List of Jewish American businesspeople in retail

Clothing

 * Iris Apfel (1921–2024), fashion designer, co-founder of textile firm Old World Weavers
 * Max Azria (1949–2019), Tunisian-born fashion designer, founder of BCBG Max Azria
 * David Beckerman (1942/1943–), founder of sportswear company Starter Corp.
 * Stacey Bendet (born 1975), co-founder of Alice + Olivia
 * Sara Blakely (born 1971), founder of Spanx, minority owner of NBA's Atlanta Hawks
 * Gertrude Boyle (1924–2019), German-born chairman of family-founded Columbia Sportswear Company
 * Tory Burch (born 1966), fashion designer, founder of Tory Burch LLC
 * Dov Charney (born 1966), Canadian-American founder of American Apparel
 * Nudie Cohn (1902–1984), Ukrainian-born fashion designer, known for the "Nudie Suits"
 * Kenneth Cole (born 1954), founder of Kenneth Cole Productions (owned Le Tigre brand)
 * Jacob W. Davis (1831–1908), Latvian-born inventor of the jeans (in partnership with Levi Strauss & Co)
 * Charles Dayan (born 1941), founder of Bonjour Capital and co-founder of Bonjour Jeans
 * Alan Eckstein, co-founder of fashion label Timo Weiland
 * Paul Fireman (born 1944), founder of Fireman Capital Partners; former owner of the North American sales rights to Reebok brand and chairman of Reebok International, Ltd.
 * Donald (1928–2009) and Doris F. Fisher (born 1931), founders of the Gap, Inc.
 * Robert J. Fisher (born 1954), chairman of the Gap, Inc.
 * Edith Flagg (1919–2014), Austrian-born fashion designer, known for populizing polyester, founder of Edith Flagg, Inc.
 * Milton S. Florsheim (1868–1936), Canadian-born founder of the Florsheim & Co. shoe company
 * Diane von Fürstenberg (born 1946), Belgian-American founder the Diane von Furstenberg (DVF) fashion company
 * Rudi Gernreich (1922–1985), Austrian-born avant-garde fashion designer; known for creating the monokini swimsuit
 * Lori Goldstein, fashion designer
 * Shoshanna Lonstein Gruss (born 1975), founder of fashion label Shoshanna
 * Bob Haas (born 1942), Chairman Emeritus of Levi Strauss & Co.; member of the Haas family
 * Lena Himmelstein (1877–1951), Lithuanian-born founder of plus-size clothing company Lane Bryant Inc.
 * Marc Jacobs (born 1963), fashion designer
 * Donna Karan (born 1948), founder of DKNY
 * Calvin Richard Klein (born 1942), co-founder of Calvin Klein Inc.
 * Michael Kors (born 1959), fashion designer, founder of Capri Holdings (owns the Michael Kors brand, Versace, and Jimmy Choo Ltd)
 * Ralph Lauren (born 1939), founder of the Ralph Lauren Corporation
 * Henri Alexander Levy (born 1991), founder of luxury fashion brand Enfants Riches Déprimés (ERD)
 * Andrea Lieberman, fashion designer, founder of A.L.C
 * Paul Marciano (born 1952), Moroccan-born co-founder of fashion company GUESS
 * Leon Max (born 1954), Russian-American fashion designer, founder of the Max Studio upmarket fashion retail chain
 * Marc Milecofsky (born 1972), founder of fashion company Ecko Unltd. and the media network Complex (Complex magazine, Complex TV, ComplexCon)
 * Isaac Mizrahi (born 1961), fashion designer
 * Avi, Ralph and Joseph Nakash (born 1942), Israeli-born founders of Jordache Enterprises, Inc., owners of the Setai Miami Beach luxury hotel
 * Andrew Rosen, co-founder of fashion label theory
 * Ida Rosenthal (1886–1973), Belarus-born co-founder of Maidenform
 * Rachel Zoe Rosenzweig (born 1968), fashion designer
 * Barry K. Schwartz (born 1942), co-founder of Calvin Klein Inc., former chairman of the New York Racing Association (NYRA)
 * Levi Strauss (1829–1902), German-born co-founder of the Levi Strauss & Co. clothing company
 * David Stern (1820–1875), German-born co-founder of Levi Strauss & Co.
 * Nathan Swartz (1902–1984), Russian-born founder of the Timberland Company (later led by his grandson, Jeffrey (born 1960))
 * Elie Tahari (born 1952), Israeli-American luxury fashion designer
 * Stuart Weitzman (born 1941), luxury shoe designer

