Kroch’s and Brentano’s

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kroch's and Brentano's was the largest bookstore in Chicago, and at one time the largest privately owned bookstore chain in the United States. It closed in 1995.

Adolph Kroch, an Austrian immigrant to Chicago, founded a German-language bookstore in 1907. He switched to English-language books during World War I. Later he bought out Brentano's bookstore and merged them into Kroch's & Brentano's.

Adolph Kroch's son, Carl Kroch, opened a Super Book Mart in 1952 and called it the "World's Largest Bookstore." Carl Kroch later took over the Kroch's & Brentano's business, at a large location on South Wabash Avenue. He is credited with being the first bookseller to open outlets in suburban malls and a major developer of the market for paperback books, as well as a pioneer in book display concepts and store design.

Kroch's and Brentano's was said to have the finest selection of art books in the region, and its sales clerks were legendarily knowledgeable. The store frequently exhibited noted painters' and photographers' work on the walls. Kroch refused to offer the sorts of discounts that other book chains did, even though the store suffered when large discount chains, such as Crown Books, opened up nearby. Unable to compete with cheap bookstores, Kroch's and Brentano's closed its doors in 1995.