Introduction
Kotlikoff’s department store, 2503–05 Federal Street (left); Louis Kotlikoff (center); Harold, Louis, & Tanfield Kotlikoff (right)
Louis Jacob Kotlikoff was born in Kiev, Russia in 1879. He came to America and married Clara Hager, another Jewish immigrant, shortly after the turn of the century. Louis Kotlikoff opened his first store at 2511 Federal Street with $250, and the young couple lived in the apartment over the store. Their first child, Tanfield, was born in 1907 and Harold was born two years later. The business had prospered, and had already moved to 2507 Federal Street, when in 1912, the Kotlikoffs purchased 2509 Federal Street and doubled the size of their store. A third son, Albert, was born in 1915. In 1923 the Kotlikoff store was moved to 2503 Federal Street, where it remained open until 1981. Louis Kotlikoff passed away in Camden in 1933, and the store was run by his widow and three sons.
The only department-type store in East Camden, the Kotlikoff store continued to prosper, and at its zenith employed 25 people and $1,000,000 in revenue. The opening of the Cherry Hill Mall in 1961 impacted on the store’s sales. The mall’s developers tried to entice leading Camden retailers, including Kotlikoff’s family owned clothing store, to move to the mall.
Tanfield Kotlikoff and his brothers decided to stay in the city and to compete with mall merchants by offering better service. The East Camden store would remain open, but other Camden institutions departed in quick succession in the 1950s and 1960s, including the Jewish Community Center, Camden Catholic High School, the Esterbrook Pen Company, and the Courier-Post newspaper.
Tanfield Kotlikoff outside the store — 1970s (left); A happy shopper inside Kotlikoff’s — 1970s (right)
The decline in the economic fortunes of Camden and its residents hurt the store. Renewed optimism in the 1970s was dashed when Mayor Angelo Errichetti left office after the ABSCAM trial. The city lost a planned Veterans Administration Hospital and whatever momentum the city had gained was lost.
On October 27, 1981, Kotlikoff’s was burglarized three times in one day…the second and third times after thieves pried away the plywood that covered plate glass windows shattered by hurled cinder blocks. Five months later, Kotlikoff’s closed its doors forever.
The building was the site of a thrift store in the early 1980s, run by Goodwill Industries. In the 1990s the building was divided, and presently houses three retail businesses.
It is long forgotten, but at one time there was another Kotlikoff Department Store in Camden. This business was at 3404–06 Federal Street. This store was founded by Samuel Kotlikoff, and operated by his wife after their separation in 1927. Son David was operating the business as late as 1947, when it was known as the Rosedale Department Store. This business had closed by 1956.
Three Heroes Defy Flames as $10,000 Fire Sweeps East Camden Store
Camden Courier-Post —
The “Other” Kotlikoff’s — Camden Courier-Post — January 9, 1928
AVIATOR RISKS LIFE TO SAVE PET DOG; JANITOR ARRESTED
Blame Man’s ‘Celebration’ for Overheating of Furnace That Started Blaze
Yesterday was a holiday for Edward C. Sooy, who is a janitor six days a week at 3404–08 Federal street, but after a bit of celebrating, he thought it only proper that he should advise the woman owner of the building how to care for the furnace.
Today the two-story frame building is a mere skeleton of boards as the result of a $10,000 fire last night.
Sooy, who is 49 years old and lives at 10 South Thirty-fourth street, was locked in a cell charged with drunkenness and disorderly conduct. This morning in police court Patrolman Thomas Bright testified that the janitor had refused to leave the burning building. Sooy admitted that he had been drinking yesterday and was fined $5.
Furnace Overheated
The blaze started from an overheated furnace and it is believed by the police to have resulted from improper advice on the care of the heating plant.
While flames were sweeping through the building, three men became heroes. One was a policeman and the second a fireman. They staggered through the smoke-filled building because it was reported that a woman was trapped on the second floor.
