When I wrote the second article, Howard Clothes Tribute: Epilogue in January 2016, I thought I was done. Yet, this is still a topic of discussion in my family and clearly resonates with others, given the ongoing comments. As the sole surviving child of Samuel and Minnie Kappel, Elaine Winik provided a great deal of insight for the second article, as did her book Still Looking Forward, published in 1996. Elaine, who sadly passed away in September 2017, was a pillar of the Jewish community with a deep passion for and commitment to Israel. This article is dedicated to Elaine, her family, and all the relatives of the owners.
In the last four years, I uncovered additional images and intriguing facts about Howard Clothes worthy of this final third article. The image below was being sold on eBay and I shared it with Elaine’s family members on Facebook. Unfortunately, nobody recognized anybody in the photo. Given the caption, I’m guessing this was a gathering for employees of one of the Brooklyn stores, rather than the factory.
Summer employee picnic, Howard Clothes – July 19, 1941
The second photo is an undated Magic Lantern slide being sold on eBay. The back of the slide reads: A section of the Hand Sewing Department where the careful tailoring of our most skillful tailors is reflected in the fit and finish of Howard Clothes. It’s not a great photo technically, but it certainly has historic importance. I’m guessing it was taken in the 1940s or 1950s, given the media it was created on.
Howard Clothing Factory Brooklyn
A Chicago Tribune article dated June 2, 1936 revealed that Howard Clothes made its first foray into the Midwest market with a store at the northwest corner of State and Quincy Streets in the Consumers Building at 220 South State Street. I found this great photo online depicting the State Street store.
Howard Clothes, State Street Chicago
Newspaper Articles in The New York Times
Howard Clothes was mentioned in The New York Times with some frequency. An interesting article dated December 19, 1941 confirms my thoughts about the somewhat blurry photo below. The seller thought it might be in Cincinnati and dated it 1930 to 1939. It’s clearly in Midtown Manhattan and The New York Times article proves the photo was taken prior to the store moving to 48th Street and Broadway in December 1941. From a historic standpoint, the 48th Street store’s grand opening was 11 days after the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, and of course, just 10 days after the U.S. formally entered World War II.
Howard Clothes Store, Broadway and 48th Street
Howard Clothes Takes 18,000 Sq. Feet at 48th Street
Father Knickerbocker in full colonial costume was on hand bright and early yesterday morning as customers began to arrive at the new men’s and boys’ retail store opened by Howard Clothes at 1600 Broadway, at the northeast corner of 48th Street. The store runs through to Seventh Avenue. The combined floor space of the two floors is 18,000 square feet.
Archie L. Root, an employee at its former store, located at Broadway and 50th Street, appeared as Father Knickerbocker, and will continue in this capacity for the balance of the week. He will return to his regular post of doorman next week.
Samuel Sennet, general manager of the company, which has 38 stores, with 25 in the metropolitan area, reported that the public response had been favorable during the day and until closing hour last night at 10 o’clock. He said that many floral tributes had been sent by competitors and associates in the field, as well as by employee groups in other branch stores.
The raw store has a modern exterior of black granite, with large columns of red granite supporting the entrance on Broadway. A wide staircase near the entrance leads to the upper floor. Albert M. Keller, manager of the former store at Broadway and 50th Street will manage the new store. C. Charles is assistant manager.
Howard Clothes was a sponsor of New York Giants baseball games and later the Yankees. The former started in NYC in 1885 as the New York Gothams, changed their name two years later and remained in NYC until they relocated to San Francisco following the 1957 season. During most of their 75 seasons in NYC, the Giants played home games at various incarnations of the Polo Grounds in Upper Manhattan.
Howard Clothes NY Giants Baseball Schedule
The Infamous NYC Blackout and Howard Clothes
The NYC blackout affected most of New York City on July 13–14, 1977. Looting and vandalism hit 31 neighborhoods, with 75 stores on a five-block stretch in the Crown Heights neighborhood of Brooklyn suffering losses. At one point, two blocks of Broadway separating Bushwick from Bedford-Stuyvesant were on fire due to arson. Thirty-five blocks of Broadway were destroyed, 134 stores looted, and 45 of these were set ablaze.
