Herb Fisher dead at 71 - Jamesway Corp. chairman and founder - Obituary

Discount Store News, April 19, 1993

SECAUCUS, N.J., -- Herbert Fisher, chairmand and founder of Jamesway Corporation, died April 3 at his home in Oradell, N.J., after a long bout with cancer. He was 71.

Fisher had to relinquish his duties as chairman last October due to his health. Fisher was a true pioneer of discounting, devoting more than 30 years of his life, most of them spent overseeing Jamesway, to discount retailing. Fisher served as president of Jamesway from its founding through 1977. He became chairman that year and served in that post until October 1992.

Fisher's first venture into the business dates back to 1957. That year, he opened a store called Royal Factor in Pittsfield, Mass., which eventually led to the first Jamesway store in Jamestown, N.Y., opened in 1961.

He was recognized for his business achievements and was named to DSN's Discounting Hall of Fame in 1988.

"This is a great loss to both the company and the business world, and we mourn Herb's passing. Our thoughts are with his family," said Peter Hollis, Jamesway's president.

"We had the opportunity to know Herbert Fisher as an honorable competitor, and a leader in the development of the discount store industry," said Don Clarke, chairman and ceo, Caldor. "As the founder of Jamesway, he helped shape discount store retailing and he will be sorely missed."

Warren White, executive vice president and general manager, Clover, and current chairman of the International Mass Retailing Association, called Fisher "a true gentleman and one of the original entreprenuer/founders of the discount industry."

"I've known Herb since I joined IMRA 12 years ago. He was always very positive and supportive of IMRA. His is a great loss not only to Jamesway but to the entire association and industry," said White.

Fisher oversaw Jamesway's growth from that one store to 108 units today.

In 1989, the company began testing a home products specialty concept called My House, which has since closed.

Though plagued with stiff competition and a bad economy in its markets in the last few years, Jamesway, under Fisher's leadership, continued to change and renew itself.

Last September, in recognition of the discount industry's, and Jamesway's 30th anniversary, Fisher told DSN, "Discount department store retailing will grow through the '90s and continue to be the dominant retail concept. The emphasis will be on larger stores ... with wider aisles, improved apparel layouts and more finger walls with 'shop concepts.' Quality will be the byword for successful."

Much of those thoughts were incorporated into a new Jamesway prototype last year, the first of which opened in Claymont, Del. Fisher played host to vendors, the press and even a number of other retailers during a party celebrating the event. Under Hollis, the company is continuing to refurbish stores on the tract Fisher set.

Between 1972 and 1975, Fisher was vice president of the Bergen (N.J.) Philharmonic Orchestra and received its Man of the Year award in 1973.

In 1984, Fisher received the Eleanor Roosevelt Humanities award, presented by the State of Israel Bonds, and since 1988, he served as their national retail chairman.

In 1989, he was elected vice chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Bergen Health Services in Hackensack, N.J., and became a member of the Board of Governors of the Hackensack Medical Center. In '90, he was the recipient of the Valerie Fund's Man of the Year award.

Fisher is survived by his wife Florence; his daughters Meredith Fisher, Judith Furer and Leslie Greenblatt; and four grandsons.