Fred G. Meyer

Born Fritz Grubmeyer in Germany in 1886, Meyer came to the United States with his parents and older brother, William, in 1889. The family settled in Brooklyn, New York City, where Meyer completed his education up to the fifth grade and later worked in his father's grocery store. ==Career==

Leaving home at the age of 19, he traveled through the American West, prospecting for gold near Nome, Alaska. Relocating to Seattle in 1906, Meyer worked for a small grocery and the Grand Union Tea Company until 1909, when he moved to Portland, Oregon. In 1910, Meyer's brother William and his family moved to Portland. William and Fred managed the Mission Tea Company, which rented a stall at the City Public Market. Thereafter, Fred established a separate business using horse-drawn wagons to deliver coffee, tea, and spices to Portland residents and groceries to nearby logging camps and farms. By 1911, Meyer was managing Mission Tea, and after a dispute with William, he acquired a new partner and renamed the business the Java Coffee Company. Sometime after arriving in Portland, Frederick Grubmeyer shortened his name to Fred G. Meyer; a 2001 Oregonian article said the change was made "for convenience and maybe to save money on signs". Their marriage had lasted 40 years. The entire roof of his 22,750 square-foot Hollywood store, for example, was covered with a car park. He continued to work regularly until his death, even after suffering a major stroke in 1972. In 1974, his company expanded into the savings and loan business with the establishment of Fred Meyer Savings & Loan, which had 29 locations (in Fred Meyer stores) by 1978. He was named Portland's "First Citizen" in 1976. ==Death==

Meyer died on September 2, 1978, at the age of 92, at his Portland home. He died in his sleep, but had been dealing with chronic heart disease and breathing difficulties in his last few years. In its obituary, Portland's The Oregonian described Meyer as "the venerable merchant whose name and shopping-center empire have been linked for almost 70 years with the city's growth". Oregon Governor Bob Straub was quoted as saying, "Oregon has lost one of its great citizens." ==Philanthropy==

Although known for living frugally, Meyer gave to many charities, in particular the Salvation Army, and became known for his philanthropy. leaving behind $60 million to be used for "religious, charitable, scientific, literary or educational purposes." ==Notes==