Jacobson’s Department Stores: When Michigan Shopping Was an Event

The smell, the sounds, the colors, and the displays! Once upon in Michigan, we were treated to a unique shopping experience. Jacobson's Department Stores was the go-to shopping destination for back-to-school, Christmas gifts, formal and semi-formal attire, fine dining, home decor, perfumes, and so much more for Michiganders with upscale tastes and budgets.

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Getting a gift in a Jacobson's box meant someone thought an awful lot of you.

The Growth, and Eventual Downfall, of Michigan's Jacobson's Department Stores

Founded in 1838 by Abram Jacobson in Reed City, Michigan, the single department store evolved into a symbol of upscale shopping, fashion, and exquisite gifts.

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In 1939, the company brought in Nathan Rosenfeld, a graduate of the Wharton School of Business, to take the helm of the growing chain. Under his leadership, Jacobson's Department stores expanded into more affluent communities across Michigan and crossed state borders into Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Ohio, and even Florida.

As the decades passed, challenges came and went. Jacobson's weathered the ups and downs of the US economy, from economic downturns to energy shortages. It wasn't until the mid-1990s that the chain began feeling a shift in the retail market. The white-collar recession took its toll, and Jacobson's had to rethink its image.

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By 1997, with 24 stores open, Jacobson's launched the "YES WE CAN!" philosophy, which promoted its customer service and commitment to quality goods. Yet sales in the Midwest continued to drop, there was a glimmer of hope in the growing Florida market.

The chain limped along until January 2002, when it declared Chapter 11 bankruptcy and sold off its remaining assets. The stores and their former locations are fondly remembered by those who both shopped and worked there.