Kaufman-Straus Building
National Register of Historic Places

Kaufman-Straus Building

Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky
Listed
February 14, 1978
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
78001357

About this property

Kaufman-Straus was a local department store that operated in Louisville, Kentucky, from 1879 to 1969. In 1879, local retail clerk Henry Kaufman opened the first store on Jefferson between 7th and 8th. Four years later, Benjamin Straus entered into partnership with Kaufman. In 1887, the Kaufman-Straus store moved to South 4th Street in space leased from the Polytechnic Society of Kentucky. The new flagship store opened in 1903, at 533-49 South 4th Street, designed by local architect Mason Maury. In 1924, Kaufman-Straus was acquired by City Stores Company and the following year the flagship store underwent extensive renovations. City Stores rebranded the company as Kaufman's in 1960. It operated two stores in suburban Louisville at The Mall and Dixie Manor. In 1969, Kaufman's was acquired by L. S. Ayres, and the downtown Louisville store was subsequently closed in 1971. The flagship store was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. It is a six-story building.

Location

427--437 S. 4th St.
Louisville, Jefferson County, Kentucky
38.25208, -85.75722

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Stewart, W.K., Bookstore
Industrial
0.1 mi
Cathedral of the Assumption
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0.1 mi
Old U.S. Customshouse and Post Office
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0.1 mi
Seelbach Hotel
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0.1 mi
Business Women's Club, The
Industrial
0.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Siege of Fort Nelson (Louisville)
1781Revolutionary War
0.1 mi
Battle of Long Run (KY)
1781Revolutionary War
11.1 mi
Battle of Long Run
1781Revolutionary War
11.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Kaufman-Straus Building listed on the National Register?

Kaufman-Straus Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on February 14, 1978.

What type of historic resource is Kaufman-Straus Building?

Kaufman-Straus Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Kaufman-Straus Building?

The period of significance for Kaufman-Straus Building is recorded as the industrial era, specifically around 1879.

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