Miller’s Clothes

751 Grand Avenue (demolished)

Miller’s Clothes in the 1950s. Photo courtesy Harold Miller.

Interior of Miller’s Clothes. Photo courtesy Harold Miller.

Isadore (Izzy) Miller, born in a small town on the Poland-Russia border, arrived in New Haven in 1911 by way of New York. He came to start a new life, joining relatives who had settled in New Haven a few years earlier. He married Elsie Marcus in 1914 on the third floor of Elsie’s sister’s house in the Wooster Square area. He was 20 years old and she was 17. Within three weeks Izzy opened a tailor shop off Grand Avenue which eventually became Miller’s Clothes, a full-service men’s and boys’ clothing store at 751 Grand. 

Isadore and his brother Joe were skilled tailors, and customers from many backgrounds came from all over the city to buy tailored suits from the store. The business was a staple for the men in the area because, as Miller relatives later recalled, “no one left there empty-handed.” 

Outside of his business, Isadore Miller was a scholar of Jewish texts and a founder of Congregation Keser Israel on Foote Street, where he served as a cantor. Because his store was just steps from Congregation Mogen David on Bradley Street, he would often be called on to join worshippers there to help make a minyan (at that time, ten men) for daily services. 

Miller’s Clothes remained on Grand Avenue until 1961, when the State of Connecticut acquired the property for construction of Interstate 91. Two stores across the street, Perelmutter’s Clothing and State Candy and Tobacco, remained. Isadore joined his son Mack at Mack Miller’s clothing store on Whalley Avenue.

Text sources: Zahler, Rhoda Sachs, Video interviews with Harold Miller, Jewish Historical Society of Greater New Haven Video Archives; Zahler, Rhoda Sachs, “Interview with Harold Miller”, Jews in New Haven, Volume IX, Edited by David S. Fischer, M.D., Jewish Historical Society of Greater New Haven, 2009, pp. 302-309; Video: Williams, Faith, Lyle, Hunter, Rivera, Alfredo, Southern Connecticut State University journalism capstone project interview and video, 2019-20.


Harold Miller at the Ribbon Cutting for the tour, May 9, 2022.