Max Alpert, Immigrant Who Started a Clothing Fixture On Court Street For Over 70 Years

Born September 28, 1893, in Belarus or Russia, according to different sources, Max Alpert was the son of Abraham and Chana (Alperowitz) Alpert, who made their way to the United States, where Max attended local schools at the age of fourteen. The family grew up on  N. Orchard Street, multiple addresses given over the years, and it wouldn’t be long before Max started a business with his brother, Sam, that would become a long-standing Court Street clothier business.

Before owning his own store, however, Max’s interest in the clothing trade began much earlier when he was first employed as a teenager by Joseph H. Cohen, a well-known clothier later in life, who opened the Surprise Store at 113 Arsenal Street, near the Woolworth Building. Unsuccessful locally, Cohen sold out in 1910 and reportedly had to borrow $8 for the freight charges to move his household to New York City, where he became a multi-millionaire.

Several years after Cohen left, the Alpert Brothers’ clothing store began in 1915, located at 332 Court Street as one of the stores fronting the Crowner House Hotel. When called to duty during WWI, Max left the store behind in his brother Wilfred‘s hands. Max found himself stationed in France and, at one point, suffered a severe injury. He wrote home to his brother and sister, and a copy of the letter dated September 11, 1918, was printed in the Oct. 3 Watertown Daily Times—

My Dear Brother and Sister,

Your letter received a few days ago and was certainly glad to hear from you all. I have sent you a post card from Paris with some views, hoping you receive it. Paris is certainly a beautiful city, the only thing is I did not stay there long enough. You see more American people there than any other place. Everything is on the American style. The streets are beautiful. I suppose you read the papers and we certainly have the Dutchman on the run. Hoping it will come to a finish real soon and will be with you once again. Wishing you all a Happy New Year. My kindest regards to you all.

I remain your brother,

Max Alpert.

P.S. All the Jewish boys were relieved for the holidays and will also be off duties the 16th.

It was during this same year that Max bought out his brother’s interest in Alpert Brothers and renamed the store Max Alpert. Wilfred passed away at the age of 17 from a brain tumor around the time Max returned home in 1919. Three years later, Alpert married Miss Etta Cohn of Syracuse, and the couple moved shortly thereafter to their new home at 1213 Boyd Street, near Park Circle. Another older brother, Israel, began the Army & Navy store on Arsenal Street after WWI, later moving it to Franklin and then to 211 Court Street.

In 1931, Max moved his own 16-year-old clothier and haberdashery to its permanent home, 162 Court Street, formerly occupied by Carpenter Brothers. The store, though leased, was larger than what the Crowner House had to offer, with a frontage of about 20 feet and a depth of about 165 feet.

In 1951, Max Alpert was incorporated, with a capitalization fixed at $100,000, of which 1,000 shares of $100 par common stock existed. The board of directors comprised of Max as President, his son, Arthur Alpert, and his wife, Etta, who served as secretary and treasurer for many years. Four years later, Max and Etta purchased the home of Leon T. Clickner, who owned Watertown Mattress Company and the Sacket House in Cape Vincent. The new home, incidentally, was directly across the street from their 1213 Boyd Street address and on the corner, 202 Park Drive.

During his years of business, Alpert was awarded a number of contracts to provide many of the civil services of Watertown with their work clothes and garments, from firefighters to police officers. He was also awarded for his many services to the community. He was presented with a plaque honoring himself and Samuel Wallins, both trustees of the Degal Israel Synagogue, for their outstanding work and over 25 years of service.

In addition to their store, the Alperts owned several pieces of commercial property as investments. In October 1961, Max and Etta purchased the Martin Block on lower Washington Street, then home to the V. F. W. The Martin block was located next to the Marble Block, which V. F. W. sold to the Jasper family. The Alperts purchased the property as an investment, the building then home to the Coffee Pot restaurant. 

In later years, Arthur Alpert ran the store though Max was still very much present. Etta, however, passed away in 1966 at the age of 71. Max remarried two years later in Montreal, Canada, to Mrs. Rosa Baker of that city. A little over four-and-a-half years later, Max passed away in his sleep from an apparent heart attack on Oct. 16, 1972. Just two days earlier, he had appeared to be in good health and had been to the store where he stills served as secretary.

After continuing to hold the reins of Max Alpert, Inc., for twenty years after his father’s death, Arthur “Art” Alpert decided it was time to retire at the age of 66 in 1992. Despite the majority of downtown businesses moving to the Salmon Run Mall after its opening in 1986, Max Alpert stayed where it had been for the past 61 years and, according to Art in a September 3rd Watertown Daily Times article, business had increased—

The passing of this north country retail institution, which was first called Max Alpert, then Max Alpert, Inc., has nothing to do with the economy or a disappearing downtown, Mr. Alpert insists. 

In fact, sales have been steadily increasing the last two years, and would have been even better if he had waited out the year. No, he said, he just wants to retire.

“It’s very emotional,” said Mr. Alpert’s wife, Rosalyn. “You have to be psyched up about leaving.” 

After the store went out of business, it was replaced with Max’s Outfitters, under new ownership, which lasted for around another decade or so.