Sakowitz Department Store At 1111 Main St.

[Earlydays]

shopped at the houston stores growing up (post oak and downtown). i remember using there personal shopper when i was graduating from college and needed work clothes. once i told them what i was looking for, they would just bring clothes in my size to my dressing room. the clothes were well made and classic styles that i could wear forever.

sakowitz even expanded to midland. i remember going there in 1982 and it was deserted. can't remember when it closed. i was living in dallas when sakowitz went bankrupt. i rarely shopped at the dallas store.

i read the book blood rich a couple of years ago. still can't figure out how lynn sakowitz wound up with oscar wyatt. talk about opposites attracting. but then again, they did have money in common.

Yes....Lynn needed money and Oscar had it!

[TexasFreeway.com]

In my teenage years I worked contract for a small telephone company. I helped move the phone system from the downtown store to the Post Oak location. As we gathered the phones from the downtown store we rumaged through some of the stuff left over. My parents have some of the silver spoons from the restaurant.

One day it became one of my duties to crawl through the ceiling of the Post oak store to drop new phone lines to the counters below, because the knothead cabinet contractor covered up our conduits in the floor. That was scary crawling over and under pipes and A/C ducts 25 feet above the floor below across a stucco ceiling.

[toadfroggy]

The thing I miss the most about all the old department stores--their dining rooms. The Bamboo Room at Joske's; the great view and the great desserts at Marshall Field's, etc. I remember how sophisticated it would feel to lunch at those places in the middle of a shopping day. Sakowitz had these great snack breads that they'd serve from enormous trays that would circulate constantly. There were some things on that tray that I wish I had the recipe for. I'd also love to have the recipe for Foley's oatmeal cookies. But alas....

[PapillionWyngs]

The thing I miss the most about all the old department stores--their dining rooms. The Bamboo Room at Joske's; the great view and the great desserts at Marshall Field's, etc. I remember how sophisticated it would feel to lunch at those places in the middle of a shopping day. Sakowitz had these great snack breads that they'd serve from enormous trays that would circulate constantly. There were some things on that tray that I wish I had the recipe for. I'd also love to have the recipe for Foley's oatmeal cookies. But alas....

I miss those days, too. I lived in St. Louis from 1983-1991, and for a while, both Dillards and Famous Barr (think a Foley's/Sakowitz combo) had dining rooms. It brought me back, I've gotta tell you. Thoses were the days, weren't they? And Foley's downtown had that cookie/pastry counter! That was good stuff.

[nellieanna]

I was a Bridal Consultant at Sakowitz downtown Houston in 1953, freshly graduated from SMU. It was a most elegant store, definitely on par with Neiman's in Dallas. The Bridal Department on the 3rd floor, along with couturier & furs, was beautiful. I used a middle name as a first name then.

It was a most impressive building. The Bridal Department enjoyed the big windows on the 3rd floor overlooking Main Street. I remember watching a parade with the King and Queen of the Netherlands riding in an open limo from the window. The original Foley's was across Main Street from Sakowitz.

[IronTiger]

I don't know about an alleged feud, but there were many reasons that caused the Sakowitz stores to close. There was a great deal of time, effort and money spent in trying to compete with perceived rival Neiman-Marcus. Unfortunately, the company did not possess Stanley Marcus' sense of style, taste or originality. The stores expanded too rapidly into other areas of the country. They also misread their customer base and didn't adjust their merchandise offerings to meet the needs of the clientele they hoped to attract. I worked in their advertising department - saw and heard a lot!

I believe that the final straw was Forest Fair. Basically, it happened when a developer decided to buy Sakowitz, Bonwit Teller, and B. Altman to make an upscale mall (which was also oddly anchored by a grocery/hypermarket called Bigg's and Elder Beerman), but the mall was in a very middle-class area which could not afford the stores, and all Sakowitz and B. Altman stores closed soon after.

