In 1852 , Bernard Kuppenheimer , who immigrated to America in 1850 , founded a retail clothing store in Terre Haute , Indiana . In 1863 , Julius Kohn , Martin Clayburgh , and Morris Einstein founded Kohn , Clayburgh & Einstein at 27 Lake Street in Chicago . Only two years later , in 1865 , Kohn retired and Bernard Kuppenheimer , who relocated to Chicago leaving the Terre Haute store under the supervision of his brother John , and David Lindauer became members . Clayburgh , Einstein , Kuppenheimer , and Lindauer continued to operate the company without changing the name . They operated out of the Lake Street location until the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 , when their building was burnt to the ground and they suffered losses totaling $ 200,000 ( ) . After rebuilding , they resumed business and in July 1872 , moved to the corner of Randolph Street and Wabash Avenue where they remained until the fall of 1876
Great Chicago Fire
Great Chicago Fire
Kuppenheimer