Salm’s was a leading retail fixture in Evansville for several decades. Established in 1907, it operated on the northeast corner of Fourth and Main for most of its history. The firm, which sold women’s apparel, was founded by two brothers, Isaac and Samuel Salm, in an era when most women still wore hand-sewn dresses.
Stylish, off-the-rack clothing priced moderately was an innovative concept when the store opened, and it proved to be a huge hit with customers. Branches were later opened in Paducah and Owensboro in Kentucky, as well as in Lawndale and North Park in Evansville.
Salm’s was still family-owned when it went out of business in 1968; three years later the downtown store was razed, and the property became a public park.Â
