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{{Short description|American businessman}}
{{One source|date=October 2024}}
{{Infobox person
{{Infobox person
| name = Fred Lazarus Jr.
| name = Fred Lazarus Jr.
| birth_name = Fred R. Lazarus Jr.
| birth_name = Fred R. Lazarus Jr.
| birth_date = {{birth date|1884|10|29}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1884|10|29}}
| birth_place = [[Columbus, Ohio]], U.S.
| birth_place = [[Columbus, Ohio]], U.S.
| death_date = {{death date and age|1973|5|27|1884|10|29}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1973|5|27|1884|10|29}}
| death_place = [[Cincinnati, Ohio]], U.S.
| death_place = [[Cincinnati, Ohio]], U.S.
| known_for = Founder of [[Federated Department Stores]]
| known_for = Founder of [[Federated Department Stores]]
| occupation = Store worker<br>businessman
| occupation = Store worker<br>businessman
| alma_mater = [[Ohio State University]]
| alma_mater =
| relatives = [[Simon Lazarus]] (grandfather)<br>Simon Lazarus, Sr. (brother)<br>Robert Lazarus, Sr. (brother)<br>Jeffrey Lazarus, Sr. (brother)<br>Ralph Lazarus (uncle)
| relatives = [[Simon Lazarus]] (grandfather)<br>Simon Lazarus, Sr. (brother)<br>Robert Lazarus, Sr. (brother)<br>Jeffrey Lazarus, Sr. (brother)<br>Ralph Lazarus (uncle)
| parents = Rose Eichberg Lazarus<br> Fred Lazarus, Sr.
| parents = Rose Eichberg Lazarus<br> Fred Lazarus, Sr.
| spouse = Meta Marx (until her death)<br> Celia Kahn Rosenthal
| spouse = Meta Marx (until her death)<br> Celia Kahn Rosenthal
| children = ''with Marx:''<br> --[[Fred Lazarus III]]<br> --Ralph Lazarus<br> --[[Maurice Lazarus]]<br> --Ann Lazarus
| children = 4 including [[Maurice Lazarus]]
| ethnicity = Jewish
| citizenship =
| citizenship = United States
}}
}}
'''Fred R. Lazarus Jr.''' (October 29, 1884 – May 27, 1973) was an American founder of [[Federated Department Stores]], which became [[Macy's, Inc]].
'''Fred R. Lazarus Jr.''' (October 29, 1884 – May 27, 1973) was an American founder of [[Federated Department Stores]], which became [[Macy's, Inc]].


==Early life==
==Early life==
Fred Lazarus Jr. was born to a [[American Jews|Jewish]] family on October 29, 1884, the son of Rose (née Eichberg) and Fred Lazarus.<ref name=WhosWhoFredJr>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KM-7AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA760&lpg=PA760&dq=Nancy+Stix#v=onepage&q=Nancy%20Stix&f=false|first=Israel|last=Shamir|authorlink=|title=Who's who in Commerce and Industry, Volume 14|pages=760 |publisher=|date=|ISBN=}}</ref> He was the second of four brothers, Simon Sr. (August 19, 1882 – December 21, 1947), Robert Sr. (September 20, 1890 – February 4, 1973), and Jeffrey Sr. (June 20, 1894 – 1975). He grew up working in his family's store, [[Lazarus-Macy's|F. & R. Lazarus]], founded by his grandfather [[Simon Lazarus]], an immigrant retailer. He briefly attended the [[Ohio State University]], but dropped out at the age of 18 to work full-time in the store.
Fred Lazarus Jr. was born to a [[American Jews|Jewish]] family on October 29, 1884, the son of Rose (née Eichberg) and Fred Lazarus.<ref name=WhosWhoFredJr>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KM-7AAAAIAAJ&dq=Nancy+Stix&pg=PA760|first=Israel|last=Shamir|title=Who's who in Commerce and Industry, Volume 14|year=1965|pages=760 }}</ref> He was the second of four brothers, Simon Sr. (August 19, 1882 – December 21, 1947), Robert Sr. (September 20, 1890 – February 4, 1973), and Jeffrey Sr. (June 20, 1894 – 1975). He grew up working in his family's store, [[Lazarus-Macy's|F. & R. Lazarus]], founded by his grandfather [[Simon Lazarus]], an immigrant retailer. He briefly attended [[Ohio State University]], but dropped out at the age of 18 to work full-time in the store.


