Louis Bamberger - Bamberger's

Bamberger's

He came to Newark in 1892 and bought at auction a failing general goods store on Market Street, renaming it L. Bamberger & Company. The store was an immediate success, and Bamberger was able to open an ornate chateauesque building in 1912 that covered a whole city block. For decades, Bamberger’s clock was the downtown meeting place for Newarkers. In 1928, the store's sales were $28 million, making it the fourth highest grossing store in the United States.

In 1929, Bamberger sold his department store to R.H. Macy and Company, who kept the original Bamberger name. Bamberger knew that he owed his success to hundreds of able employees, and split $1 million among 240 employees. The Bamberger name remained in use for the stores in the New Jersey division of Macy's until 1986.