K. Finkelstein

In 1893, Karl Finkelstein (1871-1954) arrived in New York City after leaving his home in Poland. He soon made his way down south, however, as by 1897 he was living in Orangeburg, South Carolina. There, Finkelstein made a living for himself selling goods under his own name. He kept up this business until 1901, when he went bankrupt. In 1908, however, Finkelstein resumed his mercantile activities, opening dry goods and clothing store K. Finkelstein. K. Finkelstein remained in operation until Finkelstein’s wife, Minnie Rosenbaum Finkelstein (1879-1962), and son, Lester Finkelstein (1909-1995), joined him to form clothier Finkelstein’s.