Lazarus (department store)

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This article concerns the store named Lazarus. For other uses of the name, see Lazarus (disambiguation).

F&R Lazarus & Company
Type of Company	Department store
Founded	1851
Headquarters	Columbus, Ohio
Industry	Retail
Products	Clothing, footwear, bedding, furniture, jewelry, beauty products, and housewares.
Website	None

F&R Lazarus & Company (commonly known as Lazarus) was a regional department store retail chain primarily in the U.S. Midwest, based in Columbus, Ohio, which operated until March 6, 2005.

[edit] History

Family patriarch Simon Lazarus, opened a one-room men's clothing store in downtown Columbus in 1851. By 1870, with improvements to the industry in the mass manufacture of men's uniforms for the Civil War, the family business expanded to include ready-made men's civilian clothing and eventually a complete line of merchandise. Sons Fred Lazarus, Sr. and Ralph Lazarus joined the business and added many innovative marketing techniques. The company acquired the John Shillito Co. of Cincinnati in 1928 (established in 1830) and a year later, was one of the four founding members of Federated Department Stores in 1929 (along with Williams Filene's Sons Co., Abraham & Straus and Bloomingdale Brothers).

Lazarus developed many shopping firsts such as "one low price" (no bargaining necessary), first department store escalators in the country, first air-conditioned store in the country, and Fred Lazarus, Jr. successfully lobbied President Franklin Roosevelt to permanently fix Thanksgiving as the fourth Thursday in November, ensuring a stable timetable for the official beginning of the Christmas shopping season.

Fred Lazarus, Jr. served as President of Federated Department Stores, Inc. from its founding until 1957, and thereafter served as board Chairman until his death in 1973. He was succeeded by his son Ralph Lazarus who led Federated through the 1980's. Various Lazarus family members also held key positions on Federated's board and within its various divisions, namely, Foley's, Filene's, Lazarus and Shillito's. As of January, 2002, Robert Lazarus Jr. was the only family member still with an official role at Federated, serving as assistant to Ron Klein, then chairman and CEO of the Rich's/Lazarus/Goldsmith's operating unit of Federated, now Macy's South.

[edit] Expansion and mergers

Primarily operating in central Ohio, Lazarus dominated its market, driving the last of its traditional rivals out of business by 1982. Eventually expanding into Indianapolis, Indiana in 1973 and Huntington, West Virginia in 1981, in 1986 Lazarus merged with fellow Federated division Shillito Rike's, itself the result of 1982 merger between Shillito's (John Shillito Co.) and Dayton, Ohio-based Rike's, acquired by Federated in 1959. The new division adopted the Lazarus nameplate, while assuming Shillito's Rike's headquarters in Cincinnati.

In 1987, Federated acquired William H. Block Company of Indianapolis, Indiana, and Herpolsheimer's of Grand Rapids, Michigan from Allied Stores and incorporated them into Lazarus. After the Federated's 1990 bankruptcy, several marginally-profitable and outdated stores were closed. In 1994, Joseph Horne Co., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was acquired by Federated and its 10 locations absorbed by Lazarus.

Having absorbed several department stores itself over the years, in 1995 the chain was integrated into an Atlanta, Georgia-based division of Federated along with that city's Rich's and Memphis, Tennessee's Goldsmith's, while retaining its name in local markets. The so-called RLG division was among Federated's five smaller nameplates absorbed into the Macy's brand, along with Miami, Florida's Burdines and Seattle, Washington's The Bon Marché. The Lazarus stores were eventually co-branded with Macy's in 2003, becoming Lazarus-Macy's prior to the 2005 name change.

Macy's South is the current successor to Lazarus. In early 2007, after systems integregations are completed, the stores comprising the former Lazarus franchise in Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, Western Pennsylvania, and Kentucky will be transferred to the Macy's Midwest division, based in St. Louis, Missouri.

