The company was co-founded by brothers
Frank Russek and Isidore H. Russek, and became Russeks Fifth Avenue, Inc.[1]
Russeks started as a furrier in New York City during the early 1900s, and expanded into luxury clothing and accessories.[2] In 1924, they opened a department store on 390
Fifth Avenue and West 36th Street.[3][4] This was 390 Fifth Avenue, designed by
Stanford White of
McKim, Mead & White, and completed in 1904-1905 for the
Gorham Manufacturing Company.[5]
In the 1940s (at least), they had a department store in
Detroit.[6][7]
In February 1959, they announced the closure of their Fifth Avenue store, after five years of losses, but would continue to operate in hotel and suburban locations.[4] In 1960, the new owner, Spear Securities, remodelled the exterior of the lower floors.[5]