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Brandeis, from its imposing Omaha headquarters, dominated retail scene in the city, and much of Nebraska as well. |
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| Advertising image from 1921, when Brandeis expanded by adding 2 floors and occupying space previously let to private offices. |
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| Brandeis . . . The Store That Has Everything |
J. L. Brandeis & Sons
200 South 16th Street (at Douglas)
Omaha, Nebraska
342-8482
Basement
Shoe Repair • Brandeis Budget Store
Main Floor
Fine Jewelry • Watches • Jewelry • Clocks • Silverware • Repair Center • Handbags • Personal Leather Goods • Gloves • Main Floor Blouses • Main Floor Sweaters • Main Floor Sportswear • Easy Living Fashions • Patio Shop • Uniforms • Fashion Accessories • Neckwear • Main Floor Lingerie • Notions • Books • Stationery • Books • Optical • Camera Shop • Health and Beauty Aids • Candy • Bakery • Gourmet Shop • Liquor • Wines • Flower Shop • Stamp & Coin • Ticket Center • Religious Goods • Post Office • Men's Furnishings • Men's Sportswear • Tailored Sport Clothing • Safari Shop • Dusk-to-Dawn Shop • Tea Room • Edwardian Buffet • Pompeian Room • J.L.'s Attic
West Balcony
Chandler Shoes • Purse String Fashions • Size Wise Shop • Ski Shop • Maternity Wear • Gift Wrap
Men's Balcony
Men's Shoes • Men's Clothing • V.I.P. Shop (Formal Wear - Tux Rental) • Designer Shop • Paddock Shop • Stage Five Shop • Campus Shop • Smoke Shop • Barber Shop
Second Floor
Fashion Shoes • Sportswear • Top Shop • Tennis Shop • Swim Inn • Woman's World • The Place • Town Shop • Trend Shop • Young Trend • New Tempo • The Contempora Shop • Casualaire Shop • New Girl in Town • Saturday Night Shop • Coats • Suits • Fur Salon • French Room • Signature Shop • The Gallery • Millinery • Wig Boutique • Travel Service • Brandeis Bank • Customer Service Center
Third Floor
Lingerie • Foundations • Intimate Apparel • Sleepwear • Robes • Cameo Room • Maison Lorenzo Beauty Salon
Young Colony Junior Dresses • Junior Sportswear • Junior Swim Shops • Junior Coats and Suits • Pair Tree Shoes • Dam's Rib • Mademoiselle Jr. • Young Omaha Shop • Young Juniors
Fourth Floor
White/Elna Sewing Center • Fabrics • Pet Bazaar • Clinic Shoes • Fourth Floor Auditorium
Youth Center Infants' Wear • Childrens' Wear • 3 to 7 Boys' • Boys' Furnishings • Boys' Clothing • Campus Corner • Young Teens • Schoolgirls' • Children's Shoes • Campus Shoes
Fifth Floor
Famous Fifth Housewares • International Pantry Shop • Life Style Shops • Hardware • Garden Shop • Paint • China • Wedgwood Room • Glassware • Gifts • 12/25 Shop • Bridal Gift Registry • Home Entertainment Center • Appliances • Major Appliances • Sound Shop • Records
Sixth Floor
Linens • Bedding • Blankets • Bath Shop • Towels • Art Needlework • Curtains and Draperies • Carpet Center • Vacuums • Wedding Consultant • Trim-the-Home Shop
Seventh Floor
Furniture • Sleep Shop • Studio of Interior Design • Design Direction • Gallery • Lamps • Pictures and Mirrors • Rinehart-Marsden Portrait Photographers
Eighth Floor
Luggage • Sporting Goods • Bicycles • Toys • Educational Toys • Home Modernization Center • Summer Furniture • Business Interiors • Personnel
Ninth Floor
Offices
Tenth Floor
Brandeis Auditorium
Basement
Pet Bazaar • Hardware • Garden Shop • Paint • Sound Shop • Records • Home Entertainment Center • Brandeis Budget Store
Main Floor