[edit] Former locations

[edit] Michigan

• Grand Rapids - Downtown Grand Rapids (opened as Herpolsheimer's, became Lazarus 1987, closed 1992, now offices)
• Grand Rapids - 28th St. Southwest(opened as Herpolsheimer's, became Lazarus 1987, closed 1982 - later Value City Furniture)

[edit] Indiana

• Bloomington - College Mall (opened 1982 as Block's, became Lazarus 1987, closed 2003)
• Evansville - Eastland Mall (opened 1982 as Lazarus, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Greenwood - Greenwood Park Mall (opened 1980 as Lazarus, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Indianapolis - Downtown-Illinois and Market Streets (opened 1910 as Block's, became Lazarus 1987, closed 1993)
• Indianapolis - Castleton Square (opened 1973 as Lazarus, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Indianapolis - Glendale Mall (opened 1958 as Block's, became Lazarus 1987, closed 1999)
• Indianapolis - Lafayette Square (opened 1974 as Lazarus, replaced by Block's store 1987, sold to Montgomery Ward)
• Indianapolis - Lafayette Square (opened 1974 as Block's, replaced existing Lazarus store 1987, closed 2003)
• Indianapolis - Washington Square (opened 1978 as Lazarus, closed 2002)
• Kokomo - Markland Mall (opened 1968 as Block's, became Lazarus 1987, Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005, closed late 2005)
• Lafayette - Tippecanoe Mall (opened 1973 as Block's, became Lazarus 1987, closed 2002)

[edit] Kentucky

• Florence - Florence Mall (opened 1977 as Shillito's, became Shillito Rike's 1982, Lazarus 1986, Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Florence - Florence Mall (opened 1994 as Lazarus Home, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Lexington - Fayette Mall (opened 1971 as Shillito's, became Shillito Rike's 1982, Lazarus 1986, Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Louisville - Jefferson Mall (opened 1979 as Shillito's, became Shillito Rike's 1982, Lazarus 1986, Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Louisville - Oxmoor Center (opened 1970 as Shillito's, became Shillito Rike's 1982, Lazarus 1986, Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Owensboro - Wesleyan Park Plaza (opened 1987 as Lazarus, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005, closed 2006)

