Sakowitz Department Store At 1111 Main St.

[Jeebus]

I haven't seen anyone "cool" under 30 wear GAP jeans since the mid nineties.

[MidtownCoog]

This is me in my emo phase. I'd had just spit up on myself.

[Jeebus]

Was this before, or after "O-Town"?

[KimberlySayWhat]

I wish tattoos were exclusively "emo" and you could just peel them off. I'm so sick of tats. They've gone so mainstream within the last 10 years or so that they just seem cheesy.

That Shirley Temple shirt! lol. I had a "Knots Landing" shirt with Joan Van Ark and Ted Shackleford on it a couple of years ago.

Ashley Angel's a dweeb.

Edited May 9, 2006 by KimberlySayWhat

[GovernorAggie]

I saw in the HBJ (maybe April 17th edition) that AA is still a go.

[JGraspo]

so i have a friend that just got hired at AA and they posters downtown were just for marketing purposes.. There is no AA going to be built downtown. it was all BUZZ

The retailer had been scouting locations here for a while. Its first local store was slated for downtown's Sakowitz building, whose owners are getting a grant from the city of Houston as part of a new retail incentive program for that area.

The downtown AA still looks like a go.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/busine...ff/3924349.html

The company said while there have been delays, the downtown store is still a go.

Edited June 6, 2006 by JGraspo

[wendyps]

So, I went into the one in Montrose the other weekend...expecting something really neat and exciting based on this thread....um....there was nothing there but cheap jersey knits in overly bright colors. Great for 13 year olds of all types, but what kind of success will this have dowtown???

I'm all for retail coming in, but will this just be an empty store in 6 months? Scaring other retailers away? I know, these companies know far more than me, but I just don't get it...

[Ashikaga]

Sakowitz moved from it's original location at 308 Main in 1918 to the Kiam Buildings located at 314-320 Main. The Kiam Buildings were built in 1893 and boasted the 1st electric elevator in Houston and the 3rd in the nation according to old news accounts. I've seen no references to elevators, either electric or otherwise, before this so, yes, Sakowitz had the first elevator in Houston, though it was 25 years old when they purchased the building. As recently as 10 years ago, the original car was still in the building.

Sakowitz and Levitz show how sucessful Jewish people are. I wonder if they were related? Are any of their decendants still living?

[TexasFreeway.com]

I remember when they closed their downtown store. I worked contract to help move the phone system from the downtown to the Galeria store. I had to crawl across through the ceiling of the Galeria store to punch holes and drop phone lines down to cashiers stations below. Man that was scary! The ceiling was made of stucco and only two feet high. There were fire water lines, AC vents, and VERY DARK. All the time knowing if I fell through it was 30 feet to the floor below.

We still have a set of silver spoons and crystal glasses with "S" inscribed on them.

[musicman]

Sakowitz and Levitz show how sucessful Jewish people are. I wonder if they were related? Are any of their decendants still living?

The two Sakowitz children are alive and well. Robert Sakowitz and his sister, Lynn Wyatt, are both active in the social scene. Lynn is married to Oscar Wyatt who founded Coastal Corp. He has been charged with paying illegal kickbacks to Iraqi officials as part of a scheme to circumvent the United Nation's oil-for-food program in 2001.

[Ashikaga]

The two Sakowitz children are alive and well. Robert Sakowitz and his sister, Lynn Wyatt, are both active in the social scene. Lynn is married to Oscar Wyatt who founded Coastal Corp. He has been charged with paying illegal kickbacks to Iraqi officials as part of a scheme to circumvent the United Nation's oil-for-food program in 2001.

Mr. Wyatt sounds like a "good ol' boy."

I remember when they closed their downtown store. I worked contract to help move the phone system from the downtown to the Galeria store. I had to crawl across through the ceiling of the Galeria store to punch holes and drop phone lines down to cashiers stations below. Man that was scary! The ceiling was made of stucco and only two feet high. There were fire water lines, AC vents, and VERY DARK. All the time knowing if I fell through it was 30 feet to the floor below.

We still have a set of silver spoons and crystal glasses with "S" inscribed on them.

I once worked for a private telecommunications company installing phone systems in businesses. When a business closed down and relocated, we just threw away the phone system and installed a new system in the company's new location. We were told that it would cost more to load up, transport, and re-install the old phone system than it would to simply re-install a new and updated system. I guess it was different back when you did it.

