Alexander T. Stewart: The Forgotten Merchant Prince

(Hardback)

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This is the first major biography of Alexander T. Stewart, known during his lifetime as The Merchant Prince for his success in retail, wholesale, and manufacturing in New York City. At the time of his death in 1876, Stewart was one of the three wealthiest men in America, along with William B. Astor and Cornelius Vanderbilt. But, because he died with no surviving children, his name has all but been forgotten. In this work, Stewart is revived, his remarkable success as the father of the department store examined, and his great contributions to retailing acknowledged and recounted. Not only a definitive account, this story of a major figure in America's Gilded Age, as told by Stephen Elias, is also an absorbing tale. This work fills a gap in the literature on American history and the history of our retail trade. It will be of use to historians, students of merchandising, and those interested in New York's golden age.

Reviews

.,."a fascinating look into more than fifty years of retail practices followed by Alexander T. Stewart, who opened his first dry-good store on Broadway in 1823. The book gives us insights into business practices and interesting historical vignettes. Anyone interested in business history, particularly the development of the American retail store, should be interested in this book. This is a book about business written by a businessman."-New York Irish History
...a fascinating look into more than fifty years of retail practices followed by Alexander T. Stewart, who opened his first dry-good store on Broadway in 1823. The book gives us insights into business practices and interesting historical vignettes. Anyone interested in business history, particularly the development of the American retail store, should be interested in this book. This is a book about business written by a businessman.-New York Irish History
..."a fascinating look into more than fifty years of retail practices followed by Alexander T. Stewart, who opened his first dry-good store on Broadway in 1823. The book gives us insights into business practices and interesting historical vignettes. Anyone interested in business history, particularly the development of the American retail store, should be interested in this book. This is a book about business written by a businessman."-New York Irish History

Author Bio

STEPHEN N. ELIAS is a financial and management consultant in California, as well as an amateur historian. He has served as an adjunct professor of finance and accounting at Pepperdine University, and has been a chief financial officer and chief executive officer for computer, technical, and financial firms.