List of Jewish American businesspeople in retail

Clothing

• Iris Apfel (1921–), fashion designer, co-founder of textile firm Old World Weavers
• Max Azria (1949–2019), Tunisian-born fashion designer, founder of BCBG Max Azria
• David Beckerman (1942/1943–), founder of sportswear company Starter Corp.
• Sara Blakely (1971–), founder of Spanx, minority owner of NBA's Atlanta Hawks
• Gertrude Boyle (1924–2019), German-born chairman of family-founded Columbia Sportswear Company
• Tory Burch (1966–), fashion designer, founder of Tory Burch LLC
• Dov Charney (1966–), Canadian-American founder of American Apparel
• Nudie Cohn (1902–1984), Ukrainian-born fashion designer, known for the "Nudie Suits"
• Kenneth Cole (1954–), founder of Kenneth Cole Productions (owned Le Tigre brand)
• Alan Eckstein, co-founder of fashion label Timo Weiland
• Paul Fireman (1944–), founder of Fireman Capital Partners; former owner of the North American sales rights to Reebok brand and chairman of Reebok International, Ltd.
• Donald (1928–2009) and Doris F. Fisher (1931–), founders of the Gap, Inc.
• Robert J. Fisher (1954–), chairman of the Gap, Inc.
• Edith Flagg (1919–2014), Austrian-born fashion designer, known for populizing polyester, founder of Edith Flagg, Inc.
• Milton S. Florsheim (1868–1936), Canadian-born founder of the Florsheim & Co. shoe company
• Diane von Fürstenberg (1946–), Belgian-American founder the Diane von Furstenberg (DVF) fashion company
• Rudi Gernreich (1922–1985), Austrian-born avant-garde fashion designer; known for creating the monokini swimsuit
• Lori Goldstein, fashion designer
• Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss (1975–), founder of fashion label Shoshanna
• Bob Haas (1942–), Chairman Emeritus of Levi Strauss & Co.; member of the Haas family
• Lena Himmelstein (1877–1951), Lithuanian-born founder of plus-size clothing company Lane Bryant Inc.
• Marc Jacobs (1963–), fashion designer
• Donna Karan (1948–), founder of DKNY
• Calvin Richard Klein (1942–), co-founder of Calvin Klein Inc.
• Michael Kors (1959–), fashion designer, founder of Capri Holdings (owns the Michael Kors brand, Versace, and Jimmy Choo Ltd)
• Ralph Lauren (1939–), founder of the Ralph Lauren Corporation
• Henri Alexander Levy (1991–), founder of luxury fashion brand Enfants Riches Déprimés (ERD)
• Andrea Lieberman, fashion designer, founder of A.L.C
• Paul Marciano (1952–), Moroccan-born co-founder of fashion company GUESS
• Leon Max (1954–), Russian-American fashion designer, founder of the Max Studio upmarket fashion retail chain
• Marc Milecofsky (1972–), founder of fashion company Ecko Unltd. and the media network Complex (Complex magazine, Complex TV, ComplexCon)
• Isaac Mizrahi (1961–), fashion designer
• Avi, Ralph and Joseph Nakash (1942–), Israeli-born founders of Jordache Enterprises, Inc., owners of the Setai Miami Beach luxury hotel
• Andrew Rosen, co-founder of fashion label theory
• Ida Rosenthal (1886–1973), Belarus-born co-founder of Maidenform
• Rachel Zoe Rosenzweig (1968–), fashion designer
• Barry K. Schwartz (1942–), co-founder of Calvin Klein Inc., former chairman of the New York Racing Association (NYRA)
• Levi Strauss (1829–1902), German-born founder of the Levi Strauss & Co. clothing company
• Nathan Swartz (1902–?), Russian-born founder of the Timberland Company (later led by his grandson, Jeffrey (1960–))
• Elie Tahari (1952–), Israeli-American luxury fashion designer
• Stuart Weitzman (1941–), luxury shoe designer