[312]

If so, then I take back what I said. No way they would build two stores so close to each other.

That's an interesting observation on your part. Apparently there are two different companies that use the AA name and it is my understanding that the lower westheimer store is not the group being discussed at Saks .

Edited July 15, 2006 by 312

[hokieone]

That's an interesting observation on your part. Apparently there are two different companies that use the AA name and it is my understanding that the lower westheimer store is not the group being discussed at Saks .

I originally didn't know what you were talking about, but today's article in the chron cleared it up a little. The American Apparel that is also in Montrose is the same that has posters on the Saks building. However, from today's article, it sounds like AA Concepts, a Houston company, is talking to Wulfe about a ifestyle store in downtown - Wulfe owns the sakowitz building, 1+1=2...

"They fulfill a niche a lot of landlords are looking for," said Monte Large, an urban broker with Wulfe & Co. who is working with AA Concepts on various properties, including one in downtown Houston that will house a lifestyle store, where customers can buy a variety of home products.

Link

[312]

I originally didn't know what you were talking about, but today's article in the chron cleared it up a little. The American Apparel that is also in Montrose is the same that has posters on the Saks building. However, from today's article, it sounds like AA Concepts, a Houston company, is talking to Wulfe about a ifestyle store in downtown - Wulfe owns the sakowitz building, 1+1=2...

"They fulfill a niche a lot of landlords are looking for," said Monte Large, an urban broker with Wulfe & Co. who is working with AA Concepts on various properties, including one in downtown Houston that will house a lifestyle store, where customers can buy a variety of home products.

Link

I guess the more the merrier.

AA Concpts-Wish 1614 Westheimer St

http://www.luckymag.com/cityguides/texas

[pwright1]

Seattle has 2 AA stores but none downtown. One in the pic in the University district and one on Capitol Hill. Both stores have been open for a least 3 years. I don't shop there but somebody must like the stuff.

[Montrose1100]

I don't like their store right next to Taxi Taxi. It might survive, Westheimer is becoming a small high-fashion mecca with Juliet & Romeo (As I mention on every Westheimer, Montrose, Clothing, or Fashion thread), and alot of other stores. This is just adding a notch on the belt.

[wendyps]

I don't like their store right next to Taxi Taxi. It might survive, Westheimer is becoming a small high-fashion mecca with Juliet & Romeo (As I mention on every Westheimer, Montrose, Clothing, or Fashion thread), and alot of other stores. This is just adding a notch on the belt.

don't you just love that white cotton ball they call a dog?

[Montrose1100]

don't you just love that white cotton ball they call a dog?

Of corse.

[312]

I originally didn't know what you were talking about, but today's article in the chron cleared it up a little. The American Apparel that is also in Montrose is the same that has posters on the Saks building. However, from today's article, it sounds like AA Concepts, a Houston company, is talking to Wulfe about a ifestyle store in downtown - Wulfe owns the sakowitz building, 1+1=2...

"They fulfill a niche a lot of landlords are looking for," said Monte Large, an urban broker with Wulfe & Co. who is working with AA Concepts on various properties, including one in downtown Houston that will house a lifestyle store, where customers can buy a variety of home products.

Link

KB owns Saks, rt ?

Edited August 12, 2006 by 312

[Reefmonkey]

Sakowitz was definitely a local competitor to Neimans. I'm a native houstonian, born in 1976, and I remember my mom taking me to the old downtown store and the Post Oak store to buy clothes (mostly the stuff we wore to the theatre, church, our "Sunday" clothes), and we would eat lunch at the restaurants in the stores. They had great luncheon restaurants. I remember they would bring baskets full of orange bread and cheese straws (homemade) to the table when we sat down, and for kids they had pb&j and other sandwiches cookie-cut into the shape of animals.

I also remember a smaller Sakowitz closer to our house in the NW suburbs, on 1960 and Champions Forest - It's now a Sun and Ski Sports - the only former sakowitz building I know of to be still standing.

I remember going to the Post Oak Store when it was selling everything, even to racks, to close. We bought some furniture that is still in my parents' house.

I miss Sakowitz, it was a great store - along with Specialty Foods store Jamail's on SW corner of Kirby and Alabama.

