Joseph Lowthian Hudson

Who was Joseph Lowthian Hudson?

Joseph Lowthian Hudson, aka J. L. Hudson, was the merchant who founded the Hudson's department store in Detroit, Michigan.

Hudson also supplied the seed capital for the establishment, in 1909, of Roy D. Chapin's automotive venture, which Chapin named the Hudson Motor Car Company in honor of J.L. Hudson.

Hudson was born in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, and immigrated with