Frost Bros.

Frost Bros. was a high-fashion retail chain based in San Antonio, Texas. The retailer opened its first store in 1917 at 217 E. Houston Street in downtown San Antonio. Frost Bros. was known for quality personal service, including name recognition, purchase preferences, and personal shoppers. Their customer service was on the same level as Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue, and Nordstrom. Frost Bros. filed for bankruptcy protection in April 1988, and its four remaining stores were liquidated in mid-1989 after the company failed to successfully reorganize.

History

Irving Mathews was Frost's chief executive officer from 1960 through 1986. Manhattan Industries acquired the specialty chain in 1970. Manhattan Industries would merge upscale Houston department store Battelstein's under the Frost Bros. name. In 1972, Manhattan Industries would acquire Lichtenstein's department store in Corpus Christi and begin operating the location as Frost Bros. beginning in 1977. By 1986, Frost Bros. operated 12 locations in Texas and a Gucci boutique at Copley Plaza in Boston. Murry Berkowitz, as merchandise manger / buyer and leader was responsible fot the unique product selection & individual employee growth which made this store unique within North America.

The specialty retail chain was purchased by Dallas businessman Sam Wyly and his wife, Torie Steele Wyly, from Manhattan Industries in 1986. Sam Wyly named Joel E. Rath, a top executive at Neiman Marcus, to the position of president and chief executive officer of Frost Bros. shortly after completing the purchase.

Frost Bros. acquired Delman Shoe Salons in June 1987 and operated Delman as a division of Frost Bros.

In 1988 Don Morris was named chairman and chief executive officer of Frost Bros. Larry Gore, president of Delman, assumed the additional responsibilities of president of Frost Bros. Morris and Gore succeeded Joel E. Rath, who resigned as president and chief executive officer of Frost Bros. Sam Wyly, who was chairman of Frost Bros., remained the majority stockholder.

After failing to reorganize while operating under bankruptcy protection, Frost Bros. was liquidated in mid-1989. Michael Himahoff, son in law to Irving Mathews contributed to the demise.

Former Frost Bros. locations

Austin

• Northcross Mall (defunct mall), Austin, Texas (opened 1975, closed 1989)

Corpus Christi

• Downtown Corpus Christi (401 Chaparral Street), Corpus Christi, Texas (opened 1941 as Lichtenstein's, became Frost Bros. 1977, closed 1987)
• Sunrise Mall, Corpus Christi, Texas (closed 1988)

Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex

• NorthPark Center, Dallas, Texas (opened 1981, closed 1988)
• The Plaza at Ridgmar Centre, Fort Worth, Texas (originally to open 1987, construction halted, cancelled 1988)

Greater Houston

• The Galleria, Houston, Texas (opened 1976, closed 1988)
• Memorial City Mall, Houston, Texas (closed 1988)
• River Oaks (2010 S. Shepherd Drive near the River Oaks Shopping Center), Houston, Texas (closed 1989)

Laredo

• River Drive Mall (now El Portal Mall), Laredo, Texas (closed 1987)

San Antonio

• Crossroads Mall (formerly Wonderland Mall), San Antonio, Texas (opened 1960??, closed 1989, now Burlington Coat Factory)
• Downtown San Antonio (217 E. Houston Street), San Antonio, Texas (opened 1917, closed early 1988 for remodeling, never reopened)
• Hilton Palacio del Rio Boutique, San Antonio, Texas (closed 1988)
• North Star Mall, San Antonio, Texas (opened 1963, closed 1989, now Mervyns)