[1][2][3] His father, Edward Kirstein, was an immigrant from Germany who first worked as a peddler and eventually owned an optics store in Rochester.

[3] His uncle owned a clothing manufacturing company in Rochester, the Stein-Bloch Co. Kirstein left school at 13.

[4] Kirstein became a major investor and vice president of Filene's, a department store headquartered in Boston, in 1912.

[5] He also served on the boards of directors of Abraham & Straus, Lazarus, Bloomingdale's, R. H. White, and the Federated Department Stores (now known as Macy's, Inc.).

[4][5] He served on the Massachusetts Industrial Commission,[4] the National Labor Board as well as on the Business Advisory Council of the United States Department of Commerce.

[5] Additionally, he served on the visiting committee of the Semitic Museum, and he supported the Beth Israel Hospital.

In 1914, Louis Kirstein bought the Peabody estate in Salem to develop the Kernwood Country Club.