Schreiner's

Schreiner's, also known as Charles Schreiner & Company, was a historic department store and commercial institution in Kerrville, Texas. Its roots reached back to 1858, when Charles Schreiner Sr., a French immigrant and former Texas Ranger, acquired a small general store at Camp Verde, a military post south of Kerrville. The business supplied soldiers with beef and other provisions and established Schreiner's early connection with regional commerce and frontier supply networks. After serving during the American Civil War, Schreiner moved to Kerrville. In 1869, he and a business associate opened a store there. Schreiner bought out his partner in 1879 and expanded the enterprise beyond ordinary retailing. The business became involved in banking, ranching, and the marketing of wool and mohair, reflecting the economic importance of livestock and agricultural production in the Texas Hill Country. Schreiner's is particularly associated with the early commercial valuation of mohair in the United States, a product that was important to the regional ranching economy. The growth of the enterprise also led to the development of separate banking facilities. By 1893, the banking operation had become substantial enough that Schreiner built a dedicated bank building. The broader Schreiner business therefore functioned not simply as a shop, but as part of a diversified local commercial network connecting retail, finance, ranching, and commodity marketing. Charles Schreiner's civic influence extended beyond commerce. In 1917, he founded the Schreiner Institute, an educational institution in Kerrville that later became Schreiner University. This philanthropic and institutional legacy helped make the Schreiner name a continuing part of the city's identity. The store remained in its historic downtown building for much of its existence. In 1991, Fort Worth-based Dunlaps acquired Schreiner's and pledged to retain the store's name and continue operating it in the same building. Under Dunlaps, Schreiner's continued as a locally recognizable department-store business, preserving its historical identity even though ownership had changed. Dunlaps later encountered financial difficulties. Unable to secure financing connected with a loan it had made, the company filed for bankruptcy and was dissolved by the end of 2007. Its remaining stores closed before the end of that year, and Schreiner's shut its doors for the final time on September 23, 2007. The historic building subsequently reopened under the Schreiner's name, but in a different format featuring multiple smaller retail stores and boutiques. The retail department-store operation itself is therefore defunct, while the name and building continue to have a place in Kerrville's commercial heritage.

Schreiner's developed from the commercial activities of Charles Schreiner Sr., a French immigrant who had also served as a Texas Ranger. In 1858, Schreiner purchased a small general store at Camp Verde, a military post located south of what became Kerrville. He secured a government supply contract and provided the post with beef and other necessities. This early operation placed him within the supply economy of nineteenth-century Texas and provided the foundation for later expansion. Following the Civil War, Schreiner relocated to Kerrville. In 1869, he opened a store there with a business associate. The original wooden store was incorporated into the history of the later premises, with portions reportedly remaining behind the subsequent stone building. Schreiner purchased his partner's interest in 1879, giving him control of the enterprise and allowing him to guide its expansion. The business gradually became more than a conventional retail establishment. Schreiner entered banking, ranching, and the marketing of wool and mohair. Its role in mohair was especially notable: the company is described as the first business in the United States to place a value on mohair. This activity reflected the importance of ranching and fiber production to the Kerrville and Texas Hill Country economy. By 1893, the banking operation had grown sufficiently that Schreiner constructed a separate building for it. The Schreiner family's influence also appeared in civic and educational work. In 1917, Charles Schreiner founded the Schreiner Institute in Kerrville. The institution later became Schreiner University, preserving the family's name in local higher education and reinforcing the connection between the commercial enterprise and the development of the community. Schreiner's continued as a downtown Kerrville business in its historic building. In 1991, Dunlaps, a company based in Fort Worth, acquired the store. Dunlaps stated that it would preserve the established name and continue operating the business in the same building. This arrangement retained the store's local identity while placing its operations under an outside retail company. Dunlaps subsequently experienced financial problems after being unable to obtain financing for a loan it had made. The company filed for bankruptcy and was dissolved by the end of 2007. Its remaining stores closed during that year, and Schreiner's ceased operations on September 23, 2007. The historic property later reopened under the Schreiner's name, but no longer as the original department store; it became a setting for multiple smaller shops and boutiques. As a result, Schreiner's survives primarily as a historic name and building rather than as an operating department-store chain.

• 2007

  Department store closes

  [1]Schreiner'sen.wikipedia.org

  Schreiner's closed permanently on September 23 after Dunlaps entered bankruptcy and was dissolved.

• 1991

  Dunlaps acquires the store

  [1]Schreiner'sen.wikipedia.org

  Fort Worth-based Dunlaps acquired Schreiner's and pledged to retain its name and historic building.

• 1917

  Schreiner Institute founded

  [1]Schreiner'sen.wikipedia.org

  Charles Schreiner founded the Schreiner Institute, which later became Schreiner University.

• 1893

  Separate bank building constructed

  [1]Schreiner'sen.wikipedia.org

  The banking operation had grown enough for Schreiner to construct a separate building for it.

• 1879

  Schreiner takes sole control

  [1]Schreiner'sen.wikipedia.org

  Charles Schreiner bought out his business partner and expanded the enterprise into banking, ranching, and wool and mohair marketing.

• 1869

  Store opened in Kerrville

  [1]Schreiner'sen.wikipedia.org

  Charles Schreiner and a business associate opened a store in Kerrville, establishing the enterprise that later became known as Schreiner's.

• 1858

  Charles Schreiner acquires the Camp Verde store

  [1]Schreiner'sen.wikipedia.org

  Charles Schreiner Sr. purchased a small general store at Camp Verde and supplied the nearby military post with beef and other provisions under a government contract.

A historic Kerrville department store and diversified regional trading institution whose identity was tied to local commerce, ranching, banking, and the Hill Country community.

• Department-store retail

  General department-store merchandise

  Schreiner's operated as a general department store in downtown Kerrville. The available reference material identifies the business by its department-store format but does not provide a reliable itemized catalogue of its merchandise lines.

• Agricultural commodity trading

  Wool and mohair marketing

  The wider Charles Schreiner enterprise expanded into marketing wool and mohair, commodities closely associated with regional ranching. Schreiner's is noted for being the first American business to value mohair, although the source does not specify a distinct consumer product line.

• 2007

  Permanent closure of the department storeOther

  Background

  Dunlaps was unable to secure financing for a loan it had made, entered bankruptcy, and was dissolved by the end of 2007.

  Action taken

  Schreiner's closed its doors for the final time on September 23, 2007.

  Aftermath

  The building later reopened under the Schreiner's name with several smaller retail stores and boutiques rather than the former department store.

  Source

• 1991

  Dunlaps acquisition and continuity decisionM&A

  Background

  Dunlaps acquired the long-established Kerrville store while Schreiner's retained strong local and historical recognition.

  Action taken

  Dunlaps committed to operating the store under the Schreiner's name and in the same building.

  Aftermath

  The store continued under Dunlaps until the operator's financial collapse led to its closure in 2007.

  Source

1. 1Schreiner'sen.wikipedia.org