Fine Jewelry • Watches • Jewelry • Clocks • Silverware • Repair Center • Handbags • Personal Leather Goods • Gloves • Main Floor Blouses • Main Floor Sweaters • Main Floor Sportswear • Easy Living Fashions • Patio Shop • Uniforms • Fashion Accessories • Neckwear • Main Floor Lingerie • Fashion Shoes • Notions • Books • Stationery • Books • Optical • Camera Shop • Luggage • Health and Beauty Aids • Stamp & Coin • Ticket Center • Religious Goods • Post Office • Men's Furnishings • Men's Shoes • Men's Sportswear • Tailored Sport Clothing • Paddock Shop • Stage Five Shop • Campus Shop • Smoke Shop
10th & 'N' Streets
The Food Basket Candy • Bakery • Gourmet Shop • Liquor • Wines • Flower Shop
Balcony
Men's Clothing • V.I.P. Shop (Formal Wear - Tux Rental) • Designer Shop
Second Floor
Sportswear • Top Shop • Tennis Shop • Swim Inn • Woman's World • The Place • Town Shop • Trend Shop • Young Trend • New Tempo • The Contempora Shop • Casualaire Shop • New Girl in Town • Saturday Night Shop • Coats • Suits • Fur Salon • French Room • Signature Shop • TheGallery • Millinery • Wig Boutique • Purse String Fashions • Size Wise Shop • Ski Shop • Maternity Wear • Lingerie • Foundations • Intimate Apparel • Sleepwear • Robes • Cameo Room • Cafeteria • White/Elna Sewing Center • Fabrics • Art Needlework
Young Colony Junior Dresses • Junior Sportswear • Junior Swim Shops • Junior Coats and Suits • Pair Tree Shoes • Mademoiselle Jr. • Young Omaha Shop • Young Juniors • Adam's Rib
Third Floor
Maison Lorenzo Beauty Salon • Portrait Studio • Sporting Goods • Bicycles • Toys • Educational Toys • Housewares • International Pantry Shop • Life Style Shops • China • Wedgwood Room • Glassware • Gifts • 12/25 Shop • Bridal Gift Registry • Linens • Bedding • Blankets • Bath Shop • Towels
Youth Center Infants' Wear • Childrens' Wear • 3 to 7 Boys' • Boys' Furnishings • Boys' Clothing • Campus Corner • Young Teens • Schoolgirls' • Children's Shoes • Campus Shoes
Fourth Floor
Fourth Floor Auditorium • Appliances • Major Appliances • Curtains and Draperies • Carpet Center • Vacuums • Wedding Consultant • Trim-the-Home Shop • Furniture • Sleep Shop • Studio of Interior Design • Design Direction • Gallery • Lamps • Pictures and Mirrors • Home Modernization Center • Summer Furniture • Cash and Credit Office • Personnel
Fifth Floor
Offices
Sixth Floor
Offices
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| Crossroads October, 1960 72nd and Dodge 200,000 sq. ft. The Crossroads Room Snack Bar |
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| Lincoln January, 1964 1033 'O' Street 323,000 s.f. Gold's Cafeteria (Former Gold & Co. Store) |
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| Grand Island January, 1965 13 & Webb 70,000 s.f. (former Wolbach Co. Store) |
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| Southroads August, 1966 Hwy. 73-75 and Brewster Rd. 130,000 s.f. The Southroads Room |
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| Baker Square August, 1970 132nd and Center 32,000 s.f. |
Columbus
July, 1972
July, 1972
2515 13th St. and 26th Ave.
9,000 sq. ft.
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| Westroads October, 1972 102nd and Dodge 80,000 s.f. |
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| Home Store August, 1974 7500 Dodge |
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Conestoga Mall
1974
Grand Island
60,000 sq. ft.
|
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| Des Moines August, 1975 Valley West Mall 163,000 s.f. |
Council Bluffs
March, 1976
March, 1976
Midlands Mall
45 North Main St.
60,000 sq. ft.
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Gateway Mall
July, 1977
Lincoln
102,000 sq. ft.
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Coming in due course.
did't Brandeis also have a branch at Westgate in Omaha also?