==Businessman career==
==Businessman career==
He began expanding the business soon afterward; under his leadership, federated eventually became the largest department store company in the [[United States]]. In 1928, the company purchased The [[John Shillito Company]] department store in Cincinnati. In the summer of 1929, months before the [[Wall Street Crash of 1929]], F. & R. Lazarus merged with [[Abraham & Straus]] of [[Brooklyn]], [[Filene's]] of [[Boston]] and [[Bloomingdale's]] of [[New York City|New York]] to become Federated Department Stores, of which "Mr. Fred" was the chairman. Lazarus himself exerted enormous financial, social, and political clout; he is credited with convincing President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] in 1939 to move [[Thanksgiving]] a week earlier, to the fourth Thursday in November instead of the last Thursday in November, in order to make the [[Christmas shopping season]] longer in those years on which November had 5 Thursdays.
In 1928, the company purchased The [[John Shillito Company]] department store in Cincinnati. In the summer of 1929, months before the [[Wall Street Crash of 1929]], Lazarus met with Walter N. Rothschild from [[Abraham & Straus]] of [[Brooklyn]] and [[Edward Filene]] from [[Filene's]] of [[Boston]] on Rothschild's yacht in Long Island Sound. The three businessmen agreed to merge their stores and form Federated Department Stores, of which "Mr. Fred" was the chairman. [[Bloomingdale's]] of [[New York City|New York]] joined in 1930. Under his leadership, Federated eventually became the largest department store company in the [[United States]].

Lazarus himself exerted enormous financial, social, and political clout; he is credited with convincing President [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] in 1939 to move [[Thanksgiving]] a week earlier, to the fourth Thursday in November instead of the last Thursday in November, in order to make the [[Christmas shopping season]] longer in those years on which November had 5 Thursdays.


The Lazarus family pioneered many shopping firsts such as the concept of "one low price" (in which no [[bargaining]] was required); theirs was also the first department store with [[escalator]]s and the first [[air conditioned]] store in the country.
The Lazarus family pioneered many shopping firsts such as the concept of "one low price" (in which no [[bargaining]] was required); theirs was also the first department store with [[escalator]]s and the first [[air conditioned]] store in the country.


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
Lazarus married twice. In 1911, he married Meta Marx; she died in 1932.<ref name=WhosWhoFredJr /> They had 4 children: [[Fred Lazarus III]], Ralph Lazarus, [[Maurice Lazarus]], and Ann Lazarus.<ref name=WhosWhoFredJr /> In 1935, he married Celia Kahn Rosenthal.<ref name=WhosWhoFredJr />
Lazarus married twice. In 1911, he married Meta Marx; she died in 1932.<ref name=WhosWhoFredJr /> They had 4 children, including [[Maurice Lazarus]].<ref name=WhosWhoFredJr /> In 1935, he married Celia Kahn Rosenthal.<ref name=WhosWhoFredJr />


Fred Lazarus Jr. is interred in the Lazarus Family Mausoleum in [[Greenlawn Cemetery, Columbus, Ohio]].
Fred Lazarus Jr. is interred in the Lazarus Family Mausoleum in [[Greenlawn Cemetery, Columbus, Ohio]].
Line 35: Line 38:


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.fds.com/pressroom/about/his_2.asp Federated Department Stores Chronology]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20051015045144/http://www.fds.com/pressroom/about/his_2.asp Federated Department Stores Chronology]
*{{cite news|url=http://www.cincypost.com/living/1999/laza122099.html|title=Lazaruses left lasting mark on city|first=Barry M|last=Horstman|work=[[The Cincinnati Post]]|publisher=[[E. W. Scripps Company]]|date=1999-12-20|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20051203133327/http://www.cincypost.com/living/1999/laza122099.html|archivedate=2005-12-03}} Mentions Thanksgiving story.
*{{cite news|url=http://www.cincypost.com/living/1999/laza122099.html|title=Lazaruses left lasting mark on city|first=Barry M|last=Horstman|work=[[The Cincinnati Post]]|publisher=[[E. W. Scripps Company]]|date=1999-12-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051203133327/http://www.cincypost.com/living/1999/laza122099.html|archive-date=2005-12-03}} Mentions Thanksgiving story.
*{{findagrave|84523507}}
*{{find a Grave|84523507}}