Cosmetics

• Bobbi Brown (1957–), founder of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics
• Max Factor Jr. (1904–1996), president of Max Factor & Company
• Maksymilian Faktorowicz (1877–1938), Polish-born founder of Max Factor & Company (now owned by Coty, Inc.)
• Lawrence M. Gelb (1898–1980), co-founder of hair care company Clairol (Nice 'n Easy, Herbal Essences)
• Sophia Grojsman (1945–), Belarus-born perfumer, VP of International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF)
• Estée Lauder (1906–2004), co-founder of the Estée Lauder Companies Inc.; member of the Lauder family
• Charles Revson (1906–1975), (co-)founder of Revlon, Inc. and the Charles H. Revson Foundation
• Katie Rodan (1955/1956–), co-founder of Rodan + Fields (R+F), co-creator of Proactiv
• Samuel Rubin (1901–1978), Russian-born founder of Fabergé, Inc.
• Helena Rubinstein (1872–1965), Polish-born founder of Helena Rubinstein Incorporated
• Lydia Sarfati, Polish-born co-founder of seaweed-based cosmetics company Sarkli-Repêchage
• Burt Shavitz (1935–2015), co-founder of personal care products company Burt's Bees
• Emily Weiss (1984–), founder of cosmetics company Glossier
• Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, Hungarian-born co-founder of nail polish manufacturer OPI

Food

• S. Daniel Abraham (1924–), founder of the Thompson Medical Company (known for SlimFast)
• Isaac Wolfe Bernheim (1848–1945), German-born co-founder of the Bernheim Brothers Distilling Company (known for the I.W. Harper bourbon whiskey brand)
• Sam Born (1891–1959), Russian-born candy maker, founder of Just Born
• Ben Cohen (1951–), co-founder of ice cream company Ben & Jerry's
• Richard B. Cohen (1952–), owner of C&S Wholesale Grocers, the largest wholesale grocery supply company in the U.S.
• Nathan Cummings (1896–1985), Canadian-born founder of the Sara Lee Corporation
• Hilda Eisen (1917–2017), Polish-born co-founder of egg distribution company Norco Ranch Inc.
• Benjamin Eisenstadt (1906–1996), founder of the Cumberland Packing Corporation, inventor of Sweet'n Low (artificial sweetener)
• Charles Louis Fleischmann (1835–1897), Austrian Silesian-born co-founder of Fleischmann Co. (Fleischmann's Yeast, Fleischmann's vodka)
• Sidney Frank (1919–2006), U.S. promoter of Grey Goose vodka and Jägermeister
• Michel Fribourg (1913–2001), Belgian-American chairman and CEO of family-owned ContiGroup Companies (now led by his son, Paul)
• Leon Godchaux (1824–1899), French-born sugar farmer and refiner; founder of Leon Godchaux Clothing Co.
• Seth Goldman (1965–), co-founder of Honest Tea
• Arnold Greenberg (1932–2012), co-founder of tea and juice drinks brand Snapple
• Max Samuel Grifenhagen (1861–1932), founder of Duffy-Mott Company, Inc. and the Monopole Vineyards Corporation
• Ken Grossman (1954–), founder of the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
• Paul Kalmanovitz (1905–1987), Polish-born brewing company magnate, LBO specialist
• Eugene Kashper (1969–), Russian-born chairman of the Pabst Brewing Company
• Harold Katz (1936/1937–), founder of weight loss products provider Nutrisystem, Inc. and former owner of NBA's Philadelphia 76ers
• Samuel Liebmann (1799–1872), German-born founder of the S. Liebmann Brewery (Rheingold Beer); later led by his sons, Charles, Joseph, and Henry
• Daniel Lubetzky (1968–), Mexican-American founder of snack company Kind LLC
• Paul Merage (1934–), Iranian-born co-founder of Chef America Inc. and inventor of the Hot Pockets microwaveable meals; member of the Merage family
• Nelson Morris (1838–1907), German-born founder of meatpacking company Morris & Company (later led by his son, Edward)
• Joseph Neubauer (1941–), Mandatory Palestine-born former CEO of the Aramark Corp., and former VP of PepsiCo, Inc.
• Lynda (1943–) and Stewart Resnick (1936–), founders of the Wonderful Company (holds Fiji Water, POM Wonderful, Teleflora)
• Irene Rosenfeld (1953–), chairman and CEO of Mondelez, former CEO of Kraft Foods
• Lewis Rosenstiel (1891–1976), founder of Schenley Industries
• Sholom Rubashkin (1951–), former CEO of kosher meat-packing company Agriprocessors, Inc.; member of the Rubashkin family
• Rodney Sacks (1949/1950–), South African-born chairman and CEO of the Monster Beverage Corporation (Monster Energy, Relentless, Burn, Mother)
• Russell Weiner (1970–), founder of Rockstar, Inc. (Rockstar energy drink)
• Sam Zemurray (1877–1961), Russian-born founder of the Cuyamel Fruit Company (an ancestor of Chiquita Brands International)

