Max Stern Clothing House

Max Stern was born in 1860, in Gelsen, Germany. He came to America when he was 19 years of age. He first settled in Bloomington, Illinois before coming to Fargo in 1882. He opened a clothing store with his brother Alexander Stern listed in the city directories as 223 Broadway and 105 Broadway (translated today as 124 Broadway, and 56 Broadway due to address renumbering) In 1888, Max and Alex Stern each opened the own stores. Max moved to a located at 520-522 Front Street (Main Avenue), in a building called the United Block. Max Stern & Co. remained in this location until he left sold the business to Charles A. Swanson in 1901. Max Stern was a leading philanthropist in Fargo, and donated money to many local and Jewish causes. He died on March 3, 1916 in Fargo.

Sources:
Fire Anniversary Edition. Fargo: Daily Argus, (7 June 1894): 4.
Fargo and Moorhead City Directory. Fargo, 1881-1927.
"Max Stern died at 2 today" Fargo Forum and Daily Republican (3 March 1916): 1.