ReplyDeleteBrandeis had several budget stores throughout Omaha, including Westgate and the North store.
ReplyDeleteWhere was the North store located? I was reading an article about the Brandeis sale to Younkers. The article mentions a store in Hastings and a smaller store downtown. What kind of stores were they?
ReplyDeleteAdvertising indicates that the North store was opened in June of 1969 at 30th and Weber, sharing a building with a "Hinky Dinky" Market (!)
ReplyDeleteat westroads Mall in omaha at one time there were 2 younkers one where the Uncommon food court is now (use to have a restuant on top) the other is wehre ambrcombie and finch is now (that also had a restuant twords the parking lot) roughly where the theater is now which the resturant was on the inside. Also, there was a younkers at center mall on 42nd center st.
DeleteI used to work at the west roads restaurant ( fashion plate) I am desperately trying to remember how to make the famous Tom boy sand which we served there.
Delete"The article mentions a store in Hastings and a smaller store downtown."
ReplyDeleteI can't vouch for Hastings, but a few years after Brandeis closed the downtown store, they reopened a very small store on the main floor of the old store. It was just clothes, and I think it was just women's clothes.
The Hastings store was in the Imperial Mall. It carried a small selection of several categories of clothing, accessories and home.
DeleteThe Hastings store was opened before Thanksgiving in 1985.
ReplyDeleteOne of my favorite memories is throwing pennies in the flower fountain between the escalators in the crossroads. Is there a picture of it any where?
ReplyDeleteKein, This is Bill Champenoy. We worked together in display at the Crossroads Brandeis store. Great memories of Brandeis and the talented people there.
DeleteI've lived in Omaha my whole life (starting in 1980) and while I've always been familiar with the fabled Brandeis building downtown, I had no idea they had so many stores all over the place. Amazing! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteOh, I should also note that my baptism outfit came from Brandeis, and it is still kept in the original box!
ReplyDeleteI have so many memories of Brandeis, from childhood visits to the Christmas Windows to my many years of working at almost all the Brandeis stores. I worked in Display, decorating the very windows I loved as a child - - -my dream job! I also helped open the Des Moines store, and was the 1st Display Manager at the Council Bluffs store. Opening those stores was a great experience & a lot of fun! Originally, I was a teen model, working in the Jr Dept at the Crossroads (1972-1973), worked into Display then onto Sales Manager, Training Manager, and eventually Corporate Scheduling Director. Lots of friends, memories & life experiences!
ReplyDeleteEmil Brandeis, son of store founder Jonas Brandeis, was a company director and buyer for mens goods. In January 1912 he went to Europe, visiting his sister and buying merchandise for Brandies. Both he and the inventory he purchased sailed for New York in April aboard RMS TITANIC. Emil Brandeis was lost in the disaster, he was 48.
ReplyDeleteWow, I didn't know that.
DeleteOh My Gosh. I had not heard about that before. Thanks for sharing.
DeleteHi, I was wondering if you have ANY idea where I could get the recipe for the small cinammon meltaway mints that used to be served at the candy counter in Brandeis? I would be soooo appreciative! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteHi, I was wondering if you have ANY idea where I could get the recipe for the small cinammon meltaway mints that used to be served at the candy counter in Brandeis? I would be soooo appreciative! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteMy Great Uncle Tony was the Brandeis Corporate head Electrician. When I was little, my Mother, Grandother and Grandma's Sisters would go shopping for Christmas and Uncle Tony would take care of me. Brandeis would have a living Nativity Scene complete with a Camel. Tony would take me to near the animals, but wouldn't show his face. Once, while changing a fixture, something happened which scared the camel, and it hated Tony. Camels can spit with fair accuracy, if Tony showed his face in the area, the camel would spit in his direction, often hitting otherwise innocent bystanders, so Tony would aviod the area.
ReplyDeleteI remember the year that the camel had a baby and I got to stroke the baby's head. The Camel's hair was so soft...