Cosmetics

 * George Barrie (1912–2002), owner and CEO of Fabergé Inc.
 * Bobbi Brown (born 1957), founder of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, co-owner of the George Hotel
 * Max Factor Jr. (1904–1996), president of Max Factor & Company
 * Maksymilian Faktorowicz (1877–1938), Polish-born founder of Max Factor & Company (now owned by Coty)
 * Lawrence M. Gelb (1898–1980), co-founder of hair care company Clairol (Nice 'n Easy, Herbal Essences); member of the Gelb family
 * Sophia Grojsman (born 1945), Belarus-born perfumer, VP of International Flavors & Fragrances (IFF)
 * Estée Lauder (1906–2004), co-founder of the Estée Lauder Companies Inc.; member of the Lauder family
 * Charles Revson (1906–1975), co-founder of Revlon, Inc. and the Charles H. Revson Foundation
 * Katie Rodan (born 1955/1956), co-founder of Rodan + Fields (R+F), co-creator of Proactiv
 * Samuel Rubin (1901–1978), Russian-born founder of Fabergé, Inc.
 * Helena Rubinstein (1872–1965), Polish-born founder of Helena Rubinstein Incorporated
 * Lydia Sarfati, Polish-born co-founder of seaweed-based cosmetics company Sarkli-Repêchage
 * Burt Shavitz (1935–2015), co-founder of personal care products company Burt's Bees
 * Emily Weiss (born 1984), founder of cosmetics company Glossier
 * Suzi Weiss-Fischmann (born 1956), Hungarian-born co-founder of nail polish manufacturer OPI