Manufacturing and distribution

• Don Aronow (1927–1987), speedboat manufacturer (Magnum Marine, Formula Boats)
• Charles Avnet (1888–1979), Russian-born founder of electronics parts distributor Avnet, Inc.
• Saul Brandman (1925–2008), clothing manufacturer, developed the brands Timely Trends and Tomboy
• Eli Broad (1933–), co-founder of KB Home (Kaufman & Broad)
• J. M. Brunswick (1819–1886), Swiss-born founder of J.M. Brunswick Manufacturing Co. (now Brunswick Corporation)
• Bill Davidson (1922–2009), chairman and CEO of Guardian Industries and owner of NBA's Detroit Pistons
• Charles Dayan (1941–), founder of Bonjour Capital and co-founder of Bonjour Jeans
• Isadore Familian (1911–2002), owner and CEO of Price Pfister
• Joseph Fels (1853–1914), soap manufacturer, co-developer of the Fels-Naptha brand
• Oscar Hammerstein I (1846–1919), German-born cigar manufacturer, founder of the U.S Tobacco Journal
• Bradley S. Jacobs (1956–), chairman and CEO of XPO Logistics, Inc., co-founder of United Rentals, Inc.
• Sidney Jacobson (1918–2005), founder of industrial equipment distributor MSC Industrial Direct
• Julius Kayser (1838–1920), founder of the Julius Kayser Company (now Kayser-Roth)
• Joseph Koret (1900–1982), Russian-born founder of textile company Koret of California
• Jeffrey Lorberbaum (1954–), chairman and CEO of Mohawk Industries
• Morton Mandel (1921–2019), co-founder of electronics parts distributor Premier Industrial Corporation
• Morris Markin (1893–1970), Russian-born founder of the Checker Motors Corporation
• Lawrence S. Phillips (1927–2015), chairman of the Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation (now PVH Corp.; owns the Tommy Hilfiger Corporation, Calvin Klein Inc., IZOD)
• Mitchell and Steven M. Rales, founders of the Danaher Corporation
• Adolf Rosenberger, German-born co-founder of the Porsche GmbH
• Chester H. Roth, founder of the Chester H. Roth Company (now Kayser-Roth)
• Milton Shapp, founder of cable television equipment manufacturing company Jerrold Electronics
• Alfred P. Slaner (1918–1996), president of clothing manufacturer Kayser-Roth
• Paul Soros (1926–2013), Hungarian-born shipping industry magnate, founder of Soros Associates; member of the Soros family
• Ronald Stanton, German-born founder of fertilizer, chemical, and fuels distributor Transammonia Inc. (now Trammo, Inc.)
• William Ungar, Polish-born founder of the National Envelope Corporation
• Linda J. Wachner, former president and CEO of textile/clothing distribution company Warnaco Group, Inc.
• Ira D. Wallach, CEO of family-owned Central National-Gottesman, Inc. (formerly M. Gottesman & Company), one of the world's largest distributors of pulp, paper, packaging, tissue, newsprint and plywood
• Ernest M. Wuliger, owner of the Ohio-Sealy Mattress Manufacturing Company
• Felix Zandman, Polish-born founder of electronic components manufacturer Vishay Intertechnology