Cinnamon meltaway mints? I used to buy 1/4 lb. of the assorted mint patties (pastel colored - pink, white, blue, green) and have been looking for a recipe for them ever since Brandeis (and later, Miller & Paine, which then sold them) closed. For a short time, Boomarang Burgers sold them (and advertised they had the original recipe), but they didn't last long. I, too, would soooooo appreciate any help!
ReplyDeleteWe are trying to pull together a reunion of all the Brandeis buyers and above any ideas on how we can get connect with these people. The reunion is scheduled for Sept 28th 2013. Marcia
ReplyDeleteI loved Brandeis in Omaha. I shopped there all the time. What a great store. Jenny W
ReplyDeleteThere was a discount Brandeis Store at Westgate Shopping Center,
ReplyDeleteI was once the Display Manager there for a time, along with Bakers Square, and CrossRoads. Brandies was an amazing company, I learned so much from working there with some of the most talented
people in Retail, Fashion, and Display. It's always bittersweet to read
about Brandies.
I have recently inherited a fur coat labeled "Gold and Company" Lincoln, NE and cannot seem to find any information about it online. I am interested in learning about it's value and history of the store... and also wondering how my grandmother, who resided in Georgia all her life and only traveled outside the state once to visit New York, might have acquired it. Thanks for any information.
ReplyDeleteWas there a Brandies in Fort Dodge, IA
ReplyDeleteMy father was the furniture buyer for Brandeis late thirties through 1949. I have the typed, signed contract between George Brandeis and my Dad dated 1940. His salary was $7,500 a year plus bonus's should he make certain goals. He opened his own furniture store in Missouri in 1949 and was very successful.
ReplyDeleteI work in The Brandeis Building downtown in the leasing office, as it is now condos & apartments. We collect Brandeis Memorabilia and display in the office if you have any you would like to donate.
DeleteTo the person attempting to arrange a reunion of buyers. I am not a buyer, but my father was a furniture buyer for George Brandeis. I have quite a bit of Brandeis memorabilia from the era of late 30's through the 40's. I would enjoy sharing it. I not sure how we can connect. I live in Missouri.
ReplyDeleteGeorge was my grabdpa's brother, my dad's uncle. Would love to hear about your collection!
DeleteDoes anybody have a photo of the fabulous fountain that was between the escalators at the crossroads mall?
ReplyDeleteI'm one of Brandeis line, or now a days Baer. It is still leaves me speechless seeing how touched so many still are to this day, when I was quite young when sold to Yonkers/Macy's. if a reunion on sellers is scheduled on the 28th of September, two days after my and what would have been grandmothers birthday, I would love to attend to hear more first hand stories. - thank you for allowing myself, sister and cousin the chance most never get... to get to truly know our family history.
ReplyDelete- John Alan Baer
When and where might the reunion be?
ReplyDeleteIs John Baer related to the now defunct, Stis, Baer, and Fuller Department chain of St. Louis?
ReplyDeleteI remember my grandma always had the nicest things in her home. They were gifts from her friends that worked at Brandeis. I'm curious as to what some of the brands gifts (wedding, home, xmas lines and gift items in general) I know they had those beautiful brass Beiderman ornaments, B&G and Royal Copenhagen plates and figurines too. Just wondering what some of the other brands they carried were.
ReplyDeleteTo the Furniture buyer, I have a dresser with matching head and foot boards and would love to know more about them.they are marked as follows: J.L. Brandies Store [05 HAL or WAL
ReplyDelete@Marianne - look inside a drawer, usually one of the top drawers, on the dresser for any identification or on the back of the case. Also on the back of the headboard. My dad was the furniture buyer through the forties so if the pieces were purchased in that era chances are my father bought them. Would love to see photos of your furniture.
ReplyDelete@Marianne - typo and I think it was Stix, Baer, and Fuller. Long gone as is the Famous Barr department store chain in STL.
Hi! I am working on my thesis about Omaha During WWII and was hoping to find some Brandeis advertisements from the war, specifically showing how fashion changed from the beginning of the war to the end. If you have any information, please contact me at becals9@gmail.com Thanks!
ReplyDeleteI just bought a old ruler at a sale that on 1 side read "J.L. Brandeis & Sons" and on opposite side reads "Billiken-The Wonder Shoe of the 20th Century". I wish there was a date on it. It is very interesting reading about the company.