[NenaE]

Nice Sakowitz bldg design above, it reminds me of the Foley's in downtown Houston. I have a fondness for the Houston retail bldgs. Wish they could be respected, preserved, and re-developed, with some of their elaborate details left intact.

[MaggieMay]

Nice Sakowitz bldg design above, it reminds me of the Foley's in downtown Houston. I have a fondness for the Houston retail bldgs. Wish they could be respected, preserved, and re-developed, with some of their elaborate details left intact.

The Sakowitz building is still standing on Main Street--facing the Macy's that used to be Foley's. But it's been totally gutted & is now a parking garage. The Ed Wulfe & Co signs are gone--do any of you movers & shakers know of any plans for the old hulk?

In my childhood, Sakowitz was a bit rich for our blood. Even fancier than Joske's, but not as terrifiying as Neiman's. Downtown was a long trek for shopping, but Gulfgate put Sakowitz (& Joske's) within reach. So we could walk through, even if we never bought much. For us, Sears opening in Pasadena was a big event. At last, an upscale alternative to Weiner's! Or Mobud.

I do remember a Sunday drive out to Westheimer & Post Oak Road--to see the brand new Sakowitz. Why would anybody build such a fancy store on the bald prairie?

Edited March 11, 2009 by MaggieMay

[sevfiv]

I was a Bridal Consultant at Sakowitz downtown Houston in 1953, freshly graduated from SMU. It was a most elegant store, definitely on par with Neiman's in Dallas. The Bridal Department on the 3rd floor, along with couturier & furs, was beautiful. I used a middle name as a first name then.

It was a most impressive building. The Bridal Department enjoyed the big windows on the 3rd floor overlooking Main Street. I remember watching a parade with the King and Queen of the Netherlands riding in an open limo from the window. The original Foley's was across Main Street from Sakowitz.

Welcome to HAIF - and thanks for posting and adding pictures

[SmallWorld]

Can someone tell me about Sakowitz? What was it like? What happened to it?

Sakowitz was a very attractive store taking up almost a full block across from the downtown Foley's. (Foley's was built first).The prices were higher than Foley's and there was a nice restaurant in the store where I recall eating with my Mother occasionally. An example of the prices: I couldn't spend the $200 for the beautiful formal gown in Sakowitz window for a school dance, so I drew a picture of it and had it made for much less. At that time (1950s) $200 was a lot of money.....equivalent to thousands now, I believe.

Later there was a smaller Sakowitz across from Galleria.

[Houston*Town]

Posted by smartalek:

QUOTE (Houston Retail @ Thursday, November 11th, 2004 @ 1:02am)

Under the "Daddy, what was Sakowitz like?" category, I can offer the following.

(it seems that I cannot use the tag to post an image, so please click away at the links)

Sakowitz 1

Sakowitz 2

Sakowitz 3

Sakowitz 4

Sakowitz 5

Sakowitz 6

Sakowitz 7

Sakowitz 8

And for those of you who dont live in Houston, here is a clean scan of the 002 article"

The links don't work now and I would love, love to see the pictures again. Is smartalek still active? I did see the pictures and they were AMAZING! Hopefully they can be posted again.

[IronTiger]

Sakowitz was a very attractive store taking up almost a full block across from the downtown Foley's. (Foley's was built first).The prices were higher than Foley's and there was a nice restaurant in the store where I recall eating with my Mother occasionally. An example of the prices: I couldn't spend the $200 for the beautiful formal gown in Sakowitz window for a school dance, so I drew a picture of it and had it made for much less. At that time (1950s) $200 was a lot of money.....equivalent to thousands now, I believe.

Later there was a smaller Sakowitz across from Galleria.

Is that where Dillard's is now?

[silverartfox]

Is that where Dillard's is now?

No, the current Dillard's was originally Joske's. The building exterior is much the same.

Sakowitz was directly across Westheimer from Neiman-Marcus. A freestanding building situated well back on the property, it was demolished to make room for the fancy-schmantzy strip center currently at that site.

