Bernard Gimbel

Bernard F. Gimbel (1885–1966) was an American businessman and president of the Gimbels department store.[1]

Bernard Gimbel
Born
Bernard F. Gimbel

1885
Died1966 (aged 80–81)
NationalityAmerican
EducationB.A. University of Pennsylvania
Spouse(s)Alva Bernheimer
ChildrenBruce Alva Gimbel
Peter Gimbel
David Alva Gimbel
Hope Gimbel Solinger
Caral Gimbel Greenberg
Parent(s)Rachel Feustman Gimbel
Isaac Gimbel
FamilyAdam Gimbel (grandfather)
Hank Greenberg (son-in-law)
Edward Lasker (son-in-law)
Lynn Stern (granddaughter)
Glenn H. Greenberg (grandson)

Biography

Gimbel was born to a Jewish family, the son of Rachel (née Feustman) and Isaac Gimbel.[2][3] His grandfather was Adam Gimbel, founder of the Gimbels chain of department stores.[2][4] In 1907, he graduated from the University of Pennsylvania.[2] He started as a shipping clerk for his family's company and worked his way up to vice president in 1909.[2]

In 1910, Gimbel convinced his family to open a department store in New York City at the cost of $17 million ($425 million in 2013 dollars).[2] In 1922, he convinced his family to list Gimbels on the New York Stock Exchange although with the family maintaining a controlling interest.[2] In 1923, Gimbels purchased a controlling interest in Saks Fifth Avenue for $8 million from Horace Saks, son of Andrew Saks,[2] using the money from the Gimbel's stock issuance.[5] Also in 1923, Gimbels purchased the Kaufmann & Baer store in Pittsburgh (Kaufmann & Baer was founded by the cousins of the Kaufmann's department store also in Pittsburgh).[2] In 1924, he brought the Gimbels Thanksgiving Day Parade (which his family had sponsored in Philadelphia since 1920) to New York City.[2] After Horace Saks died in 1926, he appointed his cousin Adam Long Gimbel (son of his uncle, Charles Gimbel; and husband of Sophie Gimbel).[5]

In 1926, Gimbel took over the company after his father was partially paralyzed after being thrown from a horse.[2] While president, he targeted his rival Macy's which was featured in the movie Miracle on 34th Street and in Elf[2] and expanded the Saks brand nationally.[2] In 1930, the company operated 20 stores with $123 million in sales ($1.7 billion in 2013 dollars), the largest department store chain in the world. Prior to World War II, Gimbel stocked up on consumer products he felt would be scarce if a war were to erupt, which paid off handsomely later.[2] In 1953, Gimbel retired handing control to his son Bruce Alva Gimbel; at the time, Gimbel's had $300 million in sales.[2]

Gimbels later was purchased by the Batus Retail Group and then the brand was retired in 1986.[2]

Personal life

In 1912, Gimbel married 18 year old Alva Bernheimer; they had five children: Bruce Alva Gimbel; twins Peter Gimbel and David Gimbel; and twins Hope Gimbel and Caral Gimbel.[6] His daughter Hope was married and divorced from art collector David M. Solinger[7][8] (their daughter, Lynn Stern, a photographer would marry architect Robert A. M. Stern). His daughter Caral was married and divorced from Edward Lasker, son of Albert Lasker; and baseball superstar Hank Greenberg before settling down with World War II hero Joseph M. Lebworth.[9][10][11] His son David Alva died of cancer at the age of 29.[12][13]

Gimbel died in 1966.[2] Services were held at Temple Emanu-El in Manhattan.[14]

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References
  1. "Bernard F. Gimbel - Gimbel Brothers Department Stores 1925–1953". Harvard Business School. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  2. Smith, Scott S. (November 27, 2013). "Bernard Gimbel, A Force Behind Thanksgiving Parade". Investor's Business Daily.
  3. Harris, Leon. Merchant Prince: An Intimate History of Jewish Families Who Built Great Department Stores. pp. 69–90.
  4. "Isaac Gimbel Dies at 74 -Founder of Big Store Here". The Wisconsin Jewish Chronicle. April 17, 1931.
  5. Harris, p. 79
  6. "How to Make Millions - Nobody But Nobody Knows How to do the Two Better than the Boss of plain Old Gimbels". Life. December 12, 1949.
  7. "Deaths Lebworth, Caral Gimbel". The New York Times. September 30, 2008.
  8. Vogel, Carol (October 30, 1996). "David Solinger, 90, Art Collector And Whitney Museum President". The New York Times.
  9. Wadler, Joyce (May 15, 2002). "PUBLIC LIVES; Being Rich Is Grand; Getting Old Is Getting Old". The New York Times.
  10. "Deaths Lebworth, M. Joseph". The New York Times. May 22, 2008.
  11. Snodgrass, Mary Ellen (2014). World Clothing and Fashion: An Encyclopedia of History, Culture, and Social Influence. Routledge. pp. 273–275. ISBN 9781315698045.
  12. "David Alva Gimbel Dies of Cancer at 29; Son of Store Head Was Investment Aide". The New York Times. July 8, 1957.
  13. "Lesley Bush‐Brown Is Married On L.I. to Thomas S.T. Gimbel". The New York Times. October 7, 1979.
  14. "Bernard F. Gimbel Dies, Aged 81; Rites at Temple Emanuel Sunday". Jewish Telegraph Agency. September 30, 1966.
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