The following year, Howard Stores Corporation filed a lawsuit alleging that Con Ed failed to notify police during the 30 to 45 minutes before the power failure that a blackout was likely to occur and was negligent in other areas. The chain, which operated 27 stores under the names Ripley’s Clothes and Howard Clothes in 1978, sought triple damages on $2.2 million in losses to six of its stores in Brooklyn, Manhattan, and the Bronx, and $100 million in losses suffered by other merchants. According to Con Ed, this was just one of 130 lawsuits related to the blackout – and as of July 14, 1978, the utility company hadn’t paid a penny in restitution. In June 1982, a State Supreme Court justice ruled that ”gross negligence” on the part of Con Ed caused the 1977 blackout in NYC and that a trial must be held to determine what damages may be owed to the city.
The Goldstein Family
Thank you to Don Goldstein for sharing details about his family’s close ties to Howard Clothes. Don’s grandfather Abe Goldstein was one of the founders of the Amalgamated Clothing Workers. He started working at Howard Clothes some time in the 1930s. He became the shop steward, and therefore was responsible along with management for ensuring relative labor peace. Subsequently, his uncles Joe Jetter and Norman Golden worked in the factory as did his grandmother Shirley Rubin. His father Murray Goldstein started as a shipping clerk before the war and after the war was a fitter. He then rose up through the union as a dues clerk, business agent, assistant manager of the New York Joint Board and finally as co-manager and a vice president of the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union. Don’s brother worked one summer during college at the Howard Clothes Corporate Office. And Don worked one night a week and on Saturdays as a stock boy at the Howard Clothes store on Fulton Street in downtown Brooklyn. The week that Murray Goldstein died in 1998 was the same week that the huge Howard Clothes sign on the roof of the building was finally taken down.
The below photos picture Murray Goldstein, about 23-years-old, circa 1938 at the Howard Clothes factory, from The Book of the Amalgamated in New York 1914-1940. And with Mayor Abe Beame, about 1975. (Photos courtesy Don Goldstein)
It’s a testimony to quality that so many Howard Clothes suits, blazers, and other fine pieces of attire are still being sold in the secondary market today. They were clearly tailored with a great deal of love and care – who knows, perhaps a piece of clothing my grandfather helped create still exists today!
Photo and information sources: eBay, Etsy, Reddit, TimesMachine (The New York Times archive)
Thanks for keeping this history alive. I’m the great grandson of Samuel Kappel, grandson of Elaine Winik.
Just a wonderful read. FWIW…my family were Wallach’s, Broadstreet’s and John David shoppers.
I’m the little Howard’s label and I’m proud as proud can be to be sewed in every garment at the Howard’s factory…that’s the jingle I remember from my early days in the Bronx NY. Back in the early 50’s.
Rich man, poor man, and Indian Chief will surely all agree – that Howard’s Clothes are low in price and high in quality. (That’s the 2nd half of the jingle. My Dad taught me the full jingle many years ago. Catchy little tune!)
❤️❤️
I grew up during those wonderful years. My parents were regular customers, having two sons as teenagers, and my Dad always wore a suit and tie on his day off. I have such good memories of those years. Sometimes, things don’t change for the better.
My first job was as a stock boy at the Ripley Clothing store on Delancey Street in 1968. I was 14 years old – what a thrill that was. The tailor’s name was Vito and the manager was Mr. Krieger.
I worked at Howard Clothes on Weybosset Street in Providence, RI right out of high school from 1956 until 1958 in the credit office. I remember the alterations were done in the basement of the store and most of the personnel doing the work were of Italian decent. The store manager was Peter Mitchell and the credit manager was Mary Dee (DePasquale). I was making a big wage of $1.00/hr.
Howard shopper in the ‘60’s, their jingle is an unstoppable earworm! Curious about choice of “Ripley” for other stores. Possibly inspired by the novels? If so, kind of clever – a way to dress “above your station”, look like somebody you’re not!
Jospeph Oxer — my father-in-law’s father — worked as a finisher at Howard Clothes in the 1920s, ’30’s and 40s. I wonder if he’s in any of the photos included here? I’ll have my father-in-law look and see.
