Kaufmann's

Kaufmann's was an American department-store brand founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in 1871 by brothers Morris, Jacob, and Isaac Kaufmann. It began as a small men's clothing store in the city's South Side and moved downtown in 1877. The downtown location became known as The Big Store and developed into one of Pittsburgh's most prominent retail landmarks. The business remained closely associated with the Kaufmann family during its formative decades. In 1913, Morris Kaufmann and his son Edgar J. Kaufmann consolidated control and incorporated the company. Edgar J. Kaufmann later became the best-known family executive and owner. He was also a major patron of architecture and design, commissioning Frank Lloyd Wright to design his executive offices at the Pittsburgh store and the family's Fallingwater residence in rural Pennsylvania. The store's architectural identity, public clock, holiday displays, restaurant, and downtown location helped make Kaufmann's part of Pittsburgh's civic culture rather than merely a regional retailer. The Kaufmann name coexisted with several unrelated or separately controlled department-store businesses in Pittsburgh. One notable example was Kaufmann & Baer, founded by other members of the wider Kaufmann family. Kaufmann & Baer was acquired by Gimbel Brothers in 1925 and later became part of Gimbels. After Gimbels closed its Pittsburgh division in 1986, some profitable mall locations were converted to the Kaufmann's name, expanding the reach of the surviving Kaufmann's chain. May Department Stores Company acquired Kaufmann's in 1946. Under May ownership, the chain expanded across Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and New York. It absorbed or incorporated operations associated with several regional retailers, including Strouss, Sibley's, May Company Ohio, O'Neil's, McCurdy's, and Hess's. At its height, Kaufmann's operated approximately 59 stores in five states and was a significant regional department-store organization. The chain's business functions were progressively centralized in the early 2000s. In 2002, Kaufmann's Pittsburgh headquarters closed and back-office work was transferred to the Filene's organization in Boston. Federated Department Stores agreed to acquire May Department Stores for approximately $11 billion in 2005. As part of the integration, the former May divisions were reorganized, and the Filene's and Kaufmann's organization was dissolved in February 2006. Store management was assigned to Macy's East and Macy's Midwest. Federated retired the Kaufmann's name on September 9, 2006, converting the stores to the Macy's brand. Some traditions continued, including Christmas windows, Santa Land, and the public significance of the flagship clock. The downtown Pittsburgh building remained a Macy's store until 2015, when Macy's sold the property for redevelopment. The proposed mixed-use project was named Kaufmann's Grand on Fifth in recognition of the site's history. The redevelopment ultimately included apartments, retail and restaurant space, a hotel component, and parking, while later tenants included Target and Burlington Coat Factory. Kaufmann's is therefore defunct as a retail chain, but its name, architecture, clock, and Pittsburgh associations remain culturally prominent.

Kaufmann's originated in Pittsburgh in 1871 as a small men's store established by Morris, Jacob, and Isaac Kaufmann. The business moved from the South Side to downtown Pittsburgh in 1877, where it developed into the large flagship known as The Big Store. The downtown operation gradually expanded in scale and merchandise range, becoming one of the leading department stores in a city that also contained Horne's, Boggs & Buhl, Rosenbaum's, Frank & Seder's, Gimbels, and other important local retailers. In 1913, Morris Kaufmann and his son Edgar J. Kaufmann bought out other family interests and incorporated the business. Edgar became the central figure in the company's twentieth-century development. His interests extended beyond retail: he commissioned prominent architects and supported design projects, including Frank Lloyd Wright's work at the Kaufmann family residence Fallingwater and the design of executive offices at the Pittsburgh store. The flagship was repeatedly enlarged and remodeled. Charles Bickel designed the original 1887 building, while later expansions were associated with Janssen & Abbott and the partnership of Benno Janssen and William Cocken. The completed complex eventually occupied a full downtown block, reached 13 floors, and contained roughly 1.2 million square feet. The building's exterior clock became one of the chain's most recognizable symbols. Installed in its original form in 1887 and replaced during later expansion, the clock stood at Fifth Avenue and Smithfield Street. Pittsburgh residents used it as a meeting place, producing the enduring phrase “Meet me under Kaufmann's clock.” The clock and building were later designated Pittsburgh historical landmarks. Kaufmann's corporate history also intersected with other regional department stores. A separately controlled business named Kaufmann & Baer was purchased by Gimbel Brothers in 1925 and became Gimbels. When Batus acquired Gimbels in 1974, the chain later faced declining sales. In 1986, Batus closed the unprofitable Gimbels-Pittsburgh division, although some profitable mall stores were rebranded as Kaufmann's locations. This helped extend the Kaufmann's name into markets beyond its original downtown base. May Department Stores acquired Kaufmann's in 1946 while Edgar J. Kaufmann remained president. May operated the chain as a regional division serving Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and New York. Expansion included the absorption of Strouss in 1986, Sibley's in 1990, May Company Ohio in 1992, and the remnants of McCurdy's and Hess's in 1994. These transactions broadened the chain's store network and reinforced its position in the eastern United States. At its maximum reported scale, Kaufmann's had about 59 stores in five states. The company entered a period of administrative consolidation in the early twenty-first century. Kaufmann's Pittsburgh headquarters closed in 2002, with back-office activities moved to the Filene's organization in Boston. In 2005, Federated Department Stores agreed to acquire May Department Stores. After the transaction, the former May divisions were reorganized. The Filene's and Kaufmann's organization was dissolved on February 1, 2006, and store management moved to Macy's East and Macy's Midwest. The Kaufmann's name was retired on September 9, 2006, as Federated converted the former May brands to Macy's. The Pittsburgh flagship continued as Macy's for several years, and Macy's preserved some Kaufmann's-associated holiday customs. It sold the downtown building in 2015 to Core Realty for a mixed-use redevelopment, ending its use as a department store after 128 years. The redevelopment was marketed as Kaufmann's Grand on Fifth and ultimately incorporated residential, retail, restaurant, hotel-related, and parking uses. The former retail space later attracted tenants including Target and Burlington Coat Factory. Although the chain no longer operates, Kaufmann's remains an important part of Pittsburgh's retail and architectural history.