[IronTiger]

I read somewhere that Frost Brothers was going to merge with Sakowitz in the late 1980s. Was that ever carried out? That would mean that there would be Sakowitz in North Star Mall and Sunrise Mall (Corpus Christi). Obviously, it if did happen, as all the Sakowitz stores in Houston (and, um, Cincinnati) closed.

[e streeter]

several years ago read a book about sakowitz and wyatt called blood rich: when oil billions, high fashion, and royal intimacies are not enough.

it is out of print, but you can find it on amazon as a used book. it is a good read for those who love houston gossip.

[IronTiger]

I read somewhere that Frost Brothers was going to merge with Sakowitz in the late 1980s. Was that ever carried out? That would mean that there would be Sakowitz in North Star Mall and Sunrise Mall (Corpus Christi). Obviously, it if did happen, as all the Sakowitz stores in Houston (and, um, Cincinnati) closed.

Turns out I was wrong. Frost Brothers and Sakowitz did not merge, and instead separately went out of business by 1990.

[templehouston]

As I recall, Sakowitz was the premier department store based in Houston. It was "higher end" than Foley Brothers. Joske's was San Antonio's comparable department store and they both competed with that store in Dallas, Neiman-Marcus. When Neiman's opened its first Houston store in the 1950s, Houstonians stayed away in droves. For those who don't know, the Neiman-Marcus building is still on Main Street. When they opened the Galleria store, they closed the Main Street location and Palais Royal took over that building. The building is now the CVS Pharmacy on Main. Sakowitz had a large clientele of wealthy Latin Americans who made Houston a destination for their shopping trips. I won't even go into the stories about Robert Sakowitz.

[silverartfox]

As I recall, Sakowitz was the premier department store based in Houston. It was "higher end" than Foley Brothers. Joske's was San Antonio's comparable department store and they both competed with that store in Dallas, Neiman-Marcus. When Neiman's opened its first Houston store in the 1950s, Houstonians stayed away in droves. For those who don't know, the Neiman-Marcus building is still on Main Street. When they opened the Galleria store, they closed the Main Street location and Palais Royal took over that building. The building is now the CVS Pharmacy on Main. Sakowitz had a large clientele of wealthy Latin Americans who made Houston a destination for their shopping trips. I won't even go into the stories about Robert Sakowitz.

In a previous life I was employed in the advertising departments of both Sakowitz and Foley's. Sakowitz and Neiman's were considered specialty stores rather than department stores. They featured high-end clothing, accessories, bridal gowns, fine jewelry, furs and gifts. Joske's and Foley's were full line department stores since they carried furniture, appliances and housewares in addition to apparel, jewelry and gifts in a wide range of prices.

Wealthy Latin Americans still come to Houston to shop. I was working at Lord and Taylor in the Galleria when the company closed its Houston locations a few years ago and heard their wails of distress over losing a favorite store!

[BARK]

Bad shots,

but that is some Sakowitz.

This was in the Jewish cemetery.

There is some guy named Westhimer too!

Anyone from the Wards knows Hirsch.

This is a piece in the same cemetery. I have gotten better with ISO since this was taken.

Edited December 17, 2009 by BARK

[NenaE]

http://blogs.chron.com/bayoucityhistory/2009/12/ever_shopped_at_sakowitz.html

[Sara Cooper]

The wonderful flagship store in San Antonio was ruined when Dillards took over and stripped it of character. This is the wonderful large building on the corner of commerce and Alamo.

if it makes you feel any different, the third floor of that Joske's, which was used for their Christmas display, is being converted to condos.

FYI< I remember Sakowitz's very well. They had a superb Christmas display. Although the store was upscale, the Sakowitz kids went to San Jacinto High School with my mother and aunt, and did all the things mischievous high school students did in the early 50's.

