Wolf Brothers, Franklin St
Publicity photo showing a Wolf Brothers employee at the Tampa International Airport, with a National Airlines “Airline of the Stars” DC7 plane in the background. Circa 1960s Gandy Collection. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection.
From left to right: Harold F Wolf Jr (Buzzy), Harold F Wolf Sr (Harold), Fred L Wolf (Fred). Circa 1960s Gandy Collection. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection.
Wolf Brothers was opened in 1899 by Morris and Fred Wolf after Morris learned the trade working at Maas Brothers for four years. Supplying custom premier clothing to a small town burgeoning into a city was the key to their success as they grew in the banking and professional center of Franklin Street. They started in a tiny store on Franklin Street. Steady growth continued into the 1920s when Fred’s son, Harold, joined the business selling shoes. He later bought his uncle Morris’ stock when he died and became an important manager. The company moved into its iconic location at Franklin and Zack Streets in 1935 in the bankrupt Citizens Bank and Trust Co. building, taking its place between two other major department stores, Mass Brothers and O. Falks. As they grew and word of their quality, craftsmanship, and customer service spread, well-to-do locals and celebrities frequented the store.
Founder Fred Wolf died in 1950. Recognizing the decline of retail business in the 1950s, Wolf Brothers expanded to the suburbs, including stores in Britton Plaza in South Tampa and Northgate Shopping Center in North Tampa. They also began to expand state-wide. Conversely, they bought the Citizen’s Building in 1958, hedging their bets against the decline of retail business downtown.
In 1964, amid concerns about financial stability and the need for expansion capital, management coordinated a stock swap with their prime supplier, Chicago’s Hart, Schaffer, and Marx, that took over ownership. Harold Wolf died in 1965, leaving his son, Fred (II), as president, who was still managing the enterprise.
In 1977, Wolf Brothers moved to the former First National Bank building owned by the Lykes Brothers, a Tampa agriculture and financial giant. The building housed Lykes headquarters, People’s Gas Company, and the MacFarlane, Furgeson, Allison & Kelly law firm. After nearly 100 years, Wolf Brothers downtown closed as part of a controversial demolition of the First National and Tampa Gas Co. buildings in 1992.
When they closed the downtown store, following the trend of 50 other stores along the Franklin Street mall, they went out in style. Instead of having a going-out-of-business sale, owner Fred Wolf closed the doors for the last time and served his loyal customers caviar, lobster, and champaign for the store's “retirement party.” They still had stores at Tampa Bay Center, Tyrone Square, and Westshore Plaza. The last store at Westshore Plaza closed in 1996. Fred Wolf died in 2014.
© Chip Weiner. All rights reserved
Wolf Brothers at the Citizens Bank Building. 1935. Burgert Brothers. Courtesy of the Tampa-Hillsborough County Public Library
Wolf Brothers, 1960. From the Hampton Dunn collection, courtesy of the University of South Florida digital collection Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection.
Advertising photo for Wolf Brothers. Circa 1960s Gandy Collection. Courtesy of the University of South Florida Digital Collection.
