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| Industry | Retail |
|---|---|
| Genre | Department stores |
| Founded | 1896 in Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States |
| Founder | Sam Wolf and Myron Eisman Dessauer |
| Defunct | December 2, 1969 |
| Fate | Acquisition by L.S. Ayres |
| Successor | L.S. Ayres |
| Headquarters | Fort Wayne, Indiana, United States |
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Wolf & Dessauer was an American department store founded in 1896 by Sam Wolf and Myron Eisman Dessauer[1] in Fort Wayne, Indiana.
History
[edit]The store was located at 808 South Calhoun Street until 1904 and at 119 West Berry Street from 1904 to 1918. From 1918 to 1959, it was located on the northeast corner of Calhoun Street and Washington Boulevard.[2] This location was a six-story, white terra-building which gained the nickname of "the white elephant."[3]
A second store was opened in Huntington, Indiana in 1952. This location would close in 1969.[4]
The final location of the business was on the northeast corner of Clinton and Wayne Streets. The building is now known as Citizens Square and houses the City of Fort Wayne's municipal government.
Lighting displays
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Beginning in 1928, Wolf & Dessauer displayed Christmas-themed animated windows. In 1937, the "Santa and His Reindeer" and "Merry Christmas Wreaths" lighting displays were also introduced for the holiday season. The lights and displays continue to be displayed annually in Fort Wayne as part of Downtown Fort Wayne's HolidayFest featuring "Night of Lights".[5]
Ownership
[edit]In 1920, the business was sold to general manager G. Irving Latz. In 1966, the company was sold to City Stores, and in 1969, to L. S. Ayres.[3] The downtown store continued to operate as an Ayres location before closing in 1979.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ "Wolf and Dessauer - history, WANE 15 News" on YouTube
- ↑ Harter, Randy (September 15, 2016). "Wolf & Dessauer Building C. 1964". Fort Wayne Reader. Retrieved November 2, 2025.
- 1 2 Barron, Jim and Kathie (2011). Wolf & Dessauer: Where Fort Wayne Shopped. Charleston, SC: The History Press. p. 22. ISBN 9781609493349.
- ↑ Barron, Jim and Kathie (2011). Wolf & Dessauer: Where Fort Wayne Shopped. Charleston, SC: The History Press. pp. 16–18. ISBN 9781609493349.
- ↑ "History of Fort Wayne's Night of Lights Celebration". Visit Fort Wayne. October 28, 2025. Retrieved November 3, 2025.
Further reading
[edit]- Barron, Jim and Kathie (2011). Wolf & Dessauer: Where Fort Wayne Shopped. Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 978-1-6094-9334-9.