This is the fascinating story of one of San Antonio’s most successful department stores and business partnerships.
Wolff & Marx was formed by business partners Abraham Albert Wolff and Daniel Marx in 1883. Their original store was housed in a small 20’ x 30’ adobe building on the corner of Commerce and then Yturri Street. Many think this was probably the rear of the current Drury Plaza Hotel…long before the cut off flood channel behind it was created.
Photo: Author. The man-made cutoff channel adjacent to the yellow garage of the Drury Plaza Hotel. At the time that it is thought that the first Wolff & Marx store sat where the garage is, the channel did not exist, and buildings filled that space on Commerce Street.
Abraham Wolff was born in Edenkoben, Austria in 1846, and had learned the mercantile business while working for the successful store owner Louis Zork at his large establishment located in Main Plaza in San Antonio.
He then formed a partnership with Sol Mayer in the mid 1870’s, and they rented space in the large Zork building for their business.
Photo: San Antonio Express News ( note the spelling of Commerce)
It wasn’t long before Abraham Wolff ( now known as A.A. Wolff ) decided to strike out on his own after parting ways with Sol Mayer in 1877, and he operated his own successful store, establishing a reputation for good business practices over a number of years.
Photo: San Antonio Daily Express
Photo: San Antonio Evening Light
As fate would have it, he was introduced to Daniel Marx, and their friendship developed.
Dan was born in Nauheim, Hessen-Darmstadt in Germany in 1844. He arrived in San Antonio at the age of 18, worked in the liquor business for two years, and then was employed for eight years at the dry goods wholesale firm Goldfrank, Frank & Co. on bustling Commerce Street.
Photo: Courtesy UTSA Libraries Special Collections. Commerce Street in the 1870’s when Dan Marx worked there. This is looking west towards Main Plaza, with Goldfrank, Frank and Co. on the left.
The two young enterprising men shared the same ideals, business ambitions, and motivation for success. In 1883, they decided to form the partnership that would earn them a place in San Antonio retail history.
Their beginnings were humble, and initially they were limited to a small amount of stock because of their capital; however, their reputation and popularity spread, and soon they were looking for larger premises.
They relocated their growing business to a building at the corner of Commerce Street and South Alamo, near the San Antonio River.
Photo: San Antonio Light
It was around this time that Wolff & Marx became widely known as “The Mammoth Store”
Photo: San Antonio Daily Light
Through good business practices, a hectic advertising campaign, and a reputation for value, it was apparent after a time that they again had to seek a larger premises.
Photo: San Antonio Daily Express
However, just as they were looking to relocate the business, Daniel Marx died unexpectedly while in New York. It was March 14th, 1899, and he was 55 years of age.
Photo: San Antonio Daily Light
The new site for the business was on Alamo Plaza at 107-115 Alamo Street, in both the Herff Building and the Kincaide Building, and it opened in July 1899.
Photo: San Antonio Light
In November 1901, the widow of Dan Marx sold her interests of the business to A.A. Wolff and his new partner; however, the long-established name of the store remained the same.
Photo: San Antonio Daily Light
Then, in the early hours of September 15th, 1903, a massive fire on Alamo Plaza destroyed the Scholz Palm Garden and Saloon next to the Wolff and Marx store, which together with the Dullnig Building on the corner of Alamo and Commerce, suffered thousands of dollars of damage. It was estimated that Wolff and Marx lost over $200,000 of stock in the fire. At the height of the blaze, firemen trained hoses on the burning buildings from both Alamo and Losoya Streets.
Photo: San Antonio Daily Light
Nobody knows exactly what happened…maybe it was the tragic loss of two infant children, the death of his partner Dan, the fire…or something else.
After suffering a mental breakdown, A.A. Wolff committed suicide on the morning of January 31st, 1906. He was 59 years of age. Earlier, he had been seen wandering along the bank of the San Antonio river near N. Navarro Street where he owned property, and he appeared to be in a state of despair. A witness to the event, J.P.W.Street, told police he had seen Mr. Wolff walking along the river bank carrying a gun. A concerned Mr Street said he approached A.A.Wolff who sharply told him to go about his business. At the time of his death, A.A.Wolff held the position of President of Wolff & Marx.
Photo: San Antonio Sunday Light
Photo: Author. Such a peaceful place for this tragedy
Photo: San Antonio Sunday Light
A. A Wolff was buried in the Jewish Cemetery in San Antonio, and a service was later held at his home south of the city.
Photo: Author
Photo: Author. The home previously owned by A.A.Wolff
The business practices put in place by A.A. Wolff and Dan Marx over many successful years together ensured that their company continued to grow and prosper long after their deaths.
