Last updated: September 2, 2022
Place
J.L. Brandeis & Sons Store Building
David Calease, NPS
Quick Facts
Location:
200 South 16th Street
Significance:
Commerce; Architecture
Designation:
National Register of Historic Places
MANAGED BY:
Private Property Owner
The J.L. Brandeis & Sons Store Building served as the flagship store of the J.L. Brandeis & Sons operation which owned a chain of department stores in the Midwest region. It was the largest retail establishment in downtown Omaha when it opened in 1906. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, today the building has been transformed to house luxury residences and apartments as well as retail store fronts.
The name Brandeis is synonymous with retail department store operations in Omaha. Jonas Brandeis came to Omaha in 1881 and opened a small store at 506 South 13th St. After its success, he opened the Boston Store in 1888 on the corner of 16th and Douglas Sts. and coined the name J.L. Brandeis & Sons due to his three sons’ involvement in the enterprise. In 1905 construction began on the J.L. Brandeis & Sons Store Building which upon completion would become the headquarters location of the Brandeis Department Store chain. Company control remained within the family after the death of Jonas in 1903. J.L. Brandeis & Sons increased its commercial dominance in the region and soon became one of the most successful retail enterprises in the nation. The store in downtown Omaha, however, remained extremely important to the family and served local citizens for nearly seventy-five years.
The J.L. Brandeis & Sons Store Building introduced innovative retail techniques to Omaha. It was the first establishment to market itself as a total service store. It offered a restaurant, post office, community meeting rooms, free telephone service, and other amenities in addition to its retail merchandize. The Brandeis family also invested a substantial amount of money in downtown Omaha in the early years of the twentieth century.
The J.L. Brandeis & Sons Store Building was designed by architect John Latenser Sr. and erected in 1906. Standing eight stories high, the Second Renaissance Revival style building was one of the largest buildings in Omaha at the time of its construction. In 1921 a two-story addition was added making it ten stories. The building’s façade is organized into horizontal divisions of stone, brick, and terra cotta. Ornamentation and window trim differentiate each floor with a balustrade highlighting the separation between the ninth and tenth floors. Columns and high ceilings are prevalent throughout the building’s interior. The building remains a visual landmark of downtown Omaha. Today, the Brandeis’ street level contains commercial spaces while the remaining floors are private apartments.
The name Brandeis is synonymous with retail department store operations in Omaha. Jonas Brandeis came to Omaha in 1881 and opened a small store at 506 South 13th St. After its success, he opened the Boston Store in 1888 on the corner of 16th and Douglas Sts. and coined the name J.L. Brandeis & Sons due to his three sons’ involvement in the enterprise. In 1905 construction began on the J.L. Brandeis & Sons Store Building which upon completion would become the headquarters location of the Brandeis Department Store chain. Company control remained within the family after the death of Jonas in 1903. J.L. Brandeis & Sons increased its commercial dominance in the region and soon became one of the most successful retail enterprises in the nation. The store in downtown Omaha, however, remained extremely important to the family and served local citizens for nearly seventy-five years.
The J.L. Brandeis & Sons Store Building introduced innovative retail techniques to Omaha. It was the first establishment to market itself as a total service store. It offered a restaurant, post office, community meeting rooms, free telephone service, and other amenities in addition to its retail merchandize. The Brandeis family also invested a substantial amount of money in downtown Omaha in the early years of the twentieth century.
The J.L. Brandeis & Sons Store Building was designed by architect John Latenser Sr. and erected in 1906. Standing eight stories high, the Second Renaissance Revival style building was one of the largest buildings in Omaha at the time of its construction. In 1921 a two-story addition was added making it ten stories. The building’s façade is organized into horizontal divisions of stone, brick, and terra cotta. Ornamentation and window trim differentiate each floor with a balustrade highlighting the separation between the ninth and tenth floors. Columns and high ceilings are prevalent throughout the building’s interior. The building remains a visual landmark of downtown Omaha. Today, the Brandeis’ street level contains commercial spaces while the remaining floors are private apartments.