Brown's Department Store

Brown's Department Store was a chain of department stores in the United States, based in Dania Beach, Florida.[1][2]

Brown's Department Store
IndustryRetail Department store
Founded1912
FounderLouis Brown
FateDefunct
HeadquartersFlorida, ,
U.S.

The store's founder, Louis Brown was born in Grodno, Russia in 1886, Louis Brown immigrated to the United States in 1907 and went to work for an uncle in Chicago. From 1909-1910, Louis lived in Jacksonville, Florida working for Charles Blum and Company, a wholesale and retail liquor dealer. In 1910, he headed off to Miami with $250 (~$8,175 in 2023) in his pocket. While at the train stop in Dania Beach, Louis decided to get off because he thought his money would go further there. He started tomato farming before opening a department store in 1912. His first store was located on Main Street, which is now known as Federal Highway or U.S.-1.[3] Louis is thought to be the first known Jewish settler in Broward County. In 1915, he married Sarah Sokolow of New York. Sarah's brother, David, joined them in Dania Beach and partnered with Louis to open additional stores in Hollywood (1925) and Pompano Beach (1927).[4][5]<[6]

References edit

  1. ^ "A history of Dania". Florida Center for Library Automation: 12. Retrieved 2 June 2015. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ^ "Welcome - Jewish Museum of Florida - FIU".
  3. ^ Cavaioli, Frank J. (2007). Pompano Beach: A History. The History Press. ISBN 9781596292802.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "Jewish Genealogical Society of Broward County, Inc. - Local History". jgsbc.org. Retrieved 2015-05-31.
  5. ^ Greenbaum, Andrea (2005). Jews of South Florida. Brandeis University Press. ISBN 9781584653097.
  6. ^ Norwood, Stephen Harlan (2008). Encyclopedia of American Jewish History. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9781851096381.