J. Frank’s

Born in Hungary to Ignatz (1849-1919) and Rosalie Alter Frank (1846-1927), Jacob Frank (1879-1963) immigrated to Manhattan in the 1890s and moved to Charleston around 1906. After working as a foreman in a cigar factory, Jacob established two dry goods stores in 1910: one at 570 King Street in Charleston and another—managed by Isidore Sobel (1892-1972)—on Walter Steet in Walterboro. In 1913, Jacob moved to Colleton County with his wife Bertha Sobel Frank (1881-1967) and their two eldest children and sold the Walterboro branch of his store—known as Frank’s Charleston Surprise Bargain Clothing & Shoe Store—to Isidore and Philip Bogoslow (1888-1952). That same year, he moved his remaining stock of clothing and shoes from Charleston and opened J. Frank’s in Walterboro.

Over the years, Jacob attempted to retire on multiple occasions. In 1931, he sold his stock to Daniel Widelitz (1881-1938) of St. George only to reopen J. Frank’s again the following year. In 1944, he retired again and then joined the tobacco industry before leaving his final business to his son Benny (1909-1994) around 1958.