Meis, also known as Meis of Illiana, was a department store based in Terre Haute, Indiana, United States. Existing from 1928 to 1989, the chain operated 11 stores at its peak. In 1989, the chain sold most of its locations to Elder-Beerman.
History
Lucien Meis and Salo Levite founded the Meis department store in downtown Terre Haute, Indiana, in 1928. This store remained open until the late 1970s. Meis also operated other stores in Terre Haute at Honey Creek Mall, Plaza North, and The Meadows.[1] The chain also operated a jeans store called The Bottom Half. Both of these businesses were sold to Brown Shoe Company (now Caleres) in 1972.[2][1]
^"Brown Group Sells Department Stores". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. April 29, 1989. p. 13a. Brown Group Inc. said Friday that as part of its restructuring effort it has sold its Meis department store unit to an Ohio retailing chain. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Meis, which is based in Terre Haute, Ind., operates 10 department stores in Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. It has annual sales of about $75 million. Brown bought the chain in 1972. Meis' buyer, Elder-Beerman Stores Corp. of Dayton, Ohio, has 33 department stores, primarily in Ohio.