[Sara Cooper]

Bad shots,

but that is some Sakowitz.

This was in the Jewish cemetery…

no offense to you, but some of the truly religious Jews consider photography of gravesites to be sacrilegious. Oh, and it's also customary to leave a memento of your visit; a small pebble is common.

The photographs are nicely done.

[musicman]

speaking of sakowitz, looks like Ann Sakowitz died monday.

full article

Ann Baum Sakowitz, mother of Houston socialite Lynn Wyatt and matriarch of the family whose specialty stores were a Houston fixture for decades, died Monday at home. She was 96.

Ann Sakowitz was as comfortable with world leaders as she was with cowboys and enjoyed gardening at the East Texas ranch she shared with her husband, Bernard Sakowitz, until his death in 1981, said her son, Robert T. Sakowitz of Houston.

“She would sit and shell peas and then she'd can them,” he said. Sakowitz also made pickled okra and jalapeno jelly, which she gave to friends and later sold at the family stores' Tastemaker Shops, her son said.

Known for her beauty and charm, she was offered a film contract in the late 1930s by producer Louis B. Mayer, but her husband objected, her son said.

[morpheus]

I worked part time at Sakowitz on Post Oak around 1965. It was pretty ritzy. worked in men's accessories, i think. we sold Countess Mara ties which sold for $100, or some outrageous sum. There was a popular sandwich/deli next door where I used to have their delicious club sandwich.

Also worked at Joske's, on the other side of Westheimer, not as classy, but more fun to work in. I was a stock boy and had a crush on a young salesgirl who looked exactly like Samantha in Bewitched, which was popular at the time. I even called her Samantha. I got fired.

I wonder where she is now....?

[PBAYS]

I barely remember Battlestein's. Most of my memories of it are from after they were bought out by Frost and the stores were renamed under the Frost name for a few years before Frost finally went under.

While we're on the topic, remember Joske's? They were acquired by Dillard's about 1987, giving Dillard's an instant presence in cities like Houston and San Antonio where they hadn't really expanded yet. Some of the old Joske's stores that converted to Dillard's are closed now (Northline, Westwood) but some are sitll around like Post Oak and Greenspoint.

[PBAYS]

Battelsteins was the most exclusive aparell store in Houston during the late 1930's and 1940's Later Sackowitz opened their stores and gave Batelsteins competition.

Abe Battlestein was the son of Russian immigrants. His father, Phillip, a taylor, settled in Houston with his wife and 5 children in the 1920's.

By 1930, Abe Battlestein had opened a men's clothing store in downtown Houston. By the 1940's the store sold exclusive lines of both women, men's and children's clothing. There was also a cosmetic section and shoe section.

In the 1940 "Pap Battlestein" would stand by the front door of his store and hand out dimes to the children of the customers who frequented the establishment. I was one of the luck little girls that was able to pocket a dime given to me by Pap Battlestein.

[hydeaway]

I read somewhere that Frost Brothers was going to merge with Sakowitz in the late 1980s. Was that ever carried out? That would mean that there would be Sakowitz in North Star Mall and Sunrise Mall (Corpus Christi). Obviously, it if did happen, as all the Sakowitz stores in Houston (and, um, Cincinnati) closed.

Frost Brothers and Battelsteins were both bought by a New York Firm (it seems like it was Manhattan Shirt Company). Eventually, the Battelsteins were converted to Frost Brothers in Houston and the remaining stores (like Greenspoint) was sold to Bealls. Frost had a location in The Galleria and River Oaks. Frost went bankrupt and was liquidated.

There is a great book I got on Amazon called "Blood Rich" that goes into the Sakowitz saga in great detail. It is a very good read.

[NenaE]

Would have loved to walk through this one...http://www.youtube.com/watch#!v=ky-EmLkwVus&feature=related

[little frau]

One of my cousins, about 18 years older, worked for the downtown store for many years. When I was in high school in the 60's, she gave me her 'old' winter coat. It looked almost new to me and still had the satin Sakowitz label in it. I sure thought I was something when I wore it. It was gray wool with a black velvet collar.

