Hecht's

Hecht's was an American department-store chain founded in Baltimore in 1857 by Samuel Hecht, Jr., an immigrant from Hesse, Germany. It began as a used-furniture business and expanded into clothing, carpets, household goods, and general merchandise. Through family management, suburban expansion, and acquisitions, the company became one of the most recognizable department-store operators in the Mid-Atlantic and later parts of the South. The company established an important presence in Washington, D.C., opening its first Washington store in 1896 and eventually building a flagship downtown location. Hecht's promoted national brands at a time when many regional stores emphasized locally sourced merchandise, and its stores were associated with modern retail infrastructure, including elevators, parking facilities, and large suburban locations. The chain's Washington operations also became part of the city's civil-rights history. In 1951, protesters challenged segregation in the cafeteria of the downtown store; the policy was changed in January 1952. After World War II, Hecht's followed customers into the suburbs, opening large stores in the Washington and Baltimore metropolitan areas, including Silver Spring, Arlington, Hyattsville, Marlow Heights, Northwood, Edmondson Village, and Reisterstown Road Plaza. The suburban strategy helped the company compete as automobile-oriented shopping centers and shopping malls reshaped American retail. The Hecht family business was acquired by The May Department Stores Company in 1959. Under May ownership, Hecht's served as a regional operating banner and absorbed or rebranded stores from several other chains, including Miller & Rhoads, Thalhimers, selected Hess's locations, Wanamaker's, Woodward & Lothrop, Strawbridge and Clothier, and selected Castner Knott stores. Some acquired businesses retained separate identities, while others were consolidated under Hecht's or related May banners. Federated Department Stores acquired May in 2005. Federated subsequently retired the Hecht's name in 2006, converting many locations to Macy's and, in selected cases, Bloomingdale's. The former downtown Washington flagship became a Macy's store in September 2006. Although the retail brand is defunct, former Hecht buildings and surviving stores remain part of the architectural and commercial history of Baltimore, Washington, and other metropolitan markets.

Samuel Hecht, Jr. founded the business in Baltimore in 1857 after working as an itinerant peddler around Baltimore and Maryland's Eastern Shore. The first operation sold used furniture on Aliceanna Street. By 1870 it had moved to South Broadway, where the Hecht's Reliable Stores name was displayed prominently. Clothing was added in 1879, followed by a carpet and matting operation. Samuel's sons Emanuel, Albert, Alexander, and Moses joined the business, turning it into a multigenerational family enterprise. The company expanded its Baltimore presence through stores opened in 1885, 1897, and 1926, while also establishing locations in other Maryland and regional markets. Its most consequential expansion began in Washington, D.C., where the company opened a store on March 20, 1896. The Washington business later moved into a large glass-and-marble building at 7th and F Streets NW in 1925. Hecht's became known for carrying national brands and for retail conveniences such as elevators and parking facilities. Its relatively open policies helped attract both Black and white customers, although its cafeteria segregation prompted civil-rights protests in 1951 and a policy change the following year. After World War II, the chain developed a network of large suburban stores. A Silver Spring location opened in 1947 and expanded soon afterward. Parkington in Arlington opened in 1951, followed by locations at Northwood, Prince George's Plaza, Marlow Heights, Edmondson Village, and Reisterstown Road Plaza. This expansion reflected the broader movement of American retail away from central business districts toward automobile-accessible suburban shopping centers. The family-controlled business was acquired by The May Department Stores Company in 1959. Hecht's then became a regional banner within a larger department-store group. May used the brand in a program of geographic expansion and consolidation. Miller & Rhoads stores in Virginia were acquired and rebranded in 1990. May's acquisition of Thalhimers led to additional Hecht's conversions in 1993. Hecht's also gained selected stores from Hess's, acquired Wanamaker's and Woodward & Lothrop locations in the mid-1990s, and absorbed or managed stores associated with Strawbridge and Clothier. In Philadelphia, the Strawbridge's identity was retained even as management was consolidated with Hecht's. The chain continued to maintain prominent urban and suburban locations, but the department-store sector increasingly consolidated in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. May was acquired by Federated Department Stores in 2005. Federated decided to rationalize its regional banners, and Hecht's was dissolved in 2006. Many former stores became Macy's locations, while some properties were assigned to Bloomingdale's or otherwise redeveloped. The former downtown Washington flagship at 12th and G Streets NW became a Macy's in September 2006. The earlier Washington building at 7th and F Streets was later renovated as Terrell Place, preserving a physical connection to the company's history and to the civil-rights legacy of Mary Church Terrell.