There is an interesting book on the history of Sakowitz and the family feud that brought it down, called "Blood Rich: When Oil Billions, High Fashion, and Royal Intimacies are Not Enough" by Jane Wolf. It's out of print, but I picked it up used on Amazon for 40 cents.

Another old-school Houston clothing store, but still in business: Harold's in the Heights.

Edited August 14, 2006 by Reefmonkey

[ChampionsAdam]

We had Sakowitz in Phoenix as well. I have old advertisements from the Arizona Republic in the 1970's. I see some of those tacky clothes are coming back..uggh plaid pants! just need the white platforms and you're set.

[enviromain]

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

I still have wooden hangers with the Sakowitz stamp on them. Very reliable hangers compared to what we get now!

[Alpha]

I still have wooden hangers with the Sakowitz stamp on them. Very reliable hangers compared to what we get now!

I worked at Sakowitz in Town & Country from 1967 to 1972. We didn't give out the plastic hangars with the clothes. We took small wooden hangars and wrapped them in tissue paper to give to customers. If we were putting clothes in a box or bag, we also wrapped them in tissue and put a Sakowitz sticker on the tissue to hold it closed.

On nights when it wasn't busy (most nights) we would spend the time wrapping hangars.

[WestUNative]

Is it PC around here to dredge up old threads? I really don't care, just being new girl polite.

SAKOWITZ! I have read all the posts and find it amazing no one mentioned something extremely impressive about their practices. From the 1950's through the 1970's we shopped mainly in the downtown store. The ambiance was glorious, relaxing and it was a joy to wander and examine the exotic merchandise.

But, the most fun was every Autumn they held a major foreign focus 2 week long exhibition. When my daughter was young in the mid '70's and Germany was the selected country, one of the participatory displays was a real, authentic Gutenberg Press. It was hands on and an attendant assisted in explaining it thoroughly, then letting the customer print their own parchment from an ancient plate. There would be cultural displays, foods to sample, antique and modern products to browse and some to buy. I cannot recreate what a delightful learning and shopping experience it was. British Fortnight was another we particularly enjoyed.

On the fun side, when my little girl was less than a year old, in 1967, I braved all and took her downtown and we lunched in the Sakowitz restaurant. She really hadn't been out much beyond the grocery store and such and was a little overwhelmed by the big room full of people. When our middle-aged, black (African-American) waiter approached the table, she beamed and let loose at high volume, "Da-Da!" The crowd of River Oaks Dowagers were not amused, more like shock and awe. I realized she was simply identifying male person with male person. She didn't know any men other than her father. The poor waiter was as chagrined as the luncheon guests.

The rivalry between Neiman-Marcus and Sakowitz was very real. There was a story going around, probably apochryphal, of the snobbery between the staff of each venue. An old, seedy, country couple come to town. They are truly pathetic looking, dressed in practically flour sack garments. The old man was clutching a greasy brown paper bag. First they venture into Sakowitz and find their way to the Fur Department. The gap-toothed old man informs the clerk he wants to see mink coats for his wife. Whereupon they are unceremoniously escorted from the store. They walk across the street to Neiman's and are treated like royalty, as were all customers (to which I can attest). After some time of viewing the models parade various coats, they pick out a lovely, sky-high expensive, full length sable for the little woman. The man hands over the paper bag and says, take the price out of that. Surely enough it is stuffed with thousands of dollars. But wait, there's more! Departing Neiman's, they trudge back to Sakowitz with the wife wearing her new coat and present the fait accompli. And that, as legend held, was the day Sakowitz employees were re-educated in the ways of Texas consumer relations. Funny, yes, but not without some truth. Oil was springing forth like water and many dirt poor farmers were suddenly unlikely nouveau riche.

One last tidbit. When my late mother-in-law was widowed in her 50's, having never worked but needing a job desperately, Sakowitz hired her and trained her to be a punch card operator in the downtown office. When she retired, they presented her with a beautifully flower engraved, solid gold bracelet. She always called the big bosses Mr. Tobias and Mr. Bernard. Old Houston families had style and grace.

[torvald]

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)

the links don't work.

i have fancy some shirts from there that i still wear to work!

Edited September 3, 2006 by torvald

[silverartfox]

Is it PC around here to dredge up old threads? I really don't care, just being new girl polite.