[edit] Ohio

• Beavercreek - The Mall at Fairfield Commons (opened 1994 as Lazarus, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Cincinnati - Beechmont Mall (opened 1969 as Shillito's, became Shillito Rike's 1982, Lazarus 1986, Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Cincinnati - Downtown-Seventh & Race Streets (opened 1878 as John Shillito became Shillito Rike's 1982, Lazarus 1986, closed 1997)
• Cincinnati - Fountain Place (downtown) (opened 1997 as Lazarus, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Cincinnati - Northgate Mall (opened 1993 as Lazarus, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Cincinnati - Western Woods Mall (opened 1969 as Shillito's, became Shillito Rike's 1982, Lazarus 1986, closed 1997, now Dillard's)
• Kenwood - Kenwood Mall (opened as Shillito's, became Shillito Rike's 1982, Lazarus 1986, closed 1988 with new Towne Centre store)
• Kenwood - Kenwood Towne Centre (opened 1988 as Lazarus, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005, expanded 2005)
• Kenwood - Kenwood Furniture Gallery (opened 1989 as Lazarus at former Kenwood Mall, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Springdale - Tri-County Mall (opened 1960 as Shillito's, became Shillito Rike's 1982, Lazarus 1986, Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Columbus - Downtown-Columbus City Center (original Lazarus store, mall opened in 1990 adjacent, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, closed 2004)
• Columbus - Eastland Mall (opened 1967 as Lazarus, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005, closed 2006)
• Columbus - Eastland Home Store (freestanding) (opened 1972 as Lazarus, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Columbus - Northland Mall (opened 1964 as Lazarus, closed 2001)
• Columbus - Town & Country Shopping Center (Capri Shop located in former Boston Store location; later relocated to former Halle's location, closed 1992)
• Columbus - Easton Town Center (opened 2001 as Lazarus, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Columbus - Polaris Fashion Place (opened 2001 as Lazarus, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Columbus - Westland Mall (opened 1962 as Lazarus, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Columbus - 562 W. Whittier St. Clearance/Furniture (opened as Lazarus, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Dayton - Downtown Dayton (opened as Rike's, became Shillito Rike's 1982, Lazarus 1986, closed 1991)
• Dayton - Dayton Mall (opened 1969 as Rike's, became Shillito Rike's 1982, Lazarus 1986, Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Dublin - The Mall at Tuttle Crossing (opened 1997 as Lazarus, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Dublin - Tuttle Crossing Furniture Gallery (freestanding) (opened 1996 as Lazarus, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Heath - Indian Mound Mall (opened 1987 as Lazarus, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, closed 2004)
• Kettering - Kettering Shopping Center (opened 1961 as Rike's, became Shillito Rike's 1982, Lazarus 1986, closed 1998, now Elder-Beerman)
• Lancaster - River Valley Mall (opened 1987 as Lazarus, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Lima - Lima Mall (opened 1971 as Lazarus, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Ontario - Richland Mall (The first Lazarus store built outside Columbus.) (opened 1969 as Lazarus, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005, closed 2006)
• Oxford - Oxford Shop (freestanding) (opened as Shillito's, became Shillito Rike's 1982, Lazarus 1986, Lazarus-Macy's 2003, closed 2004)
• Springfield - Upper Valley Mall (opened 1971 as Rike's, became Shillito Rike's 1982, Lazarus 1986, Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Trotwood - Salem Mall (opened 1966 as Rike's, became Shillito Rike's 1982, Lazarus 1986, closed 1998)
• Upper Arlington - Kingsdale Shopping Center (opened 1970 as Lazarus, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Upper Arlington - Northwest/Reed-Henderson Center (opened 1976 as Lazarus, closed 2002)
• Westerville - Westerville Square (opened as Lazarus, became Lazarus Macy's 2003, closed 2004)
• Zanesville - Colony Square Mall (opened 1987 as Lazarus, closed 2002)

[edit] Pennsylvania

• Erie - Millcreek Mall (opened 1975, became Lazarus 1994, closed 1998, now The Bon-Ton)
• Erie - West Erie Plaza (became Lazarus 1994, closed 1998)
• Hempfield - Greengate Mall (opened 1965, became Lazarus 1994, closed 1998)
• Monaca - Beaver Valley Mall (opened 1970, became Lazarus 1994, closed 1998, now Boscov's)
• Monroeville - Monroeville Mall (opened 1969, became Lazarus 1995, Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Natrona Heights - Heights Plaza Shopping Center (opened 1956, became Lazarus 1995, Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Pittsburgh - Downtown, Penn Avenue & Stanwix Street (current location built 1922 as Kaufmann's, became Lazarus 1994, closed 1995)
• Pittsburgh - Downtown, Fifth Avenue & Wood Street (opened 1998, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, closed 2004)
• Pittsburgh - Ross Park Mall (opened 1986, became Lazarus 1994, Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005, closed 2006, site of future Nordstrom)
• Pittsburgh - South Hills Village (opened 1965, became Lazarus 1995, Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• Pittsburgh - South Hills Furniture Gallery (opened 1993, became Lazarus 1995, Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)
• West Mifflin - Century III Mall (opened 1979, became Lazarus 1994, closed 2001, sold to Kaufmann's)

[edit] West Virginia

• Barboursville - Huntington Mall (opened 1981 as Lazarus, became Lazarus-Macy's 2003, Macy's 2005)

[edit] External links

• History of Federated Department Stores
• WOSU-TV Documentary: Many Happy Returns to Lazarus Documentary
• Interview with Charles Lazarus for the Columbus Jewish Historical Society
• Business First Article: Staffers Remember When Work Seemed Like a Family
• Columbus Dispatch Article: Name Change Hurt Macy's: Decision to drop ‘Lazarus’ not a hit here
• University of Cincinnati: Biography of Ralph Lazarus (1914 - 1988)
• Great Living Cincinnatians: Fred Lazarus, Jr.