Local historian Joshua Fink will present a program on the history of Allentown’s flagship Department Store, Hess Brothers, at the February meeting of the Goschenhoppen Historians.
People throughout the Upper Perkiomen Valley, the Goschenhoppen region, grew up with Hess Brothers as our “Big City” department store. Well known for its fashion apparel, Hess Brothers regularly introduced the newest European styles with annual fashion shows that were invariably covered by the major east coast newspapers. As children, the giant-sized toy soldiers included in the annual Christmas decorations fascinated us.
Charles and Max Hess opened their first dry goods store in Allentown in 1897. The business was immediately successful and by 1901 had expanded to more than twice its original size and in 1913 acquired the neighboring properties, allowing expansion to almost the entire city block at Ninth and Hamilton streets. Modernized in 1947 the store eventually came to occupy five floors with more than 9 acres of retail space. Max Hess Sr. died in 1922 and Charles continued to head the business until 1932, when the reins were passed over to Max Hess Jr., who continued in that role until 1968 when Hess Brothers was sold to Philip Berman and the store name was officially changed to Hess’s. It was Max Jr. who, as a master retailer, took Hess Brothers to the magnificent enterprise that we remember with fondness.
Mr. Fink, as the Senior Museum Educator for the Lehigh County Historical Society, and Treasurer and Periodical Editor of the Lutheran Society of Eastern Pennsylvania, is no stranger to museums and historical research. His family was intimately entwined with the Hess’s for several generations, and he will relate familial stories about Max Hess Jr., the person he likes to call the “P. T. Barnum of the American Department Store.” Utilizing photographs and memorabilia, Mr. Fink will trace the history of the world famous store from its early days through the glory years of Max Hess Jr., the merchant prince, to the declining years of what became a department store chain, and closing of the landmark Allentown store in 1996.
The meeting will be held at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 19, at the Goschenhoppen Historians’ headquarters in Red Men’s Hall, 116 Gravel Pike (Route 29), Green Lane. As always, there is no entry fee and the public is welcome. Refreshments will be served during an informal get-together at the close of the meeting. More information can be obtained at 215-234-8953 or on the Historians’ website: www.goschenhoppen.org.