M. Poliakoff’s Bargain House

In the early 1890s, Russian natives David (c.1872-1940), Mendel (1874-1937), and Samuel Poliakoff (1875-1925) immigrated to the United States. Soon after, Samuel opened a “Boston Store” in Gaffney, which David and Mendel took over in April 1897. In 1898, Mendel bought David out of the business and continued to operate there as M. Poliakoff with great success.

In September of 1901, Mendel expanded to Greenwood and announced that W. E. Peeler of Gaffney would serve as his salesman. By January of the following year, Mendel determined that his new business demanded his full attention and by February, Bristow, McAllister & Peeler were operating in his former location. Now living in Greenwood, Mendel rebranded his new store as M. Poliakoff’s Bargain House and began to use the motto “underselling but not undervaluing.”¹ In April 1902, he left for a buying trip to New York City and married Rachel “Ray” Goldstein (1884-1942) while he was there. In March 1904, Mendel closed M. Poliakoff’s Bargain House, and in May Samuel opened S. Poliakoff, or The New York Bazaar, at Mendel’s former location.

¹ “Our Motto,” Evening Index, October 30, 1902, 9.