The Wolf Family

From russia to creating two iconic Aiken businesses

The Wolf family is another Aiken Jewish Merchant success story. Jacob Wolf (1873-1948) was the trailblazer for his family; coming to America from Russia around 1895 at the age of 22. His two brothers (Sam & Ben), a sister (Sophie) and his parents (Moses & Esther) initially stayed behind.

Jacob operated as a peddler in the Graniteville area in the late 1890s before taking over the Aiken dry goods store of MS Polier in 1906. Sam Wolf (1881-1957) came to American around 1900 to work with his brother Jacob; with Sam taking out an Aiken County peddler license in 1901.

In the early 1900s, Jacob married Julia Kamenoff (1884-1959) in Aiken after she traveled here from Russia. Wolf family lore has it that Jacob attracted his bride to travel here by sending the photograph of a “better looking” man. However, family members note this did not stop them from beginning what would become a successful life together.

Jacob & Julia were joined by other members of their families and began raising a family together. Around 1905, Jacob & Julia were joined from Russia by the rest of the Wolf family (including Jacob’s parents Moses & Esther) as well as by Julia’s brother Louis Kamenoff. Jacob & Julia subsequently had seven children: Rebecca (1905), Isadore (1906), Annie (1909), Aaron (1910) who died tragically in a shooting accident in 1918, Ida (1913), Samuel (1914) & Abraham (1916).

Like many Jewish Merchant families, Jacob & Julia lived in downtown Aiken, close to Jacob’s business. Census records show they originally lived on Greenville Street but eventually owned a home on Pendleton Street.

Sam Wolf moved to Johnston and opened a business in Edgefield. In the 1910 census, Sam was living in Edgefield County with his parents (Moses & Esther), his brother Ben & his sister Sophie. Sophie subsequently married Julia’s brother Louis Kamenoff. Sam went into the mercantile business in Edgefield where he married Mary Steinhardt, raised four children & operated his business there until he retired in 1954.

Jacob Wolf went on to build one of the most successful men’s clothing stores in Aiken. By 1910, Jacob shifted his dry goods store from selling general merchandise to selling high quality men’s clothing, catering to Winter Colony residents. He initially called the store Jacob Wolf but subsequently changed the name to The Leader.

The store operated for over 50 years, closing in 1961. Jacob’s son Isadore Wolf (1906-1983) joined him in the business in1925 and took over running the store before Jacob passed away in 1948. The store occupied space in the Weeks Building (currently part of Nandina) before moving down Laurens Street in 1932 to space now occupied by Equine Divine.

Julia Wolf opened a women’s clothing store in 1932 after raising her children – which became one of the most iconic stores in Aiken. The store was called Julia’s Dress Shop and it sold high end women’s fashions bought each season in New York. The clientele included members of the Winter Colony and as word spread people came from all over the Southeast to shop there. Even in her later years, Julia was a fixture in the shop keeping an eye on things.

Julia’s store also operated for over 50 years with management passing to her daughters Ida Wolf (1913-1990) & Anne Wolf Berger (1909-1991) after Julia passed away in 1959. The store was initially located in the same space in the Weeks Building as her husband’s men’s clothing store. Over the years, it was expanded two times to cover the entire storefront on Laurens St currently occupied by Nandina. Ida & Anne ran the store until its’ closing in the early 1990s.

The reputation of Julia’s store still lives on today. Long time Aikenites report remembering their parents telling them they were not allowed to go into that store on their own. They could only go with their parents and had to be on their best behavior and dressed in their Sunday best.

Meanwhile, Julia’s sister Ida Kamenoff (1882-1954) also came to the America in the early 1900s where she married Samual Kaplan (1888-1955). They first lived in New York before moving to Anderson SC in the 1930s and then to Aiken in the 1940s. Sam & son Abraham opened Kap’s Restaurant on Laurens St in the 1950s. Son Raymond Kaplan (1927-1973) was an optometrist who owned Raymond Kaplan Optometry on Laurens St. He was also a member of Aiken city council and was a past President of the Aiken Jaycees.

Jacob & Julia’s other children also went on to become Aiken Merchants:

• Abe Wolf (1916-1988) opened Famous Brand Shoes which operated from 1947-1976 in the space now occupied by Lionel Smith Ltd

• Sam Wolf (1914-1981) ran a variety of businesses with his brother Abe, including Wolf’s Liquor Store at the corner of Richland Ave & Newberry (in the space previously occupied by Playoff Bar) where Fred Astaire was said to be a customer as well as another shoe store

Jacob & Julia were also active members of the Aiken Jewish community. Jacob was one of the founding members of the Synagogue serving early on as Treasurer. Julia was later a Vice President of the synagogue and led fundraising efforts for United Jewish Appeal.

The number of Wolf’s still living in Aiken is dwindling with Julie Wolf-Ellis (Julia’s granddaughter and namesake) as the most prominent remaining Wolf family member still living in Aiken. However, her grandparents story lives on as an example of how two people from humble beginnings were able to create two iconic Aiken businesses that together lasted for more than a 100 years.

ads for jacob wolf mens store & the leader

• Jacob Wolf Ad, Aiken Journal and Review, 10-25-1910

• Jacob Wolf Ad, Aiken Journal & Review, 11-15-1916

• The Leader Ad (I Wolf, Prop.), Aiken Standard & Review, 9-15-1936

julia’s dress shop photos

• Parade photo, circa 1950s (Adath Yeshurun archives, courtesy of Doris Baumgarten)

• Julia with daughters Ida, Anne, & Becky (courtesy of Aiken County Historical Museum)

julia’s dress shop ads

• Summer Clearance Ad, Aiken Journal & Review, 7-24-1935

• January Clearance Ad, Aiken Standard & Review, 1-21-1942

• Christmas Ad (from the vault), Aiken Standard & Review, 12-24-1968

abraham wolf — famous brand shoe store

• New Shoe Store, Aiken Standard & Review, 8-13-1947

• Famous Brand Shoes, Aiken Standard and Review, 5-11-1961

• Famous Brand Shoes - New Owner, Aiken Standard, 4-5-1976

samuel wolf — liquor store, shoe store

• Wolf Liquor Store Notice, Aiken Standard & Review, 6-8-1945

• Town & County She Store, Aiken Standard & Review, 3-18-1957

kaplan family businesses

• Kap’s Restaurant (Samuel & Abraham Kaplan)

• Raymond Kaplan Opthmology