This story is a part of the QCBJ’s Newsmakers edition. This year-end wrap-up from the staff of the Quad Cities Business Journal is a compilation of the year’s most noteworthy articles and projects, as told through stories that appeared in the bi-weekly issues of the QCBJ. This story was originally published in January 2022. For […]
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This story is a part of the QCBJ’s Newsmakers edition. This year-end wrap-up from the staff of the Quad Cities Business Journal is a compilation of the year’s most noteworthy articles and projects, as told through stories that appeared in the bi-weekly issues of the QCBJ.
This story was originally published in January 2022.
For 150 years, Von Maur department stores have set the gold standard for retailers. Through four generations, the von Maur family has led the chain that bears its name. From its humble beginnings in downtown Davenport to 100+ stores under its present-day Von Maur and Dry Goods brands, the company has been a trailblazer among American retailers. In 2022, Von Maur marks a century and a half in business in a rapidly changing retail industry. From founder Charles Jacob “C.J.” von Maur, who along with partners launched the Boston Store in Davenport, to Jim von Maur, who leads the expanding retail chain today, the challenges and the successes have varied. Each generation has worked to build the company, expand its reach, and exceed customers’ expectations. But the strength of the Von Maur brand and its commitment to providing great customer service and a unique shopping experience have never faltered. During an interview at the corporate headquarters in north Davenport, CEO and President Jim von Maur, the founder’s great-grandson, was asked if he thought his ancestors would be proud of Von Maur today. “I do. I think they’d be amazed. We are the last remaining family-owned department store,” Mr. von Maur said. “There used to be hundreds.” In fact, Von Maur traces its roots to some of those forgotten department stores including J.H.C. Petersen & Sons Co. That retailer’s founding in 1872 helped give Von Maur its milestone anniversary. Modern-day Von Maur also grew out of The Boston Store (a dry goods store opened in 1887 by C.J. von Maur, Rowland “R.H.” Harned and Edward “E.C.” Pursel) and other small local stores that it acquired. Loyal Quad Cities customers still remember Petersen Harned Von Maur, dubbed “Petersens.” But since 1989, it’s simply has been Von Maur for the family that carries on its tradition. “My dad and uncle had the vision and desire to change from a traditional department store to something more special, a fashion department store,” recalled Mr. von Maur, who has been at the helm since 2001. When Mr. von Maur took the company’s reins from his brother Ric, the company operated 12 store locations. Under his leadership, Von Maur has expanded its footprint beyond its Midwest home to the south, southwest and east and now boasts 35 Von Maur department stores and 70 of its specialty Dry Goods stores. “It’s been a great journey,” Mr. von Maur said as he walked through the corporate headquarters admiring its walls filled with pieces of company history. The showpiece is a stained glass window purchased from the 1893 World’s Fair by J.H.C. Petersen. After joining the family business in 1993, Mr. von Maur recalled two significant moves including in 1994 when Von Maur put down roots in Chicago with a store in Yorktown, “We felt good about what we were doing. It was a big step leaving Iowa and going to Chicago with all the great retailers,” he said. Though he also remembers the Chicago market’s skepticism about Von Maur’s interest-free store credit cards. “They thought it was too good to be true.” But it was and remains true today. Then in 1995, it entered Omaha, Nebraska, and “We felt like we could take this formula of our customer service and merchandising to any market in America.” While his predecessors overcame challenges of their time — from the Great Depression and a world war to the crippling farm crisis — Mr. von Maur has had the COVID-19 pandemic as his cross to bear. The pandemic closed Von Maur’s doors for six weeks in the spring of 2020. “The pandemic was by far one of the more difficult moments in our store’s history,” Mr. von Maur said. “I remember coming back here (in the warehouse) and informing our crew we would be shutting down. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room. People wondered if ‘we are going out of business?’” Mr. von Maur admitted “I feared insolvency.” While its financial situation was fine, he said “We didn’t know when we’d get back to the business of selling.” The emotional toll was a reminder of an earlier emotional chapter in Von Maur history. On Dec. 5, 2007, tragedy struck its store in Omaha, Nebraska, when a gunman entered the store, killing eight and injuring five others, before turning the gun on himself. COVID created a cloud of uncertainty for Mr. von Maur and his loyal associates. “It was frustrating because Target and Walmart stayed open and still were selling children and adult apparel,” he said. “But we weren’t considered essential.” “It was a scary period. There were a lot of negotiations and talking with our landlords (store property owners),” Mr. von Maur said. “We were looking at anything we could do to spread out our payables.” For the first time in company history, there were layoffs on the executive team. Senior staff and executives took salary cuts; raises were put on hold; openings went unfilled; and travel costs were slashed. Gradually, the stores reopened with each state’s timeline and rules differing. Meanwhile, hundreds of employees chose to not return to their jobs or the workforce. In fact, he believes the struggle to find new replacement workers, as well as ongoing supply chain issues, will be the store’s biggest challenges ahead. “I think the pandemic brought the stores back to the forefront,” he said. “People realized they enjoy shopping and if you make it a real experience, which is what we’re good at, you’ll be successful.” “I don’t think it will ever be the same,” Mr. von Maur said of the retail landscape since COVID. “I think we certainly know how to cope with it better.”
