Poliakoff Brothers
Merchant
c.1895-1898
Gaffney, SC
FAMILIES: Poliakoff
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 while David and Mendel established Poliakoff Brothers in Clifton around 1894. In April 1897, David and Mendel took over Samuel’s Gaffney store, and in January of the following year, they moved to the former New York Clothing House. There, they sold an assortment of clothing, shoes, and other dry goods. In 1898, Mendel bought David out of the business and renamed it M. Poliakoff. He continued to operate in Gaffney until 1901 while David went on to establish D. Poliakoff in Abbeville.
Main Image: Newspaper clipping announcing David and Mendel’s arrival in Gaffney. Reprinted from The Gaffney Ledger, March 10, 1898.
Above Image: Advertisement for Poliakoff Bros & their Boston Store. Reprinted from The Gaffney Ledger, September 9, 1897.