[I-beam]

Can someone tell me about Sakowitz? What was it like? What happened to it?

Well for one thing, it had the coolest escalators I had ever seen. I got to know it in the late 60s, and whereas the railing of most escalators were flat, the ones at Sakowitz bulged out from the top of the handrail, and then curved back to the top of the steps. They were also illuminated from inside. As a kid I used to love riding up and down, leaning against the side, being bumped every time I came to a juncture between the panels.

[PBAYS]

I don't know if this is true, and please correct if wrong, but didn't Sakowitz have the first elevator in Texas at the downtown location?

[PBAYS]

This could not be true. Battelsteins pre dated Sakowitz and there was at least one elevator in the Battelstein's store on Main Street, Houston in 1939.

[silverartfox]

This could not be true. Battelsteins pre dated Sakowitz and there was at least one elevator in the Battelstein's store on Main Street, Houston in 1939.

There were elevators in Houston office buildings at least as far back as the 1920's -- multi-storied retail stores had them, too.

If you're thinking of escalators in department stores here, I believe the first ones were in the Sears Roebuck store on Main Street.

If this isn't correct, our local history buffs will post the right answer.

[Earlydays]

This could not be true. Battelsteins pre dated Sakowitz and there was at least one elevator in the Battelstein's store on Main Street, Houston in 1939.

Are you sure Battelsteins pre-dated Sakowitz.....the Sakowitz brothers opened their first store in 1902 in Galveston, or were you just referring to specific down town stores?

Edited September 21, 2010 by Earlydays

[WillowBend56]

Another set of photographs by industrial photographer Robert Yarnall Richie taken inside a Houston store in 1951:

http://digitalcollections.smu.edu/cdm/search/collection/ryr/searchterm/Sakowitz/order/upload

 

 

[txn4art]

It looks like these were taken at the "new" Sakowitz store in the 1100 block of Main before it opened. It replaced an older Sakowitz store that was located further north on Main.

 

 

[Avossos]

Pony up!

[WillowBend56]

Sakowitz was one of my mother's favorite stores in downtown.  She says Sakowitz had a restaurant or tea room that was a frequent haunt of hers on shopping trips. Even my father who worked downtown ate there on occasion.  She recalls a dessert composed of a ball of caramelized ice cream sprinkled with pecans.  Yum!  Of course she was pregnant most of the years that she shopped downtown in the 1950s.

 

Another thing she remembers was a Nieman-Marcus store in downtown Houston.  This store was a few blocks from Sakowitz on the same side of the street, my mother recalls. She said she went to a bridal show there and won a $100 drawing.    She thought Niemans in Houston was bought out by another store way back when.  

Edited May 5, 2014 by WillowBend56

[Bob Fretz]

WillowBend56, your Mom enjoyed Pecan Balls.  Still served at The Austin Club. 

[txn4art]

Sakowitz was one of my mother's favorite stores in downtown.  She says Sakowitz had a restaurant or tea room that was a frequent haunt of hers on shopping trips. Even my father who worked downtown ate there on occasion.  She recalls a dessert composed of a ball of caramelized ice cream sprinkled with pecans.  Yum!  Of course she was pregnant most of the years that she shopped downtown in the 1950s.

 

Another thing she remembers was a Nieman-Marcus store in downtown Houston.  This store was a few blocks from Sakowitz on the same side of the street, my mother recalls. She said she went to a bridal show there and won a $100 drawing.    She thought Niemans in Houston was bought out by another store way back when.  

 

The restaurant at the Sakowitz Main Street store was called the Sky Terrace. Each day during lunch, models wearing the latest styles would circulate among the tables. I was maid of honor in a cousin's wedding and hosted a luncheon for her there.

