Store Profiles: Kaufmann's

Kaufmann's was founded in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1871. Although the original Kaufmann's store was located on Pittsburgh's south side, the company's 13-story, 775,000 sq. ft. flagship store on Smithfield Street opened in 1885. The store was elegantly renovated in 1930, and in 1946, Kaufmann's merged with the May Company.

Over the years, Kaufmann's took over many retail chains, including Youngstown, OH-based Strouss in 1986 (along with several Pittsburgh area Gimbel's locations that same year), Rochester, NY-based Sibley's in 1991, Cleveland, OH-based May Company Ohio in 1992, along with portions of Rochester, NY-based McCurdy's and Allentown, PA-based Hess's in 1995.

With cost cutting a key element in the final years of May Department Stores, Kaufmann's headquarters in Pittsburgh were shuttered in 2002, as operations were consolidated with Filene's in Boston.

Kaufmann's: 1871 to September 9, 2006 at 9:30am EST