Background
Bamberger, Louis was born on May 15, 1855 in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Son of Elkan and Theresa (Hutzler) Bamberger.
Bamberger, Louis was born on May 15, 1855 in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Son of Elkan and Theresa (Hutzler) Bamberger.
He was a businessman and philanthropist and at his death all flags in Newark were flown at half-staff for three days, and his large department store closed for a day. He came to Newark in 1892 and bought at auction a failing general goods store on Market Street, renaming it L. Bamberger & Company. The store was an immediate success, and Bamberger was able to open an ornate chateauesque building in 1912 that covered a whole city block.
For decades, Bamberger’s clock was the downtown meeting place for Newarkers. In 1928, the store's sales were $28 million (equivalent to $386 million in 2015), making it the fourth highest grossing store in the United States. In 1929, Bamberger sold his department store to R.H. Macy and Company, who kept the original Bamberger name.
Bamberger knew that he owed his success to hundreds of able employees, and split $1 million among 240 employees. The Bamberger name remained in use for the stores in the New Jersey division of Macy's until 1986. Bamberger supported both secular and Jewish charities.
Bamberger personally funded the buildings for Newark’s YMHA, the Newark Museum, and the New Jersey Historical Society. During the Third Reich he worked to help persecuted Jews escape from Germany. Bamberger was also a major contributor to the Community Chest and Beth Israel Hospital.
His largest donation was not to a Newark charity though. sister, Caroline Bamberger Fuld, also gave Newark money for the cherry trees in Branch Brook Park.