J. L. Brandeis and Sons Store Building, Omaha

The J. L. Brandeis & Sons Store Building, commonly called the Brandeis Building, is a historic former department store associated with Omaha’s retail growth during the early 20th century. Completed in 1906, it served as the flagship and headquarters of the J. L. Brandeis & Sons chain. The original eight-story building was among Omaha’s largest commercial structures, and a two-story addition completed in 1921 increased it to ten stories. The downtown store remained a major shopping destination until closing in 1980.

Designed by architect John Latenser Sr., the building is an example of Italian Renaissance Revival architecture. Its steel-frame structure is faced with stone, brick, and terra cotta and organized into distinct horizontal sections. Arched openings define the lower floors, while brick piers, decorative window surrounds, ornamental panels, cornices, and a balustrade emphasize the façade. The original interior featured high ceilings, columns, broad sales floors, and facilities designed to accommodate large numbers of shoppers. The store introduced several modern conveniences, including a restaurant, post office, meeting rooms, free telephone service, and elaborate window displays. It also featured one of the city’s early revolving doors, while air conditioning and escalators were installed before becoming common elsewhere.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, the building was rehabilitated in 2009, restoring its exterior and converting much of the interior into apartments and condominiums known as The Brandeis. Today, visitors can admire its historic façade and decorative upper stories from surrounding public streets.