• 2015

  Downtown flagship sold for redevelopment

  [1]Kaufmann'sen.wikipedia.org

  Macy's sold the Pittsburgh property, ending its department-store use and initiating a mixed-use redevelopment.

• 2006

  Kaufmann's brand retired

  [1]Kaufmann'sen.wikipedia.org

  The Kaufmann's name was replaced by Macy's across the chain.

• 2005

  Federated acquired May Department Stores

  [1]Kaufmann'sen.wikipedia.org

  Federated Department Stores agreed to acquire May Department Stores, bringing Kaufmann's into the corporate transition to Macy's.

• 2002

  Pittsburgh headquarters closed

  [1]Kaufmann'sen.wikipedia.org

  Kaufmann's headquarters operations were consolidated into the Filene's organization in Boston.

• 1986

  Gimbels-Pittsburgh closure expanded the Kaufmann's footprint

  [1]Kaufmann'sen.wikipedia.org

  After Batus closed the Pittsburgh division of Gimbels, selected profitable mall locations were converted to Kaufmann's stores.

• 1946

  May Department Stores acquisition

  [1]Kaufmann'sen.wikipedia.org

  May Department Stores acquired Kaufmann's, which continued operating as a regional division.

• 1913

  Edgar J. Kaufmann consolidated ownership

  [1]Kaufmann'sen.wikipedia.org

  Morris Kaufmann and his son Edgar bought out other family members and incorporated the business.

• 1887

  Flagship building and clock established

  [1]Kaufmann'sen.wikipedia.org

  The original downtown flagship was built at 400 Fifth Avenue, with a public clock that became a Pittsburgh landmark.

• 1877

  Business moved downtown

  [1]Kaufmann'sen.wikipedia.org

  The store moved to downtown Pittsburgh and began developing the location later known as The Big Store.

• 1871

  Kaufmann's founded in Pittsburgh

  [1]Kaufmann'sen.wikipedia.org

  Morris, Jacob, and Isaac Kaufmann opened a small men's store in Pittsburgh's South Side.

A full-service regional department store combining apparel, home goods, beauty, jewelry, seasonal merchandise, dining, and civic downtown presence. Kaufmann's was positioned as a broad-based family retailer and became particularly identified with Pittsburgh through its flagship building, public clock, holiday traditions, and local events.

• Department-store merchandise

  Apparel

  Kaufmann's core assortment included men's, women's, and children's clothing. The chain developed from a men's store but expanded into broad family apparel as it became a full-line regional department store.

• Home furnishings

  Home and lifestyle merchandise

  The stores sold home furnishings and related household merchandise alongside apparel, beauty, jewelry, accessories, and seasonal goods. These departments supported the traditional department-store model of one-stop shopping.

• Seasonal retail and events

  Holiday experiences

  Animated Christmas windows, Santa Land, seasonal displays, and downtown holiday programming were important parts of Kaufmann's customer experience. Several of these traditions continued under Macy's after the name change.

• 2013Kaufmann's clock centennial observance

  Pittsburgh

  Macy's marked the clock's centennial with commemorative merchandise, window displays featuring historic clock imagery, and a weekend celebration on Smithfield Street. The program invited residents to share memories associated with meeting under the clock.

  Outcome. The event reinforced the clock's status as a civic symbol even after the Kaufmann's name had been replaced by Macy's.

  Source
• 1980Kaufmann's Parade / Celebrate the Season Parade

  Pittsburgh metropolitan area

  Kaufmann's became the principal sponsor of Pittsburgh's post-Thanksgiving parade. The event used balloons, musical performances, celebrities, and downtown appearances in front of the Fifth Avenue flagship to connect the retailer with the city's holiday season.

  Outcome. The parade continued for 32 years, with Macy's taking over sponsorship after the 2005 acquisition. Macy's later ended its partnership with WPXI in 2014.

  Source

• 2015

  Downtown Pittsburgh property soldStrategy

  Background

  Macy's was reorganizing its owned real-estate portfolio and the former Kaufmann's flagship was no longer operating under the Kaufmann's name.

  Action taken

  Macy's sold the downtown building to Core Realty for conversion to mixed-use space.

  Aftermath

  The department-store era ended at the property. The redevelopment was named Kaufmann's Grand on Fifth and later incorporated residential units, retail space, restaurants, and parking.

  Source

• 2006

  Kaufmann's converted to Macy'sStrategy

  Background

  Federated sought to consolidate the former May Department Stores regional banners under the Macy's masthead.

  Action taken

  The Kaufmann's name was retired on September 9, 2006, and the stores were converted to Macy's.

  Aftermath

  Kaufmann's ceased to operate as an independent retail brand, although local holiday traditions and the Pittsburgh flagship clock retained elements of the former identity.

  Source

• 2005

  Federated agreed to acquire May Department StoresM&A

  Background

  Kaufmann's was operating as a May Department Stores division when Federated announced its acquisition of May.

  Action taken

  Federated Department Stores agreed to purchase May Department Stores for approximately $11 billion and subsequently reorganized the May regional divisions.

  Aftermath

  Kaufmann's headquarters functions were not retained as an independent organization. The chain was assigned to Macy's East and Macy's Midwest before the brand name was retired in 2006.

  Acquisition value. Approximately $11 billion announced transaction value (2005)

  Source

1. 1Kaufmann'sen.wikipedia.org