Dawahares

Last updated
Dawahares
Company typeRetail clothing
Industry Retail
Founded1918
FounderS.F. Dawahare
Defunct2008
Fate Bankruptcy and liquidation
Headquarters
Lexington, Kentucky
,
United States
Number of locations
more than 20
Area served
 Kentucky
Products Ralph Lauren, Dooney & Bourke, Tommy, Michael Kors, clothing, footwear
OwnerThe Dawahare Family
The Dawahare family in front of their first store in 1917. Company founder, Srur Dawahare, is standing in the back left. Dawahares family.png
The Dawahare family in front of their first store in 1917. Company founder, Srur Dawahare, is standing in the back left.

Dawahares (pronounced DAW-hairs [1] ) was an American retail clothing department store chain.

Srur Frank Dawahare, a Syrian immigrant who arrived in the U.S. with only five dollars, Dawahare eventually walked from Harlan to Letcher County as a pack peddler. He established the original Dawahare’s Department Store in Neon around 1918, a business that anchored the town's economy for 71 years and grew into a significant regional chain. [2]

History

Dawahares was founded in 1918 in Neon, Kentucky, by Srur Frank (S. F.) Dawahare, an immigrant from Syria, and remained within the family for four generations. [3] [4] [5] [2]

In 1979, the company expanded into the Cincinnati, Ohio market by acquiring the five-store Martin's Town & Country chain. [6] The chain operated nearly 30 stores in Kentucky, Tennessee, West Virginia, [7] and Ohio. [1]

It declared bankruptcy in 2008 and liquidated its 22 remaining stores. [4]

References

  1. 1 2 Crocker, Mary Beth (November 24, 1992). "Style". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. C1. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  2. 1 2 Bowles, Isaac A.; Sturgill, Bascom; Hale, Zelda (1949). History of Letcher County. Lexington, Kentucky: The Hurst Printing Company. p. 26.
  3. ↑ "S. F. Dawahare brief history". The Courier-Journal. 1980-08-17. p. 91. Retrieved 2025-07-09.
  4. 1 2 "Dawahares closing all stores". WKYT. 2008-07-03. Archived from the original on 2008-10-07. Retrieved 2009-03-13.
  5. ↑ "Dawahare's (sic) Files for Reorganizational Protection". PR Newswire. 2008-05-30. Archived from the original on 2013-02-01. Retrieved 2009-03-13.
  6. ↑ Fields, Gregg (July 19, 1979). "Dawahare's buys Martin's Town & Country". The Cincinnati Enquirer. p. C10. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  7. ↑ Jordan, Jim (2008-07-04). "Dawahare's(sic) to close 22 remaining stores". Kentucky.com. Retrieved 2009-03-13.
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