The third, an aviator, was asleep when the fire broke out and after making his way to safety down a ladder, went back into his room and risked his life to save his dog.
Patrolman Joseph Shreves, with a fireman, plunged through the smoke into an upstairs apartment where James Jones and his wife, Ella, live, after they had heard reports that the woman was home alone. They found the apartment empty.
Pet Dog Rescued
H. W. Friant, an aviator, was alone in his apartment when the noise awakened him. Pajama-clad as he was, he dashed to the stairway, but found it blocked by flames. He crawled on the floor toward a window as the dense smoke threatened to render him unconscious. He hung from the window and dropped to a shed.
Firemen hurriedly put a ladder against the shed and aided him to the ground. Then he remembered his dog and raced for the ladder, dashing into the blazing building again after tearing himself away from the grasp of the firemen. He returned, half-overcome and dazed, the puppy in his arms.
The dog revived when it reached the ground. It opened its eyes and yelped feebly at first, but set its tail wagging when Friant took it in his arms.
“He was lying on the floor near the bed, completely out,” said Friant. “I nearly passed out myself from the smoke before I found him.”
The blaze occurred in the Kotlikoff department store, owned by Mrs. Samuel Kotlikoff, who, with her two children, occupies the apartment in the rear of the first floor. They were not at home at the time of the fire.
Captain Harvey Watts, commander of Truck No. 3, Twenty-seventh and Federal streets, sustained a fracture of the little finger of his left hand. He was treated on the scene of the fire by Dr. Wilson, who lives nearby.
Hoseman William Jaeckle, of Engine Company No. 9, Twenty-seventh and Federal streets, suffered cuts on the right hand. He was treated by Police Surgeon Ley.
Friant is engaged as a pilot for a commercial flying company operating from a field on the Marlton pike.
Traffic Is Blocked
Hose lines blocked traffic on Federal street for nearly an hour during the evening while the fire raged. Trolleys were shifted at Twenty-sixth street. They ran as a shuttle service between Twenty-sixth and Thirty-fourth streets. Passengers changed at Thirty-fourth street to other trolleys and buses.
Mrs. Kotlikoff has been operating the store alone for several months, since separation from her husband, Samuel. He was injured in an automobile accident four or five months ago, as was a woman companion. His wife demanded an explanation, and he said he merely had given the woman a “lift.”
Mrs. Kotlikoff investigated and as a result they separated. She kept control of the business and he was not permitted by her to take any share in it.
Harold Kotlikoff
Camden High School Purple & Gold Yearbook —
Named: Harold Kotlikoff, Camden High School Purple & Gold Yearbook, and January 1928.
Floor Space of East Camden Store Doubled to Meet Increased Business
Camden Courier-Post —
Show Windows of Kotlikoff’s Department Store
Because of constantly increasing business and the desire to better serve the growing list of customers, along with a belief in the future trade expansion of the territory, Kotlikoff’s store at 2503–5 Federal Street has been doubled in size. This store, the only department store in East Camden, was started in 1908 with a capital of $250 and with a floor space of 400 square feet. The alterations just completed cost $30,000 and the floor space is more than 6000 square feet.
Growth of Kotlikoff’s from the small beginning is typical of American business progress, and is expressive of the expansion of East Camden as a trading center because of its ready access from all parts of South Jersey.
Tells of Beginning
Mrs. Louis J. Kotlikoff today recounted how she and her husband, now deceased, began the business at 2511 Federal Street with the $250 capital. From the beginning the business prospered and the store was moved to 2507 Federal Street in 1911. Then the store was doubled in size by taking in the property at 2509 Federal Street in 1912 and in 1923 the present property was purchased.
“The alterations were decided upon,” said Mrs. Kotlikoff, “because of the increase in business and the prospects which we feel are here for continued growth in East Camden. It is a wonderful area, and is destined to become an ever greater one.
Grandchildren Are Customers
“Not only do we retain the first customers which we had, but now we have the children and the grandchildren of those same customers.
“All of the work done on the alterations was by Camden people, and the help on the job was recruited from East Camden. Many of our customers come from as far away as Trenton — there are many from Berlin, Atco, Haddonfield, Moorestown, Merchantville, Oaklyn and the riverfront towns of Riverton, Riverside and Palmyra.
The store handles a complete line of men’s, women’s and children’s ready-to-wear clothes, as well as millinery, all nationally-advertised products. There is a complete stock of patterns and drygoods and a large stock of infants’ wear.
“The customer must be satisfied, and if for any reason the customer is not, then the money paid for the article is returned without red tape,” said Tanfield S. Kotlikoff, one of the three sons who act as joint managers of the store. The other two brothers are Harold and Albert.
Buys Best Merchandise
“Our business thus far this year is about 12½ percent ahead of last year,” said Kotlikoff, “and we fully expect that 1936 will be an outstanding year for us. It is our constant aim to supply our customers with the merchandise that they want. When we buy merchandise we do so with the thought in mind that we are buying the articles that we would like to use ourselves — the very best — and we want our customers to have just that type of merchandise.”
Our new store is a daylight one. The modern fixtures, just installed, are of maple, with modern electric lighting for the evenings and the Warren Webster heating system. Against a show window of 18 square feet in the original store, the present one has show windows of 350 square feet.
At the week there are six persons serving customers in the store, the three sons and three employes, while for the Friday-Saturday week-end the staff is boosted to 10. During the holiday season the number was advanced to 31 and this year it will be increased to 50.
BIG NEWS! Palm Beach Suits
Camden Courier-Post —
Palm Beach Suits — Regularly Priced at $17.75 — NOW REDUCED TO $13.95
A life-time opportunity to enjoy Palm Beach fabrics in colors that stay fast, in CLEAR PALM BEACH WEAVES. Palm Beach suits are sold at only regular outlets throughout the country. Single breasted, double breasted, shorts, longs, a size to fit every size. Take advantage of this sale, without delay.
OTHER PALM BEACH ITEMS: White Sport Coats — Reg. $18.25 Now $14.95 • Trousers and Slacks — Reg. $8.95 Now $6.95 • Slack Suits — Reg. $10.95 Now $8.95
3 FREE ALTERATIONS — OPEN EVENINGS — Kotlikoff’s, The Dependable Store, 2509 Federal St., One Door From Our Department Store
Recollections
I had my first job at Kotlikoff’s, at 25th and Federal. They hired me as a part time stock boy, after school. But not until I got my “working papers” (do kids today need working papers?).
— Harry McCurdy, March 2007
While growing up in Camden I was an altar boy at the convent next to the hospital on Euclid Ave and my mother always took me to Kotlikoffs for my suits.
— Pat Yocolano, September 2007
End-of-Season Dress Sale
Camden Courier-Post —
END-OF-SEASON DRESS SALE — 28th and FEDERAL ST., EAST CAMDEN — TELEPHONE EM 2-5800
Select styles from many pretty styles. Sizes for junior petites, juniors, misses and half-sizes. Most all are wash-type cotton blends and novel fabrics. DRIP DRY ITEMS — PEDAL PANT SETS — COSTUME SETS. VALUES UP TO $18 — NOW from $9.90 UP
SPORTSWEAR AND SWIMWEAR SALE — Prices Reduced Up to 60%
HUSKY BOYS’ CLOTHES: Shirts • Jackets • Sport Shirts • Flare Slacks • Rainwear • Clothing
OPEN THURS. & FRI. EVES. ‘TIL 9 P.M. SATURDAY ‘TIL 5:30 — INSTANT PARKING AT OUR LOT — USE YOUR HOLIDAY CHARGE — OR — CASH — C.C.F. — MASTER — BANKAMERICARD
Kotlikoff's in the 1970s
Kotlikoff’s, 25th & Federal Streets, East Camden — 1970s