Miscellaneous

• Jacob Arabo, Uzbek-born founder of Diamond District-based jewelry company Jacob & Co
• Norman Braman, car dealer, former co-owner of NFL's Philadelphia Eagles; Madoff Ponzi scheme victim
• Edgar M. Cullman, former co-owner, president and CEO of the General Cigar Company
• Lazarus Dinkelspiel, German-born founder of L. Dinkelspiel & Co.
• Gary Friedman, chairman and CEO of Restoration Hardware (RH)
• Leo Gerstenzang, Polish-born founder of Leo Gerstenzang Infant Novelty Co., inventor of Q-tips
• Samuel Glazer, co-founder of Mr. Coffee, one of the first automatic drip coffee makers
• Aron Goldfarb, Polish-born founder of licensed and owned apparel brands manufacturing company G-III Apparel Group
• John D. Hertz (1879–1961), Slovak-born founder of the Yellow Cab Company
• Michael Krasny, founder of the CDW Corporation
• Moshe Lax, co-founder of the Dynamic Diamond Corp., former chairman of the Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry Company
• Sydney Lewis, founder of the Best Products Company
• Helly Nahmad, art dealer, founder of Manhattan-based Helly Nahmad Gallery; member of the Nahmad family
• Victor Potamkin, former car dealership owner, founder of the Potamkin Automotive Group
• Harold Roitenberg, founder of catalog merchandiser and showroom Modern Merchandising Inc.; Madoff Ponzi scheme victim
• Jamie Salter, Canadian-American founder of brand management company Authentic Brands Group (owns Volcom, Spyder, Juicy Couture, Frederick's, Tapout, Nautica)
• Jay Schottenstein, founder of the Schottenstein Stores Corp., owner of American Signature, chairman of American Eagle
• Lorraine Schwartz, jewerly designer
• Benny Shabtai, Israeli-American former owner of the North American sales rights to luxury watch brand Raymond Weil
• Maurice Tempelsman, Belgian-American diamond magnate, founder of the Tempelsman Group, chairman of Lazare Kaplan International (LKI)
• Les Wexner, chairman and CEO of L Brands, Inc. (owns Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works)
• Morris B. Zale, Russian-born co-founder of jewelry retailer, the Zale Corporation

