Franklin Simon
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Franklin Simon | |
| Born | February 7, 1865 New York City |
|---|---|
| Died | October 4, 1934 (aged 69) |
| Known for | Franklin Simon & Co. |
| Partner | Herman A. Flurscheim |
| Parents | Henry Simon |
| Relatives | Julius Simon, brother |
Franklin Simon (February 7, 1865 – October 4, 1934) was the owner of Franklin Simon & Co., a department store in Manhattan. The store was founded in February 1902 and his business partner was Herman A. Flurscheim. [1]
Contents |
[edit] Biography
He was born in New York City to Henry Simon, an immigrant from Frankfurt, Germany who worked as a wood carver and a cigarmaker. Franklin had a brother: Julius Simon. In 1878 he worked in Stern Brothers' dry goods store at 32-36 West 23rd Street run by Louis Stern. In 1902 he started the Franklin Simon Specialty Shops with the concept "to import much of his merchandise [from Europe] with a view to selling the imported goods as cheaply, if possible, as the domestic." [2]
Franklin Simon married Frances and had three children: Arthur J. Simon (1892-1968); Helene Simon (1895-?); and George D. Simon (1898-1944). His two sons, and his son-in-law, Laurence Magee Lloyd (1893-1972), served as officers in the company. Simon bought the home of Mrs. Orme Wilson, sister of John Jacob Astor, at 414 Fifth Avenue and opened his store there. Franklin's widow died in 1949. Leroy C. Palmer became president of the company in 1934 at the death of Franklin Simon, and Benjamin Goldstein was the head of Franklin Simon until 1963.
[edit] Branch Stores
Franklin Simon eventually operated branch stores in Greenwich, Connecticut [1], Westport, Connecticut, on the Boston Post Road, near the intersection of South Compo Road, and Manhasset, New York (on Long Island). There were also stores in the Green Acres Shopping Center in Valley Stream, New York, Central Avenue in East Orange, New Jersey, and the Livingston Mall, in Livingston, New Jersey.
[edit] Mergers & Acquisitions
Oppenheim Collins & Company, Inc merged with Franklin Simon & Co. in 1961/1962.
[edit] Presidents of Franklin Simon & Co.
- Franklin Simon, 1902 to 1934
- Leroy C. Palmer, 1934 to ?
- Benjamin Goldstein, ? to 1964
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ "H.A. Flurscheim Dies.", New York Times, August 20, 1914. Retrieved on 2007-06-18. "Pioneer Dry Goods Merchant and Art Collector Was 63 Years Old. Flurscheim wed Miss Bella Goldsmith, of this city, in 1876. She died four years ago leaving five children who now survive him. They are Mrs. Ansel Strauss, Mrs. Otto Loeb, Mrs. Harry Cowen and Bernard and Harry Flurscheim."
- ^ "Franklin Simon", New York Times, October 5, 1934. Retrieved on 2007-08-21. "Against a great name in the mercantile history of New York "the fatal asterisk of death is set." The long and successful business career of Franklin Simon, from its humble beginnings up, was marked by keen intelligence, persistent enterprise and absolute integrity."
