Louis Bamberger

Louis Bamberger was born in 1855 to a German Jewish family in Baltimore, Maryland, the son of Theresa (née Hutzler) and Elkan Bamberger.[1][2] His mother belonged to the family that ran Hutzler Brothers in Baltimore.[1] His grandfather was Moses Hutzler.[1] He had six siblings: Caroline Bamberger Fuld; Clara "Lavinia" Bamberger; Rosa Bamberger; Julius Bamberger; Pauline Bamberger; and Julia Bamberger.[4]

He came to Newark in 1892 and bought at auction a failing general goods store on Market Street, renaming it L. Bamberger & Company,[1][2] with his partners, brothers-in-law Felix Fuld and Louis M. Frank[5][2],. The store was an immediate success, and Bamberger was able to open an ornate chateauesque building in 1912 that covered a whole city block.[2] For decades, Bamberger’s clock was the downtown meeting place for Newarkers.[2] In 1928, the store's sales were $28 million (equivalent to $417 million in 2020), making it the fourth highest grossing store in the United States.[6]

In 1929, Bamberger sold his department store to R.H. Macy and Company, which kept the original Bamberger name.[2] Bamberger knew that he owed his success to hundreds of able employees, and split $1 million among 240 employees.[2] The Bamberger name remained in use for the stores in the New Jersey division of Macy's until 1986.[2]

Bamberger supported both secular and Jewish charities.[2] Bamberger personally funded the buildings for Newark’s YMHA, the Newark Museum, and the New Jersey Historical Society.[2] He worked to help persecuted Jews escape from Germany's Third Reich[6]. Bamberger was also a major contributor to the Community Chest and Beth Israel Hospital.[6]

Bamberger and his sister Caroline Bamberger Fuld worked with Abraham Flexner to found the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey.[7] They gave a $5 million endowment to the Institute.[3] Upon Bamberger's death the bulk of his estate was left to the Institute.[1]

Bamberger was a shy man who never married and focused on running his store.[1][2] His partner Felix Fuld was the more outgoing of the two, and his sister Caroline Bamberger Fuld was most involved in the charity activities of the family.[1]

• The World War II Liberty Ship SS Louis Bamberger was named in his honor.