Strauss & Co.

Strauss & Co. was a family business established by brothers Leopold (1847-1933) and Simon Strauss (b. 1850) in Bennettsville, South Carolina. Leopold and Simon were born to Judah and Miriam Klein Strauss in Hahnheim, Germany and immigrated to the United States in 1865 and 1872 respectively. The brothers opened their general store together in 1873 and over the years stocked everything from clothing and shoes to rugs, cameras, and pianos. In 1878, Leopold married Lizzie Iseman (1858-1931) and subsequently spent two years living in Charleston before returning to Bennettsville. At some point after that, Simon left the partnership and returned to Germany. However, by the turn of the century at least two of Leopold and Lizzie’s eight children were working in their father’s store. By 1920, Maxey (1881-1968) and Leon Strauss (1887-1980) had been made partners in Leopold’s business and took joint ownership upon his death in 1933. Maxey died in 1968 after dedicating over sixty years of his life to the store.