Harold Shwartz, a furrier whose career epitomized the essence of a family-owned business, died of cancer on Dec. 12 at his home in Pompton Lakes, N.J., his daughter Patty Shwartz said. He was 87.
For years, Shwartz worked for his father, John, who founded John Shwartz Inc. in Paterson, N.J., in 1905. The store specialized in custom coats; the younger Shwartz created the patterns and his father constructed the garments. Another family member, William, a brother of the founder, also worked for the firm.
The store’s ever-changing and vivid window displays — white birch branches for pre-holidays, streamers for New Year’s and plenty of fur coats sometimes splayed at a mannequin’s feet or slung over its shoulder — helped attract customers. No less important, for many shoppers, was the affability of the Shwartz family and customers often stopped by just to kibbitz, Patty Shwartz said.
Harold Shwartz, who was known as Hesh, was graduated from New York University and served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He worked side by side in the business with his wife, Jean, for more than 50 years. They expanded beyond furs, adding cloth coats in the Forties and eventually fine women’s apparel. After the company’s namesake died in 1967, Harold Shwartz handled design, fittings, selecting skins and constructing the coats for customers. A few years later, he took on the role of president, a post he held until the store closed in 1997.
Like his father, Shwartz focused on customer service. Shoppers were greeted by name and offered a comfortable seat. Instead of cramming in racks of clothing, Shwartz limited in-store displays to help create an atmosphere of exclusivity. He also learned to size up his customers’ personal styles so well that many daughters of shoppers naturally followed in their mothers’ footsteps and made purchases at the store.
Shwartz recruited four of his five children into the family business. His sons Richard and Jeffry and daughters Betty and Nancy pitched in, traveling into Manhattan if something needed to be taken to the monogrammer, for example, and dealing with the rest of the nitty-gritty of running a family business.
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Even the decision to close the store, which eventually was relocated to Fairfield, N.J., was based on a family concern. When their daughter Betty died unexpectedly, Shwartz and his wife agreed it would be best to spend their time caring for her two sons. Shwartz is survived by his wife, two daughters and two sons.