Stores

• Abraham Abraham (1843–1911), co-founder of department store Abraham & Straus (A&S); member of the Abraham family
• Benjamin Altman (1840–1913), founder of B. Altman and Company
• Beatrice Fox Auerbach (1887–1968), former president and director of G. Fox & Co.
• Richard A. Baker (1965–), Executive Chairman of the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC)
• Louis Bamberger (1855–1944), co-founder of L. Bamberger & Company
• Henri Willis Bendel (1868–1936), founder of women's accessories store Henri Bendel, Inc.
• Arthur Blank (1942–), co-founder of the Home Depot, owner of NFL's Atlanta Falcons
• Joseph and Lyman Bloomingdale, co-founders of Bloomingdale's
• Rose Blumkin, Belarus-born founder of the Nebraska Furniture Mart
• Albert Boscov, former president and CEO of Boscov's department store
• Jeffrey Brotman, co-founder of the Costco Wholesale Corporation
• Jacob Elias Cohen, Irish-born former president and CEO of Jacksonville, Florida-based Cohen Brothers department store
• Mickey Drexler, former chairman and CEO of J.Crew Group, Inc.
• Edward and Abraham Lincoln Filene, former executives at family-founded Filene's department store
• Felix Fuld, German-born co-founder of L. Bamberger & Company
• Adam Gimbel, founder of the Gimbels department store
• Sonny Gindi, co-founder of the Century 21 department store
• Dave Gold, founder of 99 Cents Only Stores
• Maurice Goldblatt, co-founder of the Goldblatt's department store
• Sylvan Nathan Goldman, former Oklahoma-based supermarket chain owner; inventor of the shopping cart
• Shira Goodman, president and CEO of Staples, Inc.
• Salmon Portland Chase Halle, co-founder of the Halle Brothers department store
• Asher Hamburger (1821–1897), German-born founder of the A. Hamburger & Sons department store (later May Company California)
• Fred Hayman, Swiss-born founder of luxury boutique Giorgio Beverly Hills
• Leo Kahn, co-founder of office supply retailing corporation Staples Inc.
• Sidney Kimmel, founder of Jones Apparel Group and Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, minority owner of NBA's Miami Heat
• Simon Lazarus, German-born founder of the Lazarus department store (later The F&R Lazarus & Co., merged with Macy's Inc.)
• Leon Levine, founder of the Family Dollar chain of discount stores
• Bernard Marcus, co-founder of the Home Depot
• Herbert Marcus (1878–1950), co-founder of luxury retailer Neiman Marcus (later led by his sons, Stanley and Lawrence)
• Alfred Marshall, co-founder of off-price department store Marshalls, Inc.
• David May, German-born founder of the May Department Stores Company (now Macy's, Inc.); member of the May family
• Ed Mirvish, American-Canadian founder of discount store Honest Ed's
• Al (1875–1970) and Carrie Marcus Neiman (1883–1953), co-founders of Neiman Marcus
• Sol Polk, co-founder of appliance retailer Polk Bros., Inc.
• Barney Pressman, founder of Barneys New York
• Sol Price, founder of Price Club (merged with Costco)
• Julius Rosenwald, former president and part-owner of Sears; featured in the 2015 documentary film Rosenwald
• Andrew Saks (1847–1912), founder of luxury department store chain Saks Fifth Avenue
• Rabinovitz/Rabb family, founders of the Stop & Shop supermarket chain
• Abram M. Rothschild, founder of A.M. Rothschild Company
• Henry Siegel, German-born co-founder of the Siegel-Cooper Company
• Isidor Straus, German-born former co-owner of Macy's department store; Titanic victim
• Marcus Younker, Polish-born co-founder of the Younker Brothers department store
• George Zimmer, founder of Men's Wearhouse

Toys and games

• Beatrice Alexander (1895–1990), founder of the Alexander Doll Company
• Paul Budnitz (1967–), founder of art toys companies Kidrobot and Superplastic
• Joshua Lionel Cowen (1877–1965), co-founder of toy trains manufacturing company Lionel Corp. (later owned by his great-nephew, Roy Cohn); inventor of the flash-lamp
• Jack Friedman (1939–2010), toy and video game industry veteran, founder of LJN and Jakks Pacific, co-founder of THQ
• Eddy Goldfarb (1921–), toy inventor (Yakity Yak Talking Teeth, Stompers)
• Elliot (1916–2011) and Ruth Handler (1916–2002), co-founders of Mattel Inc. (Barbie, Hot Wheels, Masters of the Universe)
• Henry Hassenfeld, Polish-born co-founder of toys and games company Hasbro, Inc. (originally Hassenfeld Brothers)
• Isaac Heller (1926–2015), co-founder of Remco Industries, Inc.
• Isaac Larian (1954–), Iranian-born founder of MGA Entertainment, Inc., the biggest privately owned toy company in the world
• Charles Lazarus (1923–2018), founder of Toys "R" Us
• Louis Marx (1896–1982), former toymaker, co-founder of Louis Marx and Company
• Morris Michtom (1870–1938), Russian-born founder of the Ideal Toy Company, inventor of the Teddy bear
• Henry Orenstein (1923–), Polish-born toymaker, founder of Topper Toys (Johnny Lightning, Dawn doll, Suzy Homemaker)
• Isaac Perlmutter (1942–), Israeli-American chairman of Marvel Entertainment, former co-owner of Toy Biz (later Marvel Toys)

See also

• Lists of Jewish Americans
  • Businesspeople
    • in finance
    • in media
    • in real estate