SAKOWITZ! I have read all the posts and find it amazing no one mentioned something extremely impressive about their practices. From the 1950's through the 1970's we shopped mainly in the downtown store. The ambiance was glorious, relaxing and it was a joy to wander and examine the exotic merchandise.

But, the most fun was every Autumn they held a major foreign focus 2 week long exhibition. When my daughter was young in the mid '70's and Germany was the selected country, one of the participatory displays was a real, authentic Gutenberg Press. It was hands on and an attendant assisted in explaining it thoroughly, then letting the customer print their own parchment from an ancient plate. There would be cultural displays, foods to sample, antique and modern products to browse and some to buy. I cannot recreate what a delightful learning and shopping experience it was. British Fortnight was another we particularly enjoyed.

On the fun side, when my little girl was less than a year old, in 1967, I braved all and took her downtown and we lunched in the Sakowitz restaurant. She really hadn't been out much beyond the grocery store and such and was a little overwhelmed by the big room full of people. When our middle-aged, black (African-American) waiter approached the table, she beamed and let loose at high volume, "Da-Da!" The crowd of River Oaks Dowagers were not amused, more like shock and awe. I realized she was simply identifying male person with male person. She didn't know any men other than her father. The poor waiter was as chagrined as the luncheon guests.

The rivalry between Neiman-Marcus and Sakowitz was very real. There was a story going around, probably apochryphal, of the snobbery between the staff of each venue. An old, seedy, country couple come to town. They are truly pathetic looking, dressed in practically flour sack garments. The old man was clutching a greasy brown paper bag. First they venture into Sakowitz and find their way to the Fur Department. The gap-toothed old man informs the clerk he wants to see mink coats for his wife. Whereupon they are unceremoniously escorted from the store. They walk across the street to Neiman's and are treated like royalty, as were all customers (to which I can attest). After some time of viewing the models parade various coats, they pick out a lovely, sky-high expensive, full length sable for the little woman. The man hands over the paper bag and says, take the price out of that. Surely enough it is stuffed with thousands of dollars. But wait, there's more! Departing Neiman's, they trudge back to Sakowitz with the wife wearing her new coat and present the fait accompli. And that, as legend held, was the day Sakowitz employees were re-educated in the ways of Texas consumer relations. Funny, yes, but not without some truth. Oil was springing forth like water and many dirt poor farmers were suddenly unlikely nouveau riche.

One last tidbit. When my late mother-in-law was widowed in her 50's, having never worked but needing a job desperately, Sakowitz hired her and trained her to be a punch card operator in the downtown office. When she retired, they presented her with a beautifully flower engraved, solid gold bracelet. She always called the big bosses Mr. Tobias and Mr. Bernard. Old Houston families had style and grace.

For a time in the 1960's, I worked in the advertising department at Sakowitz. I cannot recall that Sakowitz ever had an annual two-week promotion featuring the goods and products of a foreign country. If they did, it was a short-lived copycat reaction to their perceived competition. Actually, Neiman's was famous for having annual "Fortnights" which were fabulous presentations of merchandise, food, customs, etc., from a different country each year. Their color newspaper ads, particularly those from the Dallas papers, were true works of art.

As far as snobby treatment of customers, I often experience it at Saks and Neimans, except in the cosmetics department where the sales staff literally leap at one from behind the counters in a effort to sell their overpriced, overhyped merchandise. Currently, I find the best customer service in an upscale store is at Nordstrom.

[rps324]

If I remember correctly, the Sakowitz at Champions Village had Sakowitz II on the sign. Some sort of "junior version" of their bigger stores. The 1960 area wasn't yet developed enough to support a full size store apparently. There was also a Leopold Price & Rolle (sp?) in the center and Wilson's where the Stein-Mart is now. Back then I thought I was some kind of fancy with my Sakowitz velour shirts. Thank God there is no surviving photographic evidence of that episode.....

[WesternGulf]

The AA website says the downtown location should be open this winter. They have the locations mixed up though saying that the Westheimer location is in downtown and the Main location is in Montrose.

http://www.americanapparel.net/storelocati...?metroareaid=93

[312]

The AA website says the downtown location should be open this winter. They have the locations mixed up though saying that the Westheimer location is in downtown and the Main location is in Montrose.

http://www.americanapparel.net/storelocati...?metroareaid=93

That's great news.

[Montrose1100]

I didn't like the store so much. Although I did enjoy trying on the t-shirts in the "High Lighter" section.