About
In 1869, the opening of the Suez Canal revolutionized global trade by connecting the Mediterranean to the Red Sea, allowing ships to travel between Europe and Asia without the long detour around Africa. This new maritime route quickly became a vital hub for international commerce.
Simon Arzt, a tobacco manufacturer of Jewish heritage, is believed to have originated from Turkey. Taking advantage of favorable tax and customs regulations, he established tobacco factories in Port Said, Cairo, and Alexandria, positioning himself at the heart of this flourishing trade route.
In 1923, Arzt expanded his vision by opening the Simon Arzt Store in Port Said, a grand department store located by the harbor. At the time, it was one of the largest department stores in the world and became an iconic destination for travelers. Spanning 2,000 square meters with a 40-meter street frontage, the store featured a spacious hall with two floors of shopping galleries.
The Simon Arzt Store catered to the needs of travelers heading to Africa, India, and the Far East. Vendors, dressed in crisp white suits and red fez or tarbooshes, were always ready to provide tourists with everything from cigarettes and helmets to tropical clothing and cosmetics. The store also offered a range of services, including a hairdresser, photo studio, pharmacy, flower shop, and even its own post office. As long as a passenger ship was docked, the doors to the store remained open, welcoming international customers. The store’s success led to the opening of additional branches in New Delhi and Paris.
Today, Simon Arzt Studio continues the legacy of the original Simon Arzt Store, embracing the same commitment to quality, relevance, and design. Just as Simon Arzt once bridged East and West through commerce, we bring together art, design, fashion, and home goods, with Sweden as our base, available to the world.
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Note: Some theories suggest that Simon Arzt may have been an American investor from New York, rather than a Jewish cigarette manufacturer from Turkey.