 

Neiman Marcus opened its first Houston store in the mid-1950's. It was located in the 900 block of Main Street in a space formerly occupied by The Fashion, an upscale apparel store.The Kirby Theatre (since demolished) was in the same block. Neiman's moved into its Galleria store in 1970.

 

After graduating from college, I briefly worked in the Sakowitz advertising department. That store's owners desperately wanted for it to be regarded as a fashion leader equal to -- or better than --  Neiman Marcus. It never quite happened.

[Earlydays]

My wife used to model teenage fashions at the downtown Neiman Marcus store when she was in high school in the 60's......

[GEM]

 

[IronTiger]

I wish that there were "before and after" pictures of old Sakowitz and the current garage (which you can see traces of, such as tile) but I'm sure that would end up angering and depressing people.

[ArchFan]

Sakowitz was one of my mother's favorite stores in downtown.  She says Sakowitz had a restaurant or tea room that was a frequent haunt of hers on shopping trips. Even my father who worked downtown ate there on occasion.  She recalls a dessert composed of a ball of caramelized ice cream sprinkled with pecans.  Yum!  Of course she was pregnant most of the years that she shopped downtown in the 1950s.

 

Another thing she remembers was a Nieman-Marcus store in downtown Houston.  This store was a few blocks from Sakowitz on the same side of the street, my mother recalls. She said she went to a bridal show there and won a $100 drawing.    She thought Niemans in Houston was bought out by another store way back when.  

 

I remember visiting that store with my mom when i was a kid.  The Sky Terrace Restaurant sounds familiar, but I can't remember any details.  I do remember the Young Men's Shop and I think they had a salon for women to have their hair done ... I think I waited endlessly for my mom to get out of that.

 

I also have a brief memory of visiting the Nieman Marcus store on Main St. and being impressed.  When I visited the flagship store in downtown Dallas in about 1970, I was even more impressed.  Perhaps today it would seem tacky and pretentious, but it was fun for a kid to get that feel, kinda like being transported into the movie "Giant".

 

The Battelsteins on Shepherd was pretty nice, too.  I'm sure they had a downtown store as well, perhaps next door to Nieman's.

[ArchFan]

The downtown Foley's was a lot more fun, even though not as upscale.  So many departments with such a variety of things that one could not find available in a single store elsewhere.  At Christmas, the moving mechanical displays in the street-facing windows were fascinating for kids. 

[txn4art]

The downtown Foley's was a lot more fun, even though not as upscale.  So many departments with such a variety of things that one could not find available in a single store elsewhere.  At Christmas, the moving mechanical displays in the street-facing windows were fascinating for kids. 

 

Yes, they were wonderful! What a shame that show windows have virtually disappeared, as well as the art of creating fantastic displays. They still exist in upscale stores in NYC where there's foot traffic-- Tiffany and lLord & Taylor come to mind. And no -- a glass wall overlooking the mall or street is NOT a show window!

 

Another Houston store that had amazing mechanical window displays on a very small scale was Allan and Caspersen Jewelers. I think they were located on Milam Street. I've heard that these mechanical displays were periodically exchanged between jewelry stores in different U.S. cities and today are sought after by collectors.

[Shamrock1949]

While this may be a little late, in answer to why Sakowitz closed in 1990.  The original Sakowitz feel victim to over expansion when oil collapsed  and then the real estate market in the southwest followed suit, in the ensuing credit crunch, most of the regional savings and loans as well as many of the banks failed.  In 1985 Sakowitz Inc filed for bankruptcy.  The company emerged from bankruptcy a smaller company, but the majority ownership was held now by an Australian Real Estate Developer, L.J. Hooker.  By 1990 Sakowitz was profitable, but L.J. Hooker fell into bankruptcy.  The bankruptcy court tried to find a buyer for Sakowitz so it was liquidated.  https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/06/06/Finding-no-buyers-Sakowitz-stores-to-be-liquidated/4891644644800/