The firm was officially incorporated in 1902 as the Halle Bros. Co. Years later, they moved to Euclid Avenue and East 4th Street and added ready-to-wear clothing to the merchandise mix.

[1] It was designed by New York architect Henry Bacon and was called elegant yet refined in its detailing of its white terra cotta facade.

For helpful aid in such cases, remember one thing: This establishment puts no premium on clever tricks or cute business practice.

[3] Although the company sustained losses during the Great Depression, business grew again after World War II as Halle's began developing suburban branches starting in 1948 under the leadership of Walter Murphy Halle, while completing a $10 million modernization at Playhouse Square that included a new service building on Prospect Avenue and the West Wing addition to its original building in 1949.

Over time, the store came to be enjoyed by the city's carriage trade society, especially during the Christmas season when the flagship store had its very own popular version of Santa Claus, a fictional elf named Mr. Jingeling, who could be found, as the TV and radio jingle reminded kids, "on Halle's seventh floor" serving as Santa's "Keeper Of The Keys.

The company attempted to counter this competitive disadvantage by leasing, in 1956, a number of buses from the Cleveland Transit System for the purpose of providing a free shuttle service from Public Square to Playhouse Square, a move initially seen as an interim measure pending completion of a proposed subway line under Euclid Avenue (a project for which voters had approved public financing in 1953).

When the planned subway failed to materialize (then-County Engineer Albert S. Porter refused to go forward with the project believing that the future of local transportation was linked to the freeway), Halle's was forced to continue the shuttle service.

Schottenstein attempted to allay community fears by placing full page newspaper ads in which he promised to see to the continuation of the chain's traditions.

[citation needed] The Union Co., a division of Manhattan Industries, was an upscale department store with six locations in and around the Columbus, Ohio region.