Edward Schachter, the longtime owner of Richards menswear store in Greenwich, Conn., died Jan. 10 at the age of 101.
Schachter was born in Germany and arrived in the United States on Dec. 31, 1938, after fleeing the Nazi persecution of Jews during the Holocaust. With his parents and older sister Hilda, he settled in Washington Heights, N.Y., joining a community of fellow refugees.
After high school, he became a military police officer and interpreter in the U.S. Army, a time in which he also became a U.S. citizen. In 1949, he married Lucy Nadal and they settled in Stamford, Conn., where they lived for 70 years.
His move into retail began by selling Army and Navy surplus goods in White Plains, N.Y., and in 1956, he purchased a small men’s haberdashery, Richards in Greenwich, from then-owner Richard Schlesinger. Over the years, Schachter transformed the store into an emporium of luxury menswear that soon became a fixture within the upscale community. The store specialized in men’s tailored clothing, and Schachter would proudly show visitors the large assortment of suits he had organized in the back reaches of the store. In addition to being a skilled merchant, he was also known for treating every customer — and employee — like family.
When his daughter, Susan Fleisher, joined the business, Richards branched out into high-end European brands such as Hermes, Hugo Boss, Ermenegildo Zegna, Brioni and others. The store is credited with being the first independent retailer in the country to sell Hermes in the 1990s.
It was this reputation that caught the eye of the Mitchell family in nearby Westport, Conn., which acquired Richards in 1995. At the time, it was a men’s-only store located in an 8,000-square-foot space on Greenwich Avenue but in 2000 it was relocated and significantly expanded to 27,000 square feet in its current location at 359 Greenwich Ave., when womenswear was added.
Bob Mitchell, co-chief executive officer of Mitchells, said: ”Eddie was the ultimate partner: fair, supportive and a true mentor. He was a floor merchant whose instincts were always right. His legacy will always be a huge part of Richards and our entire family business.”
Schachter’s greatest joy was his family and friends, but he also found delight in his work, playing tennis, golf and cards, and indulging his passion for cars, according to his family.
He was also philanthropic and was involved with organizations that helped him become a success in his adopted home country including the UJA, TID Breakthrough (Formerly known as JDRF), Hadassah, and HIAS. He was a board member of the Putnam Trust Bank and was named Rotary Man of the Year.
In 2015, the Schachters retired to Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., where Lucy Schachter died in 2019.
He is survived by his daughter, Susan Fleisher, and her husband, Laurent Martinez, as well as his granddaughter, Samantha, and her fiancé, Eric Silver. In an obituary provided by his family, they also mentioned their gratitude to Jutta Baxter “for her years of loving care” for Schachter and his wife.
“Eddie’s life exemplified his motto: ‘Work hard, play hard.’ He will be remembered as a kind, loving man with an uncanny ability to make others feel special. The world is a brighter place for having had Eddie in it, and his legacy of love and generosity will endure,” the obituary read.
Services will be held Monday at Congregation Agudath Sholom in Stamford at 10 a.m. Shiva will be observed after the interment at Fleisher’s home, 73 Rockwood Lane, Greenwich. Shiva will continue on Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m.
In his memory, Schachter’s family said donations can be made to HIAS, TID Breakthrough (Formerly known as JDRF), or UJA in Stamford.