Eventually, the Alamo Plaza location became too small, and so the store moved into new premises in a brand new building that was built especially for the company.
The new store was located in the Rand Building on Houston Street, at the corners of Main and Soledad Streets. The eight story building was the tallest structure in San Antonio at that time. The long-heralded grand opening took place at 8am on August 11th, 1913 as thousands of shoppers thronged the aisles when the doors opened after much anticipation.
The store boasted features that San Antonio residents had never experienced before. On the top floor, there were separate club rooms for the male and female employees, which included couches, settees and a library for each. There was also an employees’ kitchen and a dining room which served midday meals for 18 cents.
The seventh floor of the building housed a convention hall and auditorium which could accommodate up to 2000 people. Here it was anticipated that not only conventions and public rallies could be held, but also lectures could be delivered and concerts performed.
Photo: San Antonio Light
Below that on the sixth floor, at one end there was a playroom for children while their parents shopped. The playroom came complete with a sandpit and a full time nurse. Next to the play area there was an aviary with all types of fascinating birds on display. Also appropriately located on this floor was the store’s toy department. On the other side of the sixth floor were the executive offices. Also on this floor, the dressmaking department was located.
One floor below, shoppers dreamed their way through the furniture department, where one could peruse not only furniture for the whole house, but also rugs, curtains, and wall hangings. There were partitioned areas where customers could fantasize over totally furnished rooms and imagine what their homes could look like.
Down on the fourth floor, there was an emergency hospital. Wolff and Marx had carried this idea over from their previous store, and it came complete with beds, and there was a “silent room” According to the newspaper article in the “San Antonio Light” newspaper, the room’s walls were specially constructed…absolutely noise-proof, and it was built for the use of “…nervous and unstrung women.” The newspaper’s reporter said, “It’s a place where they could find temporary refuge from the noise and hubub of a great bargain sale” A trained nurse was also on duty.
Also on this floor was the Japanese Tea Room, a general cafe, the millinery department with thousands of dresses on display, the exclusive area where customers could try on imported Parisian hats, and there was a special area on this floor for the headquarters of the “local band of militant suffragettes” where as the newspaper went on,”…literature and general information in regard to the cause of women suffrage will be dispensed”
The third floor was devoted almost entirely to women’s lingerie and fitting rooms. There was even a room with specially diffused lighting for the trying on of evening dresses to see how they would appear under the lights of chandeliers at social events and galas.
Descending to the second floor, and here the young mothers department could be found with tiny shoes, bonnets and ribbons…everything to make up a baby’s wardrobe. Here also was the extensive women’s shoe department.
The ground flood was the location of the hosiery, jewelry, silverware, lace, books and stationery departments. On this floor was the men’s clothing as well….2 1/2 aisles !! However, Wolff & Marx placed the ladies glove department next to men’s clothing because as it was pointed out, “..it is universally known that the glove counters have always exercised a decided attraction upon the members of the sterner sex“
Photo: Wolff & Marx’s new store in the Rand Building…mysanantonio.com
Photo: The Rand Building today…Author
Photo: Author
Another chapter in the story of Wolff & Marx commenced when they were one of the original anchor stores at the new North Star Mall which opened on September 23rd 1960.
Photo: San Antonio Express News
Then, early in 1965, two of San Antonio’s largest retail companies, Joske’s and Wolff & Marx merged, with Joske’s securing the deal in a $1.5 million transaction.
Photo: San Antonio Light
Although the names of A.A.Wolff and Daniel Marx have passed into history, the two enterprising young men are remembered by the manner that they blazed their way into the mercantile and dry goods business in San Antonio. The business practices they incorporated, and their customer service innovations, live on today in other thriving companies who took their example.
Additional story:
- On Saturday December 15th, 1917, an estimated crowd of a thousand people craned their necks to watch “Human Fly’ Johnny Reynolds, scale the outside wall of the Wolff and Marx building. A steeplejack and building climber who had already earned a national reputation for his daring feats, Reynolds held the crowd breathless as he teetered back and forth while sitting on a chair balanced at the edge of the eight story building. A resident at Kelly Field, and dressed in his uniform, he then joined the throng at the base of the building before scaling the outside wall to the top…with a few staged “slips” along the way. The whole display was advertising a minstrel show, which the personnel of the base were planning to stage at the Grand Opera House on Alamo Plaza on January 10th and 11th.
Photo: San Antonio Light
Photo: San Antonio Light
If you feel that life is not worth living, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255). The call is free and confidential, and crisis workers are there 24/7 to assist you
Sources:
San Antonio Light
San Antonio Daily Light
San Antonio Sunday Light
San Antonio Express
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