Food

 * S. Daniel Abraham (born 1924), founder of the Thompson Medical Company (known for SlimFast)
 * Isaac Wolfe Bernheim (1848–1945), German-born co-founder of the Bernheim Brothers Distilling Company (known for the I. W. Harper bourbon whiskey brand)
 * Sam Born (1891–1959), Russian-born candy maker, founder of Just Born
 * Ben Cohen (born 1951), co-founder of ice cream company Ben & Jerry's
 * Richard B. Cohen (born 1952), owner of C&S Wholesale Grocers, the largest wholesale grocery supply company in the U.S.
 * Nathan Cummings (1896–1985), Canadian-born founder of the Sara Lee Corporation
 * Hilda Eisen (1917–2017), Polish-born co-founder of egg distribution company Norco Ranch Inc.
 * Benjamin Eisenstadt (1906–1996), founder of the Cumberland Packing Corporation, inventor of Sweet'n Low (artificial sweetener)
 * Charles Louis Fleischmann (1835–1897), Austrian Silesian-born co-founder of Fleischmann Co. (Fleischmann's Yeast, Fleischmann's vodka)
 * Sidney Frank (1919–2006), U.S. promoter of Grey Goose vodka and Jägermeister
 * Michel Fribourg (1913–2001), Belgian-American chairman and CEO of family-owned ContiGroup Companies (later led by his son, Paul (1954/1955–))
 * Isaac Friedlander (1823–1878), German-born grain merchant
 * Leon Godchaux (1824–1899), French-born sugar farmer and refiner; founder of Leon Godchaux Clothing Co.
 * Seth Goldman (born 1965), co-founder of Honest Tea
 * Arnold Greenberg (1932–2012), co-founder of tea and juice drinks brand Snapple
 * Max Samuel Grifenhagen (1861–1932), founder of Duffy-Mott Company, Inc. and the Monopole Vineyards Corporation
 * Ken Grossman (born 1954), founder of the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
 * Paul Kalmanovitz (1905–1987), Polish-born brewing company magnate, LBO specialist
 * Eugene Kashper (born 1969), Russian-born chairman of the Pabst Brewing Company
 * Harold Katz (born 1936/1937), founder of weight loss products provider Nutrisystem, Inc. and former owner of NBA's Philadelphia 76ers
 * Samuel Liebmann (1799–1872), German-born founder of the S. Liebmann Brewery (Rheingold Beer); later led by his sons, Charles (1837–1928), Joseph (1831–1913), and Henry (1836–1915)
 * Daniel Lubetzky (born 1968), Mexican-American founder of snack company Kind LLC
 * Dov Behr Manischewitz (1857–1914), Lithuanian-born founder of kosher products company Manischewitz
 * Paul Merage (born 1934), Iranian-born co-founder of Chef America Inc. and inventor of the Hot Pockets microwaveable meals; member of the Merage family
 * Nelson Morris (1838–1907), German-born founder of meatpacking company Morris & Company (later led by his son, Edward)
 * Joseph Neubauer (born 1941), Mandatory Palestine-born former CEO of the Aramark Corp., and former VP of PepsiCo, Inc.
 * Harry Ornest (1923–1998), vending machine magnate, owner of NHL's St. Louis Blues and CFL's Toronto Argonauts
 * Lynda (born 1943) and Stewart Resnick (born 1936), founders of the Wonderful Company (holds Fiji Water, POM Wonderful, Teleflora)
 * Irene Rosenfeld (born 1953), chairman and CEO of Mondelez, former CEO of Kraft Foods
 * Lewis Rosenstiel (1891–1976), founder of Schenley Industries
 * Sholom Rubashkin (born 1951), former CEO of kosher meat-packing company Agriprocessors, Inc.; member of the Rubashkin family
 * Rodney Sacks (born 1949/1950), South African-born chairman and CEO of the Monster Beverage Corporation (Monster Energy, Relentless, Burn, Mother)
 * Marvin Sands (1924–1999), founder of Constellation Brands (now led by his sons, Rob (1958/1959-) and Richard (born 1950/1951))
 * Russell Weiner (born 1970), founder of Rockstar, Inc. (Rockstar energy drink)
 * Sam Zemurray (1877–1961), Russian-born founder of the Cuyamel Fruit Company (an ancestor of Chiquita Brands International)