ReplyDelete@Mr Cline I would love to send you some pic my email is mtjajkt@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteSara Cartwright - Just found the "Brandeis" mints I've been searching for for years - oliverscandies.com has the merrimint patties - including cinnamon at Christmastime. Happy eating!
ReplyDeleteWould anybody know what brand of kitchen utensils Brandeis sold? I had a pancake turner that I bought when I first got married in 1969. It lasted for almost 40 years, until the wooden handle finally split. The blade was stainless steel and it worked so well because the blade was very thin and easily slid under any type of food. I would love to find another like it.
ReplyDeleteAbout the only thing I can think of is to search the Omaha Herald on genealogybank.com. For details, you'd need a subscription, but it would save you a trip to the library where the newspapers are not searchable. Good luck finding anything sold in America today not made in China and not of a quality to match your 40-year old item. I still use my late mom's potato masher and it is at least as old as I am (55!)
ReplyDelete-Bruce
There was also a very small Brandeis store in the small town of Aurora, Nebraska. It was in the basement of someone's home. It sold only women's clothes, I believe.
ReplyDeleteWow!! Brandeis was where my mama frequently took me and my younger sister and brother for holiday dress up clothes. Riding the bus, more often than not, was a vital part of the experience. (This was before the era of 2-3 car owning households.) And, we were always excited about a trip downtown! Patent leather Stride Rite shoes, lace trimmed socks, white gloves, frilly dresses and pocketbooks for us girls and shirt, suit, tie and shoes for little bro. Also, no trip downtown was complete without lunch at Brandeis' "hamburger haven"--I can still smell the hamburgers and fries. Sometimes we'd catch a movie at the Orpheum before heading back home. Those were the days!!
ReplyDeleteI remember working at the old Woodmen of the World building in the late 50's, which was on the next block from Brandies, there was a walk way that connected the buildings where you could go from Brandies, and into J.C. Penney's without going outside in the winter. I loved Brandies especially during the Christmas holidays, with all the window trimmings! We would go back and worth that way during our lunch break and do some shopping also!
ReplyDeleteI remember going to the downtown store in the early mid 60s. The donk-donk chime sound probably the most vivid memory. That, and walking to Kilpat's.
ReplyDeleteI worked in the Fashion Shoes department at the downtown store in 1972, then worked in the Family Shoes department at Crossroads 1973-1976. I was working there the day the Tornado of '75 blew through the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteI grew up 50 miles south of Omaha. Going to Omaha to shop always started at Brandies. I loved that store! Miss the adventure of the grand old department stores.
ReplyDeleteI am confused by the picture of Gold’s in Lincoln on this page with Brandeis. I always remembered Brandeis being in Omaha. Gold’s and Miller and Paine were Lincoln Department stores 1964-1968. Did Brandeis buy Gold’s at some point?
ReplyDeleteYes, Brandeis bought Gold's. It was known as Brandeis - Gold's Division for some time, then just Brandeis.
ReplyDelete-Bruce
My Great Aunt Robina Kammerer was "Drygoods Forelady" in the 1910's and "Department Store Manager" in the 1920's at Brandeis. She went on to manage the Beauty salon purchased in 1923 by Mrs. Kamreth now known as Capitol School of Hairstyling and Esthetics.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone remember Jessie Swanson - not for sure what department she was in
ReplyDeleteAunt Jessie [died in mid late 1960's] was my Mom's sister -- Her husbands name was Hylton and he worked at the Exchange/Stock Building -- I have numerous gifts that the Brandies Store had given her [un-known why] that I would like to put some history with
jim dake --- jimdake@gmail.com
Does anyone remember the tunnel from Brandeis basement to Woolworths store
ReplyDeleteI do as I was sent to work at the new Woolworths store across the street for a couple of years in early 1960's. I went through that tunnel many times. Since I worked downtown I stayed at the Morris Hotel.
DeleteYes, I do. I sure wish there was a photo of it. It was nothing special, just a plain, lit-up, walk-way tunnel. But I thought it was cool.
