On The Cover
Robert S . Loeb Jr . returned to Meridian in 1987 to pursue a dream of opening his own clothing store and bringing the LOEB ’ S clothing tradition back to Meridian .
Robert Loeb Jr . continues a family clothing tradition
When Robert S . Loeb Jr . returned to his native Meridian nearly four decades ago to open a men ’ s clothing store , he was guided , in part , by a business philosophy espoused by his great-grandfather a century earlier , which was to offer customers quality merchandise , prompt attention and a big dose of Southern hospitality .
The owner of upscale clothing retailer LOEB ’ S Inc . on Front Street , Loeb is the fourth generation of his family to operate a business in downtown Meridian . His father and uncle both followed in the footsteps of their father in running Alex Loeb Inc ., once a landmark department store on Fifth Street established by his great-grandfather , Alex Loeb , a young immigrant .
“ Alex Loeb ’ s , if you go all the way back , was all about customer service . They really knew their customers . Even my great-granddad , from what I ’ ve heard , was down on the floor talking to customers ,” Loeb said
“ You don ’ t exist without customers in retail so they ’ re the boss , and we preach that every single day to everybody who has ever worked here ,” he added . “ And we ’ ve had a ton of young people who have worked here over all these years . They were usually in high school or at MCC . We ’ ve had several of them that have gone on to own their own business , become lawyers , a judge , doctors and it ’ s been fun .”
With his family name well established in the retail clothing history of Mississippi , it may seem Loeb ’ s path in life was predestined .
Originally from Bavaria , Germany , immigrants Simon and Julius Loeb arrived in America in 1867 , making their way to the Magnolia State .
They ended up in Columbus in the northern part of Mississippi working for a relative and eventually earning enough money to open their own store , selling dry goods , clothing and shoes . The company would evolve into Simon Loeb & Brothers Department Store , which by the 1930s was one of the largest department stores in northeast Mississippi .
About a decade after Simon and Julius ’ immigration , their younger brother , Alex , arrived in Columbus from Bavaria , seeking to find a better life .
“ He was one of 12 kids who came over from Germany ,” Loeb said of his great-grandfather . “ He was very young . He landed in Columbus , worked for an uncle there who had a clothing store , and then left there and came to Meridian and began his own business .”
At the time , the Queen City was a booming railroad hub , living through a golden age of explosive growth .
Arriving in Meridian in 1887 , Alex founded
16 • MERIDIAN LIFE