Daubes' Department Store was a long time landmark on Main Street of Ardmore.
The original Daube Store was opened in Bowie, Texas, in 1883, and was owned by Sam Daube.
In about 1888, when the Ardmore area was in Pickens County, Indian Territory, and when Ardmore itself was only a crossroads village, Sam Daube came to Ardmore and entered into a business partnership with Max Munzesheimer. Their firm was known as Munsesheimer & Daube and their store was of the pioneer trading post pattern, selling groceries, hardware and implements as well as household merchandise. At that time, the store was located east of where the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway tracks now run. Because of its construction, the store acquired the name of the Iron Store, and to all the early settlers from far and wide it became their trading headquarters.
In the early 1900's Sam Daube joined his brother, Dave Daube, and Max Westheimer, in their enterprise, known as the Blue front, and moved the store to this location. This firm was known as the Westheimer & Daube. Westheimer & Daube continued in business until 1937, when Sam and Dave acquired the Westheimer interest and the name was changed to Daube's Department Store.
Daube's survived two world wars, the Great Depression and has seen the plodding procession of carriages and wagons replaced
by the bustling clamor of motor traffic.
The Daube Store was the cornerstore around which downtown Ardmore was built. The store witnessed the community's growth to its current status as Oklahoma's 14th largest city. The business closed in December 1990, after 102 as Oklahoma's oldest privately owned family-operated independent retail store.
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