Rich's

The storied history of the iconic Atlanta department store.

 


In 1867, less than three years after the Civil War left the city in ruins, Hungarian Jewish immigrant Morris Rich opened a small dry goods store on what is now Peachtree Street in downtown Atlanta, Georgia. Over time, his brothers Emanuel and Daniel joined the business; within a century, it became a retailing dynasty. Join historian Jeff Clemmons as he traces Rich's 137-year history.


 


For the first time, learn the true stories behind Penelope Penn, Fashionata, The Great Tree, the Pink Pig, Rich's famous coconut cake and much more, including how events at the downtown Atlanta store helped John F. Kennedy become America's thirty-fifth president. With an eye for accuracy and exacting detail, Clemmons recounts the complete history of this treasured southern institution.


 

"Jeff Clemmons offers an interesting, thoughtful and thorough history of how Morris Rich and his brothers and their family offered Atlanta legendary customer service generosity and goods, as well as lifetime of dedicated community action and investment." —Mary Hood, author of How Far She Went

 

"For the first time, Clemmons gives an accurate, matter-of-fact account of the civil rights movement in Atlanta as it pertains to crashing the gates of Rich's." —Lonnie King, civil and human rights activist

 

"An excellent new source of information about Atlanta's favorite store...well written. Well worth a read." —Anthony Montag, great-grandson of Rich's founder, Morris Rich