* retail stores handling boys' clothes: Herrschners







Retail Stores Handling Boys' Clothing: Herrschners (United States, 1899- )


Figure 1.--This is the Herrschner Fall and Winter 1927-28 catalog. The ciover show cases women;s fasgions and clothing for younger childrem. Notice that even in the winter the outfit show for the boiys is shirt pants and the girls outfit lloks more like a summer dress. But these chi=ldren would cover up with a snow suit also shown when they went outdoors. Snow suits were something of a middle- and upper-class outfits for children.. .

We have not yet found a detailed history of Herrschners. It seems to be another retail store that began with a young immigrant plying a push cart. In this case it was Frederick Herrschner in Chicago. He sold sewing notions (late-19th cebtury). He seems to have developed a strong reputation with his clients. Chicago was the major city in the Midewest. According to the company, people who bought from Herrschner in Chicago wrote to him from various places in the Midwest where they moved seeking items that they had trouble finding in their new communities. This gave Frederick the idea that launched the company: he would develop a catalog and sell his merchandise to those who had no other outlet for the quality goods he provided. Herrschner hit on the idea of launching a catalog opoeration (1899). It was a more limited operation than the mail order giants like Sears and Wards. Herrschner did not offer a little of everything in a massive catalog. According to the company, they offered 'Art needlework and fancy wear for women and children'. Here the focus was on younger children. We do not have a complete understanding of the product line over time, but we see the company offering a extensive line of women's and children's clothing (1920s). Gradually they evolved into a craft line. Unlike Wards and Sears, the company is still in business since launching. Herrschner worked from various Chicago locations until passing away (1929). The businesss was sold, but remained in Chicago (until 1970). As there was no actual retail store, there was no need to reamin in Chicago with its high overhead costs. The company was moved to Stevens Point, Wisconsin where it continues to operate.






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Created: 2:23 PM 9/22/2020
Last updated: 2:23 PM 9/22/2020