items were displayed along the perimeters.

1985 bankruptcy

By 1985, the total retail footprint of Sakowitz stores reached approximately 1,100,000 sq ft (102,193 m²). That year, due to financial overextension, Sakowitz filed for bankruptcy protection. The restructuring plan involved closing or divesting all locations outside the Greater Houston area, including the 225,000 sq ft (20,903 m²) flagship store downtown Houston and the Gulfgate Mall branch. Ultimately, four profitable outlets remained operational within suburban Houston: Post Oak, Town & Country, and two smaller stores located at Clear View (NASA Road) and Champions.

Hooker ownership

During the late 1980s, the Australian real estate company L. J. Hooker unveiled plans for a high-end shopping center in the Cincinnati suburb known as Forest Fair Mall, presently called Forest Fair Village. The development blueprint included Sakowitz as one of the primary anchor tenants, alongside upscale New York City-based retailers B. Altman and Bonwit Teller.

In 1988, Hooker acquired majority stakes in all three department store chains to facilitate their openings not only at Forest Fair Mall but also at several other malls either under development or envisioned by the company. These projects included the proposed Lake Fair Mall in Tampa, Florida, as well as two New York State locations: Carousel Plaza (now Destiny USA) in Syracuse and Walden Galleria near Buffalo. Sakowitz launched its store at Walden Galleria on March 31, 1989.

Liquidation

Merely months following the debut of Forest Fair Mall, featuring three department stores, Hooker filed for bankruptcy on August 9, 1989, burdened by debts from its U.S. expansion efforts. The company sold B. Altman back to its previous owner but moved forward with liquidating both Bonwit Teller and Sakowitz.

Throughout 1990, all Sakowitz outlets were shuttered, coinciding with the closure of Bonwit Teller and B. Altman locations.

Continuation of Sakowitz Furs

Beginning in 1976, Evans Fur Company initially leased the fur salons from Sakowitz, with Jerry Gronauer serving as the manager. In 1986, Gronauer parted ways with Evans and took over the leasing of the salon space directly from Sakowitz. Together with his son, the Gronauer family continues to manage a store located near the former Post Oak Sakowitz location.

Store Directory

"| colspan=9 | Situated at 1400 NASA Boulevard—currently Mid Towne Plaza strip mall—the store was inaugurated by Bernard and Robert Sakowitz during a "fog-cutting" ceremony. According to Galveston Daily News, it was described as a "jewel of a store," featuring an interior design that combined angular and curved walls with varying ceiling heights and floor levels. A dramatic marble central well illuminated by clerestory skylights created a unique spatial effect resembling a vertical diamond. Fixtures included early American Appalachian white oak and glass counters alongside angular plexiglass and chrome elements. Floor coverings were in shades of gray complementing navy lacquered walls, salmon suede accents, and natural hemp textures.

Comprehensive List of Sakowitz Locations

Store Name	Store Category	Opening Year	Closing Year	Metropolitan Area	Neighborhood/Suburb	Shopping Center/Mall	Size sq ft	Size sq m
Galveston	Men's and Boys'	1902	1917	Galveston, Texas		2113 Market Street
Downtown Houston First location	Men's Department	1911	1917	Houston	Downtown	308 Main Street
Downtown Houston Second location	Men's and Boys'	1917	1929	Houston	Downtown	Corner of Main and Preston, Kiam Building
Downtown Houston Third location	Full-line Department Store	REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting	1951	Houston	Downtown	Gulf Building, Main and Rusk Streets	60,000	5,574
This flagship store opened with a grand event expecting around 25,000 attendees. The occasion was purely celebratory, with no sales conducted. The interior featured art deco chandeliers, towering columns, glass display cases, and an impressive staircase leading to upper levels.
Downtown Houston Fourth location	Full-line Department Store*	1951	1990	Houston	Downtown	1111 Main Street	254,000	23,600
Designed by architect Alfred C. Finn, this five-story building included a Sky Terrace restaurant. While the exterior remains intact today, the interior has been converted into a parking structure.
Shamrock Hotel	Men's Shop	1952	closed (date unspecified)	Houston	Downtown	Shamrock Hotel
Gulfgate Mall	Full-line Department Store	1956	1985	Houston	East End	Gulfgate Mall	128,900	11,980
Post Oak	Full-line Department Store	1959|3|}	1990| Houston| Galleria area| Westheimer and Post Oak Boulevard| 187,000| 17,400|
Located at 5000 Westheimer Road on the northwest corner of Post Oak Boulevard, this building featured Colonial-style architecture and underwent expansion in 1970. It housed dining options like Old Colony Restaurant and Crazy Calorie fast casual eatery before being demolished to make way for The Centre at Post Oak retail and dining complex.
" Town & Country Village	" Full-line Department Store	" 1967	" 1990	" Houston	" Memorial City, Houston	" Town & Country Village	"	"
The store's centerpiece was a striking fountain adorned with small green mosaic tiles and a metal sculpture that sprayed water.
" Amarillo	" Full-line Department Store	" 1969	" 1985	Amarillo, Texas		" Western Crossing mall	"	"
Sakowitz merged with the Amarillo-based White & Kirk store—originally established as White's Cash Store in 1897 at Sixth and Polk Streets. By 1903 it became White & Kirk and transitioned away from groceries by 1910 to focus mainly on women's apparel. A new downtown location opened in 1938 and expanded over time to include a men's department and additional space after merging with the Trolinger-Smith store. A Western Crossing shopping center outlet opened in 1968. The Amarillo location was sold and rebranded as Dunlaps in 1985.
" Yves St. Laurent Boutique Dallas	" Boutique Store	" 1973	" closed (date unspecified)	" Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex | North Dallas	" 4400 Lovers Lane	"	"
" Scottsdale AZ	" Full-line Department Store	" 1974	1986|3|9|}	" Phoenix metropolitan area | Scottsdale, Arizona	" Scottsdale Fashion Square#History Camelview Plaza	"	"
" Champions	" Sakowitz II junior department store	" 1978	" 1990	" Houston	" Northwest Houston (1960/Cypress)	" Champions Village	"	"
" Valentino Boutique Dallas	" Boutique Store	" 1978	" closed (date unspecified)	" Dallas	" North Dallas	" 4400 Lovers Lane	"
" Clear Lake	" Sakowitz II junior department store	" REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting	" 1990	" Houston	" Clear Lake City, NASA vicinity, Nassau Bay	" Ports O'Call Fashion Mall	" 31,500	" 2,930
' Dallas	' Full-line Department Store	' 1980	' 1985	' Dallas	' North Dallas	' Sakowitz Village (now Village on the Parkway)	'	'
' Tulsa OK	' Full-line Department Store	' 1980	' 1985	' Tulsa metropolitan area	' Southern Hills	' Kensington Galleria (currently Kensington Business Center)	'70,000	'6,503
' Midland TX	' Full-line Department Store	'1980	'1985	'Midland, Texas	'West Loop 250 North	'Midland Park Mall	'	'
' Cincinnati OH	' Full-line Department Store	' REDIRECT Template:Date table sorting	' closed (date unspecified)	'Cincinnati metropolitan area	' Forest Park and Fairfield in Ohio	'Forest Fair Mall	'	'

• denotes full-line department store

External links

• Sakowitz Furs Official Site
• Company Overview of Sakowitz Furs
• Gonzalez, J.R. "Have You Ever Shopped at Sakowitz?" Houston Chronicle. December 18, 2009.