Bamberger’s Hat Shop

Jacob Bamberger opened his hat shop, The Avenue Store, in Sandusky in 1914 at 162 Columbus Avenue.  The Avenue Store had a big hat sale to celebrate its fifth anniversary in 1919.

You can see a portion of Bamberger's  Avenue Store in the picture below, taken in 1925. Eventually the name of the store became simply, Bamberger’s.

             

Jacob Bamberger was born in Germany in 1888, and he came to the United States in 1909. He and Alice Dreifuss were married in 1921. While on their honeymoon in Washington D.C., Mr. and Mrs. Bamberger were the guests of Congressman James T. Begg.  In 1934, the Bamberger store moved to West Market Street in the Hotel Rieger building. In the 1947 Twin Anniversary Edition of the Sandusky Register Star News, Mr. and Mrs. Bamberger  ran this advertisement.

Mrs. Alice Bamberger passed away in 1963. Jacob Bamberger operated the hat shop until the late 1960s. He died on February 22, 1972. Both Mr. and Mrs. Bamberger were members of the Oheb Shalom Temple, and were buried in the Jewish Cemetery on South Columbus Avenue. This lovely hat, once worn as an Easter bonnet, is now in the collections of the Follett House Museum. The hat was purchased at Bamberger’s store in the 1950s or 1960s.

Christmas Gifts for the 1915 Holiday Season in Sandusky

By browsing through historical issues of the Sandusky Register, we can determine some of the popular gifts that were advertised to area residents in 1915. Mr. Bamberger carried winter scarves and hats at The Avenue Store on Columbus Avenue.

C.V. Baumgardner advertised pianos, while J.H. carried a wide variety of “talking machines.”

The Manhattan store sold suits, overcoats, and other men’s clothing.

Scheurer’s advertisement pictured toys, so that children could look at the newspaper and select a gift.

The Herb and Myers suggested that local residents purchase the unexpected gift of furniture as a Christmas present.

According to the December 17, 1915 issue of the Sandusky Register, many local stores planned to close by 6:00 p.m. on December 24, to allow the employees time off to spend with their families for the holiday. Several organizations proposed the early store closings, including the Business Girls Association, officers of the Trades and Labor Assembly, and every clergyman in the immediate area.