A specific question: Was Howard Clothes a unionized company? I heard my grandfather might have been a union steward, but I don’t know if the employees had a union.
There is a good chance that Howard Clothes was part of Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America. This repository includes three boxes with Howard Clothes/Samuel Kappel records. http://rmc.library.cornell.edu/EAD/htmldocs/KCL05619.html
Thank you!!
— Matt
Wasn’t there a Howard’s Clothing store on Market St. In Philadelphia in the 50’s and 60’s? I was 12 in 1960, and my first suit came from there.
There were Howard Clothes stores all over the East Coast and Midwest, so yes, there were probably several in Philly.
I have been using a wooden hanger in my closet for many years. Just a bit ago I read what was on the hanger. Still visible “Howard Clothes From Maker to Wearer – Stores in Principal Cities”
I’m indeed sure the hanger came from my father’s closet. Born in 1921 and a New Yorker till 1965… I have one cream colored white suit jacket with the label in it… it’s my James Bond Jacket.
Thank you for allowing me all this history here in this one post! I am THE person who greatly appreciates it. History will never be lost on me!
My grandmother Josephine Palma is in the group photo. She worked in the Brooklyn location for 15 years. She was a seamstress. I would love to have a copy of the photo. I wish there were advertisements that I could frame next to it. I just happened to do a search after I found out she worked there and stumbled upon your article today ~ Christmas Day!!! What a gift!
My first full time job after HS 1970 was at Howard Clothes. Funny, almost everyone smoked cigarettes in the store at the counter.
Howard Clothes
605 Washington Street
Boston, MA
Larry Fredricks: GM
Pat Fabrizio: AGM
Alan Swartz: Sales extraordinaire
Ben Levine: Shirts, ties
My grandfather worked at Howard Clothes at 100 Delancey Street in NYC. I have a copy of his registration card that all men had to fill out during WWII. That’s the only way I know he worked there. His name was Baruch Finkekstein. I never knew him as my dad moved to the West Coast. I’d love to know if there are any other photos from that time.
I worked at the Howard Clothes store in Roosevelt Field Shopping Center on Long Island, while a college student in the late 60s. Leo Slotnick was Manager, Eli Levine was AM, Tony Brancato was DM, followed by Sam Zinn. Max Adelman was the Sales Leader. George Coan was an executive. Later, Steve Sherman became Manager after Leo’s death. Mary Kapela was a cashier, as was I.
I also floated to several other locations: Greeley Square where Lou Collier was Manager, and Astoria, where Teddy Rudin was Manager. I remember these people like it was yesterday. Hard to believe it was almost 60 years ago! Anyone remember any of them?
THANKS FOR ALL YOUR WONDERFUL PIECES. Howard Clothes has deep meaning and wonderful memories for me. My granfather was Henry C Marks
https://www.nytimes.com/1949/12/20/archives/h-c-marks-is-dead-clothing-firm-aide-vice-president-of-the-howard.html
You’re very welcome – I am sorry that your grandfather was only 70 when he passed away and had a long illness. I found yet another Howard Clothes photo and will add it to this blog: https://www.consumergrouch.com/?p=9775
My mother’s great aunt married a wealthy man who owned a clothing store (Howard Clothes). Mom recalls Uncle Joe always being very good to her grandmother. For instance, my mother mentioned that he sent his sister-in-law a box of special foods every year at Passover (things which she could not afford) and made sure that Grandma was well taken of each time that she had to go to the hospital with pneumonia.
When the family went down on holidays to see relatives in New York City, my grandmother Natalie would take my mother Eleanor along to visit that aunt with ailing health, Aunt Nelly, in her penthouse apartment on Central Park, where his widow had live-in servants and a private elevator.
I know Joe Langerman lived at 913 Fifth Avenue (Central Park East between 72nd and 73rd) at the time of his death in March 1951. He passed away at his winter home in Miami Beach at just 62. At the time of his death, Howard Clothes had 50 locations throughout the US, but obviously grew quite a bit more before its demise. His widow’s name was Anna and together, they were very involved in the Williamsburg Settlement and she served as its president. Like Sam Kappel, Mr. Langerman was quite the philanthropist and contributed to many causes.