Samuel Altshuler

Samuel Altshuler (September 16, 1864 – January 13, 1956) was a clothing merchant, mine owner, and industrial developer in the states of Washington and California.

He opened and owned clothing stores in Whatcom, Washington (later Bellingham), and his native San Francisco, California, and built several business buildings in both cities.

His father, German immigrant Levi Altshuler, moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, and crossed the Great Plains to the Pacific coast in 1852 with the gold diggers.

At the corner of Holly and Canal Streets, he erected a three-story building and opened his own clothing store, which grew into the large and successful business.

[8] In 1906, Altshuler launched a big sale in his Bellingham store, the Red Front Clothiers, making plans to close it and move his business to San Francisco.

In a public letter, he announced that he had bought a lot on Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco, and that construction on his new store had already begun.

[9] Investing $250,000 ($6,600,000 in 2020 dollars[note 1]) in San Francisco in 1909, Altshuler also purchased other property and planned on erecting other buildings to use in the development of his merchandise business.

[11] After moving to San Francisco, Altshuler also lived in Greenville, California, owning a cabin near the Soda Creek stream, that was later destroyed by fire.