J. L. Brandeis and Sons facts for kids
The Brandeis Building in downtown Omaha
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| Entry-level luxury division | |
| Industry | Retail |
| Fate | Acquired by Younkers |
| Founded | 1881 |
| Defunct | 1987 |
| Headquarters | Omaha, Nebraska, United States |
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Key people
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Jonas Leopold Brandeis, founder |
J.L. Brandeis & Sons, often called Brandeis, was a popular chain of department stores. It started in 1881 in Omaha, Nebraska, thanks to Jonas L. Brandeis. These stores were a big deal in the Midwest. In 1987, another company called Younkers bought Brandeis. All the Brandeis stores then changed their name to Younkers.
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History of Brandeis Stores
Jonas Leopold Brandeis opened his very first store, "The Fair," in 1881. A few years later, in 1888, he opened another store called the "Boston Store."
The Main Brandeis Building
By 1905, work began on a much bigger store. This was the main Brandeis store, located in Downtown Omaha. It was finished in 1906. This huge building had eight floors and was designed by John Latenser, Sr.. The first three floors and the basement were used for shopping. Later, two more floors were added. The original building cost $650,000. By the 1950s, Brandeis used the entire building! They tried to sell almost everything, even furniture.
The Brandeis building was made with a strong steel frame. Its outside was covered with limestone, brick, and terra cotta. Different floors had unique designs, making the building look interesting.
How Brandeis Helped Create Malls
In the late 1950s, Brandeis wanted to grow and become more modern. One way to do this was by building shopping malls. Brandeis stores would be the main "anchor" stores in these malls.
In 1959, Brandeis helped create the Crossroads Shopping Center in Omaha. This mall also had a Sears store. Crossroads was one of the first enclosed shopping malls in the United States. It quickly became a very popular place in Omaha.
The simple design of Crossroads Mall worked well. It connected the main stores with a shopping area called an "arcade." Because Crossroads was so successful, Brandeis opened another mall. This was Southroads Mall in southern Omaha in 1966. Southroads was similar to Crossroads. Its main stores were Brandeis and JCPenney.
Joining with Gold's Department Store
In 1964, Brandeis bought Gold and Company. Gold's was another department store based in Lincoln, Nebraska. Gold's only had one main store in downtown Lincoln, but it was very popular there. Gold's kept its name for a while. It operated as part of J.L. Brandeis until it closed in 1981.
The Golden Age of Brandeis
At its best, Brandeis had about fifteen department stores. The original downtown Omaha store was a symbol of modern culture for the city. Brandeis was known as Nebraska's own department store.
The chain reached its peak in the early 1970s. It had 3,000 employees and made $100 million in sales! The Crossroads Mall store opened in 1960. At first, it had mixed results. But it soon became one of the best stores in the chain, making about $38 million. Crossroads was a huge success for Brandeis. This was a big achievement, as it was the first new Brandeis store in 50 years.
Brandeis stores opened all over Nebraska. You could find them downtown in cities like Columbus and Hastings. They were also in malls like Conestoga in Grand Island, Southroads & Westroads in Omaha, and Gateway in Lincoln. Soon, Brandeis even opened stores in Iowa. These were at Midlands Mall in Council Bluffs and Valley West Mall in Des Moines.
The End of Brandeis and Sale to Younkers
Brandeis lost a lot of its popularity when its main downtown Omaha store closed in 1980. The former Gold's store in downtown Lincoln closed soon after, in 1981. This was the end of an important time for the company.
The Crossroads Mall store became the new main store. But Brandeis had lost some of its power in the Omaha and Nebraska shopping areas. In the mid-1980s, there were plans for a new Dillard's store at Crossroads Mall. Brandeis leaders knew they couldn't compete. So, they made a deal with Younkers. Younkers was another department store from Des Moines. In 1987, Brandeis sold its chain of stores to Younkers. Younkers kept 11 of the stores and changed their names to Younkers.
Brandeis Jingle
Many people remember the Brandeis jingle: "Everything you want is at Brandeis."