ReplyDeleteTo the person whose father was a furniture buyer for Geo. Brandeis and now lives in Missouri: I worked in the buying office and wish one could turn back time - I so miss Brandeis. There has never been a dept. store quite like it since, and never can be again. I'm an avid collector of 3-D Brandeis memorabilia. I've also assembled a Brandeis scrapbook in a lg. 3-ring notebook using plastic sleeves for 2-D items from photos, shopping bags, tissue paper, news clippings, to letters, etc. Am curious what type of memorabilia it is that you have. (Coincidentally, I graduated from Stephens College in Columbia, MO). I, too, am not sure how we'd connect. I live 40 miles outside of Omaha.
ReplyDeleteLoved the stamp collecting department!
ReplyDeleteRe: the tunnel between Brandeis and Woolworths, I remember there was a small book area with racks of paperbacks and a really sweet, elderly lady ran it. I bought many a book there on my way from one store to the other.
ReplyDeleteSteve Powell, I worked at the Crossroads store when the tornado hit. I was the manager of the men's budget department. I got everyone on the bottom floor into the shelter before thee tornado passed. We were lucky and not much damaged.
ReplyDeleteNice work.
DeleteIt was autumn in the early 60s, Brandies was having a season dedicated to Paris, fashion, food, perfumes, everything and anything French. I was just beginning my art studios and becoming aware of artists that were working in Paris. Paris was a dream for me, Brandeis was a door to that dream, Brandeis was a dream to me. Hearing Brandeis or saying Brandieis, still lights me up.
ReplyDeleteBrandeis Women's Fashion Shoes, second floor ... Worked part-time as stock boy for Stanley Fisk while in high school circa 1965-66. My Mom worked part-time in jewelry department on mail level. Great memories from a bygone era.
ReplyDeleteHello! I live in The Brandeis building on 16th and Douglas and the reason I chose to was because of its rich history and the fact that I teach history!
ReplyDeleteI have been contemplating doing some research on the building and writing about it. I once worked at Miller & Paine in Lincoln back in the 1980s and my grandfather worked for Gold’s in the 1940s and early 50s. These stores were all incredible places.
I would be interested in finding out all I can about this building and the store. I can be reached at emjay64@hotmail.com.
Thank you-
Michael Powell
I have an antique toy semi truck woth Brandeis on the side. My grandfather was the distribution manager for them and he brought it home when i was a kid. I would like to sell it. What is it worth?
ReplyDeleteRemember my mother taking my siblings and myself to have a Christmas Breakfast with Santa Claus. It was around 8am on a Saturday, because we had to take a taxi cab from the Dundee area to Downtown. I really miss those days and my Mother did work there part time. Can't remember what department she worked for, however she was very happy. She passed away this year in March 2021 at the age of 87 and this brought back magical memories.
ReplyDeleteI worked at the new F W Woolworths across the street from Brandies in Omaha early 1960's. I would buy my clothes at Brandies and enter Brandies from the basement as it was connected to Woolworths under the street. As I would be working downtown I lived at the Morris Hotel within walking distance. Downtown had everything I needed as a young man. I was sent there from Des Moines and was in Omaha about 2 years before going to Davenport Iowa. Lots of good memories from living in Omaha.
ReplyDeleteAnyone remember the animals downstairs big enough to crawl into as a child? Elephant, hippo, camel, Maybe giraffe? Play area in basement of Omaha store, maybe Westroads?
ReplyDeleteI've been transcribing old letters my father wrote to my mother from 1963. He was attending the University of Omaha as a "Bootstrapper" - a military officer working on a degree. He tells of getting a part time job at Brandeis to earn a bit of walking money since he and Mom had seven children back at home, Ft. Bragg, NC. He was excited be earning $1.25 an hour! He had high hopes of earning $20-$40 a week to pay off his living expenses.
ReplyDeleteBarbara Tallon Williams
In 1964 there was a Brandeis Town & Country store in Ames Plaza, 58th & Ames, Omaha. It's not listed in their locations above. I have a picture if anyone is interested.
ReplyDelete