• 2006

  Hecht's discontinued

  [1]Hecht'sen.wikipedia.org

  The Hecht's name was retired as stores were converted primarily to Macy's and, in some cases, Bloomingdale's.

• 2005

  May acquired by Federated

  [1]Hecht'sen.wikipedia.org

  Federated Department Stores acquired The May Department Stores Company and its regional banners.

• 1995

  Wanamaker's and Woodward & Lothrop locations acquired

  [1]Hecht'sen.wikipedia.org

  Hecht's participated in a joint acquisition with JCPenney involving stores from Wanamaker's and Woodward & Lothrop.

• 1990

  Miller & Rhoads stores acquired

  [1]Hecht'sen.wikipedia.org

  Four Miller & Rhoads stores in Virginia were acquired and associated with the Hecht's banner.

• 1959

  Acquired by May Department Stores

  [1]Hecht'sen.wikipedia.org

  The Hecht family business was acquired by The May Department Stores Company.

• 1952

  Cafeteria policy changed

  [1]Hecht'sen.wikipedia.org

  The store changed the challenged segregation policy in January.

• 1951

  Cafeteria segregation protested

  [1]Hecht'sen.wikipedia.org

  A mixed-race group began picketing the Washington store over segregation in its cafeteria.

• 1947

  Suburban expansion began in Silver Spring

  [1]Hecht'sen.wikipedia.org

  Hecht's opened a major store in Silver Spring, Maryland, beginning a substantial suburban development program.

• 1943

  Four Freedoms paintings exhibited

  [1]Hecht'sen.wikipedia.org

  A tour of Norman Rockwell's Four Freedoms paintings, supporting the Allied cause and war-bond sales, premiered at the store.

• 1925

  Washington flagship moved to 7th and F Streets

  [1]Hecht'sen.wikipedia.org

  The Washington operation moved into a prominent glass-and-marble downtown building.

• 1896

  First Washington, D.C. store opened

  [1]Hecht'sen.wikipedia.org

  Hecht's entered Washington, D.C., beginning a major phase of regional growth.

• 1879

  Clothing added to the assortment

  [1]Hecht'sen.wikipedia.org

  The company expanded beyond furniture by adding clothing under the Hecht's Reliable name.

• 1857

  Business founded in Baltimore

  [1]Hecht'sen.wikipedia.org

  Samuel Hecht, Jr. opened a used-furniture store on Aliceanna Street, establishing the business that became Hecht's.

A full-line regional department store combining national brands, family-oriented general merchandise, and large urban and suburban stores. Hecht's positioned itself as a modern, accessible Mid-Atlantic retailer rather than an exclusively luxury department store.

• Clothing · 1879

  Apparel

  Hecht's sold broad ranges of women's, men's, and children's clothing. Apparel became a central part of the business after being added to the original furniture operation in the late nineteenth century and remained fundamental to the chain's full-line department-store format.

• Home · 1857

  Home furnishings

  The retailer's home assortment developed from its original furniture business and included furniture, carpets, matting, and household goods. These departments helped Hecht's operate as a general merchandise destination rather than solely an apparel store.

• Department-store merchandise

  General merchandise

  Hecht's department stores carried national brands and a wide selection of accessories, shoes, beauty goods, and other household and personal merchandise. The assortment was designed to support one-stop shopping in both downtown and suburban locations.

• 1943Four Freedoms exhibition and war-bond promotion

  Washington, D.C.

  Hecht's hosted the premiere of a touring exhibition of Norman Rockwell's Four Freedoms paintings. The presentation was connected with support for the Allied war effort and the purchase of war bonds.

  Outcome. The store served as a public venue for wartime cultural and patriotic promotion.

  Source

• 2006

  Retire the Hecht's bannerStrategy

  Background

  Federated Department Stores acquired May in 2005 and sought to consolidate overlapping regional department-store identities.

  Action taken

  Federated converted Hecht's stores primarily to Macy's and, in selected cases, Bloomingdale's.

  Aftermath

  Hecht's ceased to exist as an operating retail brand, although many former locations continued under successor banners.

  Source

• 1959

  Sell the family business to MayM&A

  Background

  The family-operated chain had developed into a significant regional department-store business.

  Action taken

  The Hecht Company was acquired by The May Department Stores Company.

  Aftermath

  Hecht's continued as a regional banner within May and later expanded through store acquisitions and conversions.

  Source

• 1952

  End cafeteria segregationStrategy

  Background

  Civil-rights protesters challenged the segregation of customers in the Washington store's cafeteria beginning in 1951.

  Action taken

  Hecht's changed the policy in January 1952.

  Aftermath

  The decision became part of Washington's retail desegregation history.

  Source

1. 1Hecht'sen.wikipedia.org