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In 1868, Jacob Kaufmann, the nineteen-year-old son of a German farmer, stepped off a ship onto the shores of New York. His brother Isaac soon followed, and together they joined an immigrant community of German Jews selling sewing items to the coal miners and mill workers of western Pennsylvania. After opening merchant tailor shops in Pittsburgh’s North and South sides, the Kaufmann brothers caught the wave of a new type of merchandising—the department store—and launched what would become their retail dynasty with a downtown storefront at Fifth Avenue and Smithfield Street. In just two decades, Jacob and his brothers had ascended Pittsburgh’s economic and social ladder, rising from hardscrabble salesmen into Gilded Age multimillionaires.
Generous and powerful philanthropists, the Kaufmanns left an indelible mark on the city and western Pennsylvania. From Edgar and Liliane’s famous residence, the Frank Lloyd Wright masterpiece called Fallingwater, to the Kaufmann clock, a historic landmark that inspired the expression “meet me under the clock,” to countless fond memories for residents and shoppers, the Kaufmann family made important contributions to art, architecture, and culture. Far less known are the personal tragedies and fateful ambitions that forever shaped this family, their business, and the place they called home. Kaufmann’s recounts the story of one of Pittsburgh’s most beloved department stores, pulling back the curtain to reveal the hardships, triumphs, and complicated legacy of the prominent family behind its success.
Our Top Reviews
Reviewer: Francis Miner
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: History and reference book
Review: Always good to learn more about Pittsburgh history and how influential the Kaufmanns department store and family were in SW Pennsylvania.
Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Interesting read
Review: Bought this since I’m familiar with Pittsburgh and the Kaufman family. Learned several new things. Thoroughly enjoyed the book and recommend .
Reviewer: OnlineShopper
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Retail Nostalgia
Review: A fascinating story about the family, but also about the world of American department stores. Most of them are gone and shopping isn’t nearly as fun anymore, read this book to find out why
Reviewer: Tam
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: very accurate
Review: Accurate detailed description of Kaufmann’s department store. I loved reading this book and learned a lot about Pittsburgh history I did not know.
Reviewer: Marcia L. Ferguson
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Worth the wait
Review: I’ve been waiting quite awhile for this book about the Kaufmann department store family to be released. It’s been meticulously researched and is a wonder. Wish the photos were more ‘crisp’, but plenty of them. Can’t wait to dive it … I’ve already read several parts, via index look-up. What a great addition to the books about Pittsburgh.
Reviewer: Amazon Customer
Rating: 5.0 out of 5 stars
Title: A fascinating read
Review: This is a well written, meticulously researched book about a Pittsburgh institution. My family has deep roots around Kaufmann’s and this account was a pleasure to read. I learned so much about the family, the store and the religious and cultural community in and around Pittsburgh.
Reviewer: emg55
Rating: 3.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Fairly good, but…
Review: I was shocked at how little space was devoted to Frank Lloyd Wright and Fallingwater, arguably the most famous house in the world. I was very disappointed.
Reviewer: T McD
Rating: 4.0 out of 5 stars
Title: Everything every Pittsburgher needs to learn
Review: Kaufmann’s Dept Store was an institution for most Pittsburghers. While we know that the family built Frank Lloyd Wright’s “Fallingwater” we knew so little about this incredibly philanthropic family: Well written, informative & educational.
Price effective as of Jun 26, 2025 13:31:17 UTC
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