Trade card - Excelsior Clothiers, Cleveland, Ohio, March 27, 1884

Trade Card - Excelsior Clothiers .....Comical re: mother-in-law......,,,verso full ad for one year birthday 3/27/1884...Excelsior Clothiers was a notable retail clothing store located at 201–211 Superior Street in Cleveland, Ohio, during the late 19th century. Situated in the Rouse Block, a prominent commercial building on the northwest corner of Public Square and Superior Street. Jacob Steinfeld was a prominent member of Cleveland's German-Jewish immigrant merchant class during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His success as a retail pioneer allowed him to help shape the city's early commercial landscape while becoming a major figure in its growing Jewish communal network. Operating under the banner of Excelsior Clothiers at 201-211 Superior Street, Steinfeld earned the newspaper moniker the "Old Reliable" clothier. His business was highly regarded for introducing high-volume, affordable, ready-made clothing to Cleveland's working class. Leveraging his retail wealth, he heavily invested in local real estate, hiring the renowned architectural firm Lehman & Schmitt to construct a massive multi-story commercial building on Woodland Avenue in 1891, as well as a large personal estate and barn complex on East 55th Street in 1889. As a highly successful businessman, Steinfeld was a key early member and patron of The Excelsior Club. Founded in 1872, the institution served as the primary social and cultural epicenter for Cleveland's elite German-Jewish community during an era when they were excluded from mainstream Gentile social clubs. Beyond social circles, his philanthropy extended deep into the community; he supported early Jewish orphanages, immigrant relief funds, and welfare charities recorded in historical registries like the American Jewish Year Book. Steinfeld's commitment to his community extended to preserving its history and honoring its dead. He was actively involved in the development and maintenance of Mayfield Cemetery, a landmark Jewish cemetery established in 1887 by the Euclid Avenue Temple and Tiffereth Israel congregations. Upon his death, he was interred there alongside his peers, cementing his legacy within Cleveland's Jewish history.

Associated People/Businesses

• Jacob Steinfeld (Proprietor)
• Steinfeld, Jacob

Geography

No geographic information available.

Subjects

• Clothing
• Retail trade
• Advertising
• Humorous illustrations
• Caricature
• Cleveland (Ohio)
• 19th Century
• Jewish businesses
• German-Jewish community

Physical Location

Arc.MS.56, Box 20, Folder 10