Fox Family and G. Fox & Co.

Founded by Gerson Fox in 1847 as a "fancy goods" store, the department store chain eventually known as G. Fox & Co. became the largest family-owned department store in the country and the preeminent retail establishment in Hartford. According to some sources, Gerson and his brother Isaac opened a store in Hartford as early as 1840. Isaac left for New York a few years later.

Gerson's son Moses joined the store in 1863 when he was 13. In 1880, the property on Main Street that would eventually house the main store was purchased, and a four-story building was erected there. This store burnt down in 1917, but after the fire, an eleven-story building was built on the site. The eleven-story store reflected the major changes in retail shopping that were occurring in America.

Women of the early 20th century acquired new-found leisure time provided by labor-saving inventions. Unlike the old-fashioned store that one did not enter without a purpose, where merchandise was hidden in cupboards until the clerk brought it out, this new store offered many new services especially for these women who now shopped as much for entertainment as for the accomplishment of an errand.

After the death of Moses in 1938, his daughter Beatrice Fox Auerbach, who had joined the store in 1927 at the death of her husband, took over its leadership. She expanded both the store and its offerings to the shopper. The hair salon became almost spa-like, women could dine in the roof garden, and various departments offered various types of education to help women understand their new appliances or design a tasteful interior.

Mrs. Auerbach also set new standards for service to customers. Many local legends grew about instances where the company went far beyond the custom to supply distant shoppers with spools of thread or to replace the upholstery on five-year-old chairs. The working climate was also an improvement over that found in other stores. Although the pay was said to be low, job security was high and the store worked hard to make every employee feel special.

In 1965, G. Fox & Co. was sold to the May Company. In 1992, the May Co., which also owned the much larger and regionally better known Filene's, retired the G. Fox name after 117 years of service and converted those stores to Filene's.

Much has been written on the Fox and Auerbach families in Morris Silverman's book, so a detailed biographical sketch will not be given here. The following outline will put the collection in context.

In 1847, Gerson Fox, an immigrant from Germany, founded the dry goods store that eventually became G. Fox and Company. Various members of his family and his relatives' families worked for the company, building it from a small shop to a large department store chain well-known throughout Connecticut for its service.

Leadership in the store passed to Gerson's son, Moses Fox, in 1880. His first wife, Sophie Korn died in 1883, and their daughter Sophie died at the age of 11. Moses married Theresa Stern, daughter of a retailer in Newburgh, N.Y., and they had two daughters, H. Beatrice and Fannie. [Jacob L. Fox, a first cousin of Moses, married Miriam Stern, the sister of Theresa.]

In 1911, Beatrice (1887-1968) married George S. Auerbach, who operated his own family's store, Auerbach's, in Salt Lake City. After fire destroyed the G. Fox & Co. building in 1917, Beatrice and her husband returned to Hartford to help with the construction of a new store. George Auerbach became treasurer of G. Fox but died prematurely in 1927. Beatrice went to work at the store following his death. She stayed on and became president in 1938 at the death of Moses Fox.

Beatrice became a legend in Hartford retailing. She was intimately involved with the operation of her store, tirelessly greeting customers, talking daily with the clerks, inspecting every corner of the building. Her aim was to achieve a new level of excellence in providing model service. Under her direction, G. Fox & Co. became the largest family-owned retail operation in the country. In 1965, she sold the chain to the May Co.

Beatrice was also tireless in her financial support of the community, endowing educational programs and scholarships at local colleges, subsidizing cultural programs such as the Wadsworth Atheneum and Hartford Symphony, and contributing to many major social service agencies such as hospitals, the Hebrew Home, and the Federation. The Beatrice Fox Auerbach Foundation, which she founded, continues her work in the community. In recognition of her interest and service, she was elected to seats on many local boards.

Beatrice also saw the usefulness of women's organizations in improving the community. She established the Service Bureau for Women's Organizations to provide training and programming for the leaders of these organizations. A world traveler, Beatrice sent back reports on world problems and economic conditions to the community through the Service Bureau.

The history of this family provides research opportunities in several areas, including the study of German Jewish immigrants and the patterns of their business and social circles, the role of women's groups in shaping the community and the view that members had of their work, American retailing history, private philanthropy and its role in shaping a community, and the dynamics of the acceptance of an independent Jewish woman into the top ranks of a very traditional early 20th century male-dominated community.