Von Maur

Company Profile

Von Maur today runs 39 department stores in 17 states - the company's own count - from its Davenport headquarters and e-commerce facility, under president Jim von Maur. It is in the middle of the $100 million, five-year store renovation program announced in 2024, and continues its slow, steady expansion of roughly a store a year into new states while other department store chains shrink. Because Von Maur is itself a retailer, this page carries no marketplace shop box; the snapshot button above leads to its official store.

In 1872, the von Maur family opened its first store in a 20 by 50 foot rented storefront in Davenport, Iowa. At the time this directory's account was written, Von Maur had grown to a 25 location chain with department stores in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska and Ohio. Von Maur creates an enjoyable and unique shopping experience through its wide selection of brand-name merchandise, its open and attractive store design, amenities that enhance customer convenience and comfort, and its commitment to customer service.

A Short History Note

The company's own timeline fills in the family story. In 1872 JHC Petersen opened a Davenport store with his three sons as JHC Petersen's Sons Co.; in 1887 C. J. von Maur established the 'Boston Store' in Davenport with partners Rolland Harned and Edward Pursel. The Petersen family sold their store to Harned & von Maur in 1916, the two businesses physically merged into one location in 1928 as Petersen Harned Von Maur, and in 1937 the von Maur family took full ownership. The shortened name Von Maur dates from 1989, a year before headquarters moved from the downtown store to the north side of Davenport in 1990.

The service traditions are dated too: the interest-free credit card arrived in 1984 under the slogan 'Our Only Interest Is You'. Online shopping launched in 2007, an e-commerce facility followed in 2010 - the same year Von Maur launched its Dry Goods specialty-store chain - and the Von Maur Rewards program was added in 2022. In 2024 the company announced a $100 million plan to renovate the majority of its existing stores over five years, and it has been named America's Best Department Store in Newsweek's rankings three years running. Because Von Maur is itself a retailer - shoppers buy from its own stores and website - this page carries no marketplace shop box; the snapshot button above leads to its official store.