For 150 years, Von Maur department stores have set the gold standard for retailers. Through four generations, the von Maur family has led the chain that bears its name. From its humble beginnings in downtown Davenport to 100+ stores under its present-day Von Maur and Dry Goods brands, the company has been a trailblazer among American retailers. In 2022, Von Maur marks a century and a half in business in a rapidly changing retail industry. From founder Charles Jacob “C.J.” von Maur, who along with partners launched the Boston Store in Davenport, to Jim von Maur, who leads the expanding retail chain today, the challenges and the successes have varied. Each generation has worked to build the company, expand its reach, and exceed customers’ expectations. But the strength of the Von Maur brand and its commitment to providing great customer service and a unique shopping experience have never faltered. During an interview at the corporate headquarters in north Davenport, CEO and President Jim von Maur, the founder’s great-grandson, was asked if he thought his ancestors would be proud of Von Maur today. “I do. I think they’d be amazed. We are the last remaining family-owned department store,” Mr. von Maur said. “There used to be hundreds.” In fact, Von Maur traces its roots to some of those forgotten department stores including J.H.C. Petersen & Sons Co. That retailer’s founding in 1872 helped give Von Maur its milestone anniversary. Modern-day Von Maur also grew out of The Boston Store (a dry goods store opened in 1887 by C.J. von Maur, Rowland “R.H.” Harned and Edward “E.C.” Pursel) and other small local stores that it acquired. Loyal Quad Cities customers still remember Petersen Harned Von Maur, dubbed “Petersens.” But since 1989, it’s simply has been Von Maur for the family that carries on its tradition. “My dad and uncle had the vision and desire to change from a traditional department store to something more special, a fashion department store,” recalled Mr. von Maur, who has been at the helm since 2001. When Mr. von Maur took the company’s reins from his brother Ric, the company operated 12 store locations. Under his leadership, Von Maur has expanded its footprint beyond its Midwest home to the south, southwest and east and now boasts 35 Von Maur department stores and 70 of its specialty Dry Goods stores. “It’s been a great journey,” Mr. von Maur said as he walked through the corporate headquarters admiring its walls filled with pieces of company history. The showpiece is a stained glass window purchased from the 1893 World’s Fair by J.H.C. Petersen. After joining the family business in 1993, Mr. von Maur recalled two significant moves including in 1994 when Von Maur put down roots in Chicago with a store in Yorktown, “We felt good about what we were doing. It was a big step leaving Iowa and going to Chicago with all the great retailers,” he said. Though he also remembers the Chicago market’s skepticism about Von Maur’s interest-free store credit cards. “They thought it was too good to be true.” But it was and remains true today. Then in 1995, it entered Omaha, Nebraska, and “We felt like we could take this formula of our customer service and merchandising to any market in America.” While his predecessors overcame challenges of their time — from the Great Depression and a world war to the crippling farm crisis — Mr. von Maur has had the COVID-19 pandemic as his cross to bear. The pandemic closed Von Maur’s doors for six weeks in the spring of 2020. “The pandemic was by far one of the more difficult moments in our store’s history,” Mr. von Maur said. “I remember coming back here (in the warehouse) and informing our crew we would be shutting down. There wasn’t a dry eye in the room. People wondered if ‘we are going out of business?’” Mr. von Maur admitted “I feared insolvency.” While its financial situation was fine, he said “We didn’t know when we’d get back to the business of selling.” The emotional toll was a reminder of an earlier emotional chapter in Von Maur history. On Dec. 5, 2007, tragedy struck its store in Omaha, Nebraska, when a gunman entered the store, killing eight and injuring five others, before turning the gun on himself. COVID created a cloud of uncertainty for Mr. von Maur and his loyal associates. “It was frustrating because Target and Walmart stayed open and still were selling children and adult apparel,” he said. “But we weren’t considered essential.” “It was a scary period. There were a lot of negotiations and talking with our landlords (store property owners),” Mr. von Maur said. “We were looking at anything we could do to spread out our payables.” For the first time in company history, there were layoffs on the executive team. Senior staff and executives took salary cuts; raises were put on hold; openings went unfilled; and travel costs were slashed. Gradually, the stores reopened with each state’s timeline and rules differing. Meanwhile, hundreds of employees chose to not return to their jobs or the workforce. In fact, he believes the struggle to find new replacement workers, as well as ongoing supply chain issues, will be the store’s biggest challenges ahead. “I think the pandemic brought the stores back to the forefront,” he said. “People realized they enjoy shopping and if you make it a real experience, which is what we’re good at, you’ll be successful.” “I don’t think it will ever be the same,” Mr. von Maur said of the retail landscape since COVID. “I think we certainly know how to cope with it better.”