{{MacysInc}}
{{MacysInc}}


{{Authority control}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Lazarus, Fred}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lazarus, Fred}}
[[Category:1884 births]]
[[Category:1884 births]]
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[[Category:American Jews]]
[[Category:American Jews]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Columbus, Ohio]]
[[Category:Businesspeople from Columbus, Ohio]]
[[Category:Ohio State University alumni|Lazarus, Fred Jr.]]
[[Category:American retail chief executives]]
[[Category:Retailers]]
[[Category:20th-century American businesspeople]]

[[Category:Retailing]]


{{US-business-bio-1880s-stub}}
{{US-business-bio-1880s-stub}}

Latest revision as of 02:59, 22 October 2024

Fred Lazarus Jr.
Born
Fred R. Lazarus Jr.

(1884-10-29)October 29, 1884
Columbus, Ohio, U.S.
DiedMay 27, 1973(1973-05-27) (aged 88)
Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Occupation(s)Store worker
businessman
Known forFounder of Federated Department Stores
Spouse(s)Meta Marx (until her death)
Celia Kahn Rosenthal
Children4 including Maurice Lazarus
Parent(s)Rose Eichberg Lazarus
Fred Lazarus, Sr.
RelativesSimon Lazarus (grandfather)
Simon Lazarus, Sr. (brother)
Robert Lazarus, Sr. (brother)
Jeffrey Lazarus, Sr. (brother)
Ralph Lazarus (uncle)

Fred R. Lazarus Jr. (October 29, 1884 – May 27, 1973) was an American founder of Federated Department Stores, which became Macy's, Inc.

Early life

[edit]

Fred Lazarus Jr. was born to a Jewish family on October 29, 1884, the son of Rose (née Eichberg) and Fred Lazarus.[1] He was the second of four brothers, Simon Sr. (August 19, 1882 – December 21, 1947), Robert Sr. (September 20, 1890 – February 4, 1973), and Jeffrey Sr. (June 20, 1894 – 1975). He grew up working in his family's store, F. & R. Lazarus, founded by his grandfather Simon Lazarus, an immigrant retailer. He briefly attended Ohio State University, but dropped out at the age of 18 to work full-time in the store.

Businessman career

[edit]

In 1928, the company purchased The John Shillito Company department store in Cincinnati. In the summer of 1929, months before the Wall Street Crash of 1929, Lazarus met with Walter N. Rothschild from Abraham & Straus of Brooklyn and Edward Filene from Filene's of Boston on Rothschild's yacht in Long Island Sound. The three businessmen agreed to merge their stores and form Federated Department Stores, of which "Mr. Fred" was the chairman. Bloomingdale's of New York joined in 1930. Under his leadership, Federated eventually became the largest department store company in the United States.

Lazarus himself exerted enormous financial, social, and political clout; he is credited with convincing President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939 to move Thanksgiving a week earlier, to the fourth Thursday in November instead of the last Thursday in November, in order to make the Christmas shopping season longer in those years on which November had 5 Thursdays.

The Lazarus family pioneered many shopping firsts such as the concept of "one low price" (in which no bargaining was required); theirs was also the first department store with escalators and the first air conditioned store in the country.

Personal life

[edit]

Lazarus married twice. In 1911, he married Meta Marx; she died in 1932.[1] They had 4 children, including Maurice Lazarus.[1] In 1935, he married Celia Kahn Rosenthal.[1]

Fred Lazarus Jr. is interred in the Lazarus Family Mausoleum in Greenlawn Cemetery, Columbus, Ohio.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Shamir, Israel (1965). Who's who in Commerce and Industry, Volume 14. p. 760.
[edit]


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