Manufacturing and distribution

 * Don Aronow (1927–1987), speedboat manufacturer (Magnum Marine, Formula Boats)
 * Charles Avnet (1888–1979), Russian-born founder of electronics parts distributor Avnet, Inc.
 * Benjamin Abrams (1893–1967), founder of Emerson Radio & Phonograph Corporation
 * Saul Brandman (1925–2008), clothing manufacturer, developed the brands Timely Trends and Tomboy
 * Peter Brant (born 1947), co-owner of paper manufacturer Brant-Allen Industries
 * Eli Broad (1933–2021), co-founder of KB Home (Kaufman & Broad)
 * J. M. Brunswick (1819–1886), Swiss-born founder of J.M. Brunswick Manufacturing Co. (now Brunswick Corporation)
 * Bill Davidson (1922–2009), chairman and CEO of Guardian Industries and owner of NBA's Detroit Pistons
 * Isadore Familian (1911–2002), owner and CEO of Price Pfister
 * John Farber (1925–2024), chemist and founder of specialty chemical trader ICC Industries
 * Joseph Fels (1853–1914), soap manufacturer, co-developer of the Fels-Naptha brand
 * Oscar Hammerstein I (1846–1919), German-born cigar manufacturer, founder of the U.S Tobacco Journal
 * Bradley S. Jacobs (born 1956), chairman and CEO of XPO Logistics, Inc., co-founder of United Rentals, Inc.
 * Sidney Jacobson (1918–2005), founder of industrial equipment distributor MSC Industrial Direct (formerly Sid Tool, Inc.)
 * Irving Harris (1910–2004), CEO of Pittway
 * Julius Kayser (1838–1920), founder of the Julius Kayser Company (now Kayser-Roth)
 * Joseph Koret (1900–1982), Russian-born founder of textile company Koret of California
 * Jeffrey Lorberbaum (born 1954), chairman and CEO of Mohawk Industries
 * Morton Mandel (1921–2019), co-founder of electronics parts distributor Premier Industrial Corporation
 * Morris Markin (1893–1970), Russian-born founder of the Checker Motors Corporation
 * Martha Nierenberg (1924–2020), Hungarian-born co-founder of home accessories distributor and retailer Dansk International Designs
 * Lawrence S. Phillips (1927–2015), chairman of the Phillips-Van Heusen Corporation (now PVH Corp.; owns the Tommy Hilfiger Corporation, Calvin Klein Inc., IZOD)
 * Steven (born 1951) and Mitchell Rales (born 1956), founders of the Danaher Corporation
 * Isaac Rice (1850–1915), German-born founder of the Electric Boat Company (now General Dynamics Electric Boat)
 * Adolf Rosenberger (1900–1967), German-born co-founder of the Porsche GmbH
 * Chester H. Roth (1902–1977), founder of the Chester H. Roth Company (now Kayser-Roth)
 * Milton Shapp (1912–1994), founder of cable television equipment manufacturing company Jerrold Electronics
 * Irving S. Shapiro (1916–2001), former CEO of DuPont
 * Alfred P. Slaner (1918–1996), president of clothing manufacturer Kayser-Roth
 * Paul Soros (1926–2013), Hungarian-born shipping industry magnate, founder of Soros Associates; member of the Soros family
 * Ronald Stanton (1928–2016), German-born founder of fertilizer, chemical, and fuels distributor Transammonia Inc. (now Trammo, Inc.)
 * William Ungar (1913–2013), Polish-born founder of the National Envelope Corporation
 * Linda J. Wachner (born 1946), former president and CEO of textile/clothing distribution company Warnaco Group, Inc.
 * Ira D. Wallach (1909–2007), CEO of family-owned Central National-Gottesman, Inc. (formerly M. Gottesman & Company), one of the world's largest distributors of pulp, paper, packaging, tissue, newsprint and plywood
 * Ernest M. Wuliger (1920–1992), owner of the Ohio-Sealy Mattress Manufacturing Company
 * Felix Zandman (1928–2011), Polish-born founder of electronic components manufacturer Vishay Intertechnology

