Goldsteins’ Mercantile

With the mottos “Live and Let Live” and “A Satisfied Customer is the Best Advertisement” Goldstein’s Mercantile operated in Spartansburg from 1868 until 1915.  The business was started in 1868 by Joseph Goldstein and his wife Libbie who were Russian immigrants.  Mr. Goldstein was a well-respected merchant who also owned the Tyler Tannery from 1889 until 1891.

When Joseph died in 1899, the business continued under Libbie’s name and managed by his son Abe.  Abe was 18 at the time of his father’s death and had planned to attend Medical School.  Under the name L. Goldstein, the store continued to prosper and to provide for the Dry Goods needs of Spartansburg.

Goldstein’s store was lost in the 1878 and 1898 fires.  He was one of the first to rebuild in 1898 under the new regulations requiring the use of fire-resistant materials.

A 1908 Spartansburg Sentinel describes the L. Goldstein Business:

And ads from 1903 and 1906 were also run in the local news:

In addition to being a respected merchant and member of the Masonic Lodge, Abe Goldstein was an accomplished musician and composer.  He managed and was Band Leader for the Clear Lake Band and Orchestra.

Libbie Goldstein died in March, 1910.  She was buried with her husband in the Berliner Cemetery in Corry, PA.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=113662513&ref=acom

With thanks to Don for his listing on Find-a-Grave

Abe continued to manage the store until financial difficulties caused the closing of Goldsteins in 1915.

Abe and his family moved from Spartansburg to Erie and he was employed at the Boston Store as an assistant manager.  He returned to Spartansburg to visit and in 1930 he and an orchestra from Erie played for the Spartansburg School Commencement.  He died in 1934.