# List of Jewish American businesspeople in retail

* This is a partial list of notable Jewish American business executives in the retail industry. For other Jewish Americans, see lists of Jewish Americans.

## Clothing

* Iris Apfel (1921–2024), 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.
* Stacey Bendet (born 1975), co-founder of Alice + Olivia
* Sara Blakely (born 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 (born 1966), fashion designer, founder of Tory Burch LLC
* Dov Charney (born 1966), Canadian-American founder of American Apparel
* Nudie Cohn (1902–1984), Ukrainian-born fashion designer, known for the "Nudie Suits"
* Kenneth Cole (born 1954), founder of Kenneth Cole Productions (owned Le Tigre brand)
* Jacob W. Davis (1831–1908), Latvian-born inventor of the jeans (in partnership with Levi Strauss & Co)
* Charles Dayan (born 1941), founder of Bonjour Capital and co-founder of Bonjour Jeans
* Alan Eckstein, co-founder of fashion label Timo Weiland
* Paul Fireman (born 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 (born 1931), founders of the Gap, Inc.
* Robert J. Fisher (born 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 (born 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 (born 1975), founder of fashion label Shoshanna
* Bob Haas (born 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 (born 1963), fashion designer
* Donna Karan (born 1948), founder of DKNY
* Calvin Richard Klein (born 1942), co-founder of Calvin Klein Inc.
* Michael Kors (born 1959), fashion designer, founder of Capri Holdings (owns the Michael Kors brand, Versace, and Jimmy Choo Ltd)
* Ralph Lauren (born 1939), founder of the Ralph Lauren Corporation
* Henri Alexander Levy (born 1991), founder of luxury fashion brand Enfants Riches Déprimés (ERD)
* Andrea Lieberman, fashion designer, founder of A.L.C
* Paul Marciano (born 1952), Moroccan-born co-founder of fashion company GUESS
* Leon Max (born 1954), Russian-American fashion designer, founder of the Max Studio upmarket fashion retail chain
* Marc Milecofsky (born 1972), founder of fashion company Ecko Unltd. and the media network Complex (Complex magazine, Complex TV, ComplexCon)
* Isaac Mizrahi (born 1961), fashion designer
* Avi, Ralph and Joseph Nakash (born 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 (born 1968), fashion designer
* Barry K. Schwartz (born 1942), co-founder of Calvin Klein Inc., former chairman of the New York Racing Association (NYRA)
* Levi Strauss (1829–1902), German-born co-founder of the Levi Strauss & Co. clothing company
* David Stern (1820–1875), German-born co-founder of Levi Strauss & Co.
* Nathan Swartz (1902–1984), Russian-born founder of the Timberland Company (later led by his grandson, Jeffrey (born 1960))
* Elie Tahari (born 1952), Israeli-American luxury fashion designer
* Stuart Weitzman (born 1941), luxury shoe designer

## Cosmetics

* George Barrie (1912–2002), owner and CEO of Fabergé Inc.
* Bobbi Brown (born 1957), founder of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, co-owner of the George Hotel
* 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)
* Lawrence M. Gelb (1898–1980), co-founder of hair care company Clairol (Nice 'n Easy, Herbal Essences); member of the Gelb family
* Sophia Grojsman (born 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 (born 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 (born 1984), founder of cosmetics company Glossier
* Suzi Weiss-Fischmann (born 1956), Hungarian-born co-founder of nail polish manufacturer OPI

## Food

* S. Daniel Abraham (born 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 (born 1951), co-founder of ice cream company Ben & Jerry's
* Richard B. Cohen (born 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 (later led by his son, Paul (1954/1955–))
* Isaac Friedlander (1823–1878), German-born grain merchant
* Leon Godchaux (1824–1899), French-born sugar farmer and refiner; founder of Leon Godchaux Clothing Co.
* Seth Goldman (born 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 (born 1954), founder of the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
* Paul Kalmanovitz (1905–1987), Polish-born brewing company magnate, LBO specialist
* Eugene Kashper (born 1969), Russian-born chairman of the Pabst Brewing Company
* Harold Katz (born 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 (1837–1928), Joseph (1831–1913), and Henry (1836–1915)
* Daniel Lubetzky (born 1968), Mexican-American founder of snack company Kind LLC
* Dov Behr Manischewitz (1857–1914), Lithuanian-born founder of kosher products company Manischewitz
* Paul Merage (born 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 (born 1941), Mandatory Palestine-born former CEO of the Aramark Corp., and former VP of PepsiCo, Inc.
* Harry Ornest (1923–1998), vending machine magnate, owner of NHL's St. Louis Blues and CFL's Toronto Argonauts
* Lynda (born 1943) and Stewart Resnick (born 1936), founders of the Wonderful Company (holds Fiji Water, POM Wonderful, Teleflora)
* Irene Rosenfeld (born 1953), chairman and CEO of Mondelez, former CEO of Kraft Foods
* Lewis Rosenstiel (1891–1976), founder of Schenley Industries
* Sholom Rubashkin (born 1951), former CEO of kosher meat-packing company Agriprocessors, Inc.; member of the Rubashkin family
* Rodney Sacks (born 1949/1950), South African-born chairman and CEO of the Monster Beverage Corporation (Monster Energy, Relentless, Burn, Mother)
* Marvin Sands (1924–1999), founder of Constellation Brands (now led by his sons, Rob (1958/1959-) and Richard (born 1950/1951))
* Russell Weiner (born 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.
* Benjamin Abrams (1893–1967), founder of Emerson Radio & Phonograph Corporation
* Saul Brandman (1925–2008), clothing manufacturer, developed the brands Timely Trends and Tomboy
* Peter Brant (born 1947), co-owner of paper manufacturer Brant-Allen Industries
* Eli Broad (1933–2021), 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
* Isadore Familian (1911–2002), owner and CEO of Price Pfister
* John Farber (1925–2024), chemist and founder of specialty chemical trader ICC Industries
* 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 (born 1956), chairman and CEO of XPO, Inc., co-founder of United Rentals, Inc.
* Sidney Jacobson (1918–2005), founder of industrial equipment distributor MSC Industrial Direct (formerly Sid Tool, Inc.)
* Irving Harris (1910–2004), CEO of Pittway
* 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 (born 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
* Martha Nierenberg (1924–2020), Hungarian-born co-founder of home accessories distributor and retailer Dansk International Designs
* Lawrence S. Phillips (1927–2015), chairman of the Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation (now PVH Corp.; owns the Tommy Hilfiger Corporation, Calvin Klein Inc., IZOD)
* Steven (born 1951) and Mitchell Rales (born 1956), founders of the Danaher Corporation
* Isaac Rice (1850–1915), German-born founder of the Electric Boat Company (now General Dynamics Electric Boat)
* Adolf Rosenberger (1900–1967), German-born co-founder of the Porsche GmbH
* Chester H. Roth (1902–1977), founder of the Chester H. Roth Company (now Kayser-Roth)
* Milton Shapp (1912–1994), founder of cable television equipment manufacturing company Jerrold Electronics
* Irving S. Shapiro (1916–2001), former CEO of DuPont
* 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 (1928–2016), German-born founder of fertilizer, chemical, and fuels distributor Transammonia Inc. (now Trammo, Inc.)
* William Ungar (1913–2013), Polish-born founder of the National Envelope Corporation
* Linda J. Wachner (born 1946), former president and CEO of textile/clothing distribution company Warnaco Group, Inc.
* Ira D. Wallach (1909–2007), 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 (1920–1992), owner of the Ohio-Sealy Mattress Manufacturing Company
* Felix Zandman (1928–2011), Polish-born founder of electronic components manufacturer Vishay Intertechnology

## Miscellaneous

* Jacob Arabo (born 1964), Uzbek-born founder of Diamond District-based jewelry company Jacob & Co
* Norman Braman (born 1932), car dealer, former co-owner of NFL's Philadelphia Eagles; Madoff Ponzi scheme victim
* Edgar M. Cullman (1918–2011), former co-owner, president and CEO of the General Cigar Company
* Lazarus Dinkelspiel (1824–1900), German-born founder of L. Dinkelspiel & Co.
* Gary Friedman (born 1957), chairman and CEO of Restoration Hardware (RH)
* Leo Gerstenzang (1892–1961), Polish-born founder of Leo Gerstenzang Infant Novelty Co., inventor of Q-tips
* Samuel Glazer (1923–2012), co-founder of Mr. Coffee, one of the first automatic drip coffee makers
* Aron Goldfarb (1924–2012), 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 (1952/1953–), 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 (1919–1999), founder of the Best Products Company
* Helly Nahmad (born 1978), art dealer, founder of Manhattan-based Helly Nahmad Gallery; member of the Nahmad family
* Victor Potamkin (1911–1995), former car dealership owner, founder of the Potamkin Automotive Group
* Harold Roitenberg (1927–2018), 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 (born 1954), founder of the Schottenstein Stores Corp., owner of American Signature, chairman of American Eagle
* Lorraine Schwartz, jewelry designer
* Benny Shabtai, Israeli-American former owner of the North American sales rights to luxury watch brand Raymond Weil
* Maurice Tempelsman (born 1929), Belgian-American diamond magnate, founder of the Tempelsman Group, chairman of Lazare Kaplan International (LKI)
* Les Wexner (born 1937), chairman and CEO of L Brands, Inc. (owns Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works)
* David Yurman (born 1942), co-founder of jewelry company David Yurman Enterprises LLC
* Morris B. Zale (1901–1995), 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 (born 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 (born 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 (1866–1949), 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.
* Edgar J. Kaufmann (1885–1955), president of Kaufmann's Department Store in Pittsburgh
* Sidney Kimmel, founder of Jones Apparel Group and Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, minority owner of NBA's Miami Heat
* Solomon Lazard (1827–1916), co-founder of the City of Paris department store
* 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
* Frank Russek (1875/1876–1948), co-founder of the Russeks department store chain
* 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
* Mel Birnkrant (born 1937), toy designer (Outer Space Men, Baby Face)
* Paul Budnitz (born 1967), founder of art toys companies Kidrobot and Superplastic, co-founder of social network Ello
* 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 (born 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 (born 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 (1923–2021), Polish-born toymaker, founder of Topper Toys (Johnny Lightning, Dawn doll, Suzy Homemaker)
* Isaac Perlmutter (born 1942), Israeli-American chairman of Marvel Entertainment, former co-owner of Toy Biz (later Marvel Toys)