Miscellaneous

 * Jacob Arabo (born 1964), Uzbek-born founder of Diamond District-based jewelry company Jacob & Co
 * Norman Braman (born 1932), car dealer, former co-owner of NFL's Philadelphia Eagles; Madoff Ponzi scheme victim
 * Edgar M. Cullman (1918–2011), former co-owner, president and CEO of the General Cigar Company
 * Lazarus Dinkelspiel (1824–1900), German-born founder of L. Dinkelspiel & Co.
 * Gary Friedman (born 1957), chairman and CEO of Restoration Hardware (RH)
 * Leo Gerstenzang (1892–1961), Polish-born founder of Leo Gerstenzang Infant Novelty Co., inventor of Q-tips
 * Samuel Glazer (1923–2012), co-founder of Mr. Coffee, one of the first automatic drip coffee makers
 * Aron Goldfarb (1924–2012), Polish-born founder of licensed and owned apparel brands manufacturing company G-III Apparel Group
 * John D. Hertz (1879–1961), Slovak-born founder of the Yellow Cab Company
 * Michael Krasny (1952/1953–), founder of the CDW Corporation
 * Moshe Lax, co-founder of the Dynamic Diamond Corp., former chairman of the Ivanka Trump Fine Jewelry Company
 * Sydney Lewis (1919–1999), founder of the Best Products Company
 * Helly Nahmad (born 1978), art dealer, founder of Manhattan-based Helly Nahmad Gallery; member of the Nahmad family
 * Victor Potamkin (1911–1995), former car dealership owner, founder of the Potamkin Automotive Group
 * Harold Roitenberg (1927–2018), founder of catalog merchandiser and showroom Modern Merchandising Inc.; Madoff Ponzi scheme victim
 * Jamie Salter, Canadian-American founder of brand management company Authentic Brands Group (owns Volcom, Spyder, Juicy Couture, Frederick's, Tapout, Nautica)
 * Jay Schottenstein (born 1954), founder of the Schottenstein Stores Corp., owner of American Signature, chairman of American Eagle
 * Lorraine Schwartz, jewelry designer
 * Benny Shabtai, Israeli-American former owner of the North American sales rights to luxury watch brand Raymond Weil
 * Maurice Tempelsman (born 1929), Belgian-American diamond magnate, founder of the Tempelsman Group, chairman of Lazare Kaplan International (LKI)
 * Les Wexner (born 1937), chairman and CEO of L Brands, Inc. (owns Victoria's Secret, Bath & Body Works)
 * David Yurman (born 1942), co-founder of jewelry company David Yurman Enterprises LLC
 * Morris B. Zale (1901–1995), Russian-born co-founder of jewelry retailer, the Zale Corporation

Stores

 * Abraham Abraham (1843–1911), co-founder of department store Abraham & Straus (A&S); member of the Abraham family
 * Benjamin Altman (1840–1913), founder of B. Altman and Company
 * Beatrice Fox Auerbach (1887–1968), former president and director of G. Fox & Co.
 * Richard A. Baker (born 1965), Executive Chairman of the Hudson's Bay Company (HBC)
 * Louis Bamberger (1855–1944), co-founder of L. Bamberger & Company
 * Henri Willis Bendel (1868–1936), founder of women's accessories store Henri Bendel, Inc.
 * Arthur Blank (born 1942), co-founder of the Home Depot, owner of NFL's Atlanta Falcons
 * Joseph and Lyman Bloomingdale, co-founders of Bloomingdale's
 * Rose Blumkin, Belarus-born founder of the Nebraska Furniture Mart
 * Albert Boscov, former president and CEO of Boscov's department store
 * Jeffrey Brotman, co-founder of the Costco Wholesale Corporation
 * Jacob Elias Cohen, Irish-born former president and CEO of Jacksonville, Florida-based Cohen Brothers department store
 * Mickey Drexler, former chairman and CEO of J.Crew Group, Inc.
 * Edward and Abraham Lincoln Filene, former executives at family-founded Filene's department store
 * Felix Fuld, German-born co-founder of L. Bamberger & Company
 * Adam Gimbel, founder of the Gimbels department store
 * Sonny Gindi, co-founder of the Century 21 department store
 * Dave Gold, founder of 99 Cents Only Stores
 * Maurice Goldblatt, co-founder of the Goldblatt's department store
 * Sylvan Nathan Goldman, former Oklahoma-based supermarket chain owner; inventor of the shopping cart
 * Shira Goodman, president and CEO of Staples, Inc.
 * Salmon Portland Chase Halle (1866–1949), co-founder of the Halle Brothers department store
 * Asher Hamburger (1821–1897), German-born founder of the A. Hamburger & Sons department store (later May Company California)
 * Fred Hayman, Swiss-born founder of luxury boutique Giorgio Beverly Hills
 * Leo Kahn, co-founder of office supply retailing corporation Staples Inc.
 * Edgar J. Kaufmann (1885–1955), president of Kaufmann's Department Store in Pittsburgh
 * Sidney Kimmel, founder of Jones Apparel Group and Sidney Kimmel Entertainment, minority owner of NBA's Miami Heat
 * Solomon Lazard (1827–1916), co-founder of the City of Paris department store
 * Simon Lazarus, German-born founder of the Lazarus department store (later The F&R Lazarus & Co., merged with Macy's Inc.)
 * Leon Levine, founder of the Family Dollar chain of discount stores
 * Bernard Marcus, co-founder of the Home Depot
 * Herbert Marcus (1878–1950), co-founder of luxury retailer Neiman Marcus (later led by his sons, Stanley and Lawrence)
 * Alfred Marshall, co-founder of off-price department store Marshalls, Inc.
 * David May, German-born founder of the May Department Stores Company (now Macy's, Inc.); member of the May family
 * Ed Mirvish, American-Canadian founder of discount store Honest Ed's
 * Al (1875–1970) and Carrie Marcus Neiman (1883–1953), co-founders of Neiman Marcus
 * Sol Polk, co-founder of appliance retailer Polk Bros., Inc.
 * Barney Pressman, founder of Barneys New York
 * Sol Price, founder of Price Club (merged with Costco)
 * Julius Rosenwald, former president and part-owner of Sears; featured in the 2015 documentary film Rosenwald
 * Andrew Saks (1847–1912), founder of luxury department store chain Saks Fifth Avenue
 * Rabinovitz/Rabb family, founders of the Stop & Shop supermarket chain
 * Abram M. Rothschild, founder of A.M. Rothschild Company
 * Frank Russek (1875/1876–1948), co-founder of the Russeks department store chain
 * Henry Siegel, German-born co-founder of the Siegel-Cooper Company
 * Isidor Straus, German-born former co-owner of Macy's department store; Titanic victim
 * Marcus Younker, Polish-born co-founder of the Younker Brothers department store
 * George Zimmer, founder of Men's Wearhouse

Toys and games

 * Beatrice Alexander (1895–1990), founder of the Alexander Doll Company
 * Mel Birnkrant (born 1937), toy designer (Outer Space Men, Baby Face)
 * Paul Budnitz (born 1967), founder of art toys companies Kidrobot and Superplastic, co-founder of social network Ello
 * Joshua Lionel Cowen (1877–1965), co-founder of toy trains manufacturing company Lionel Corp. (later owned by his great-nephew, Roy Cohn); inventor of the flash-lamp
 * Jack Friedman (1939–2010), toy and video game industry veteran, founder of LJN and Jakks Pacific, co-founder of THQ
 * Eddy Goldfarb (born 1921), toy inventor (Yakity Yak Talking Teeth, Stompers)
 * Elliot (1916–2011) and Ruth Handler (1916–2002), co-founders of Mattel Inc. (Barbie, Hot Wheels, Masters of the Universe)
 * Henry Hassenfeld, Polish-born co-founder of toys and games company Hasbro, Inc. (originally Hassenfeld Brothers)
 * Isaac Heller (1926–2015), co-founder of Remco Industries, Inc.
 * Isaac Larian (born 1954), Iranian-born founder of MGA Entertainment, Inc., the biggest privately owned toy company in the world
 * Charles Lazarus (1923–2018), founder of Toys "R" Us
 * Louis Marx (1896–1982), former toymaker, co-founder of Louis Marx and Company
 * Morris Michtom (1870–1938), Russian-born founder of the Ideal Toy Company, inventor of the Teddy bear
 * Henry Orenstein (1923–2021), Polish-born toymaker, founder of Topper Toys (Johnny Lightning, Dawn doll, Suzy Homemaker)
 * Isaac Perlmutter (born 1942), Israeli-American chairman of Marvel Entertainment, former co-owner of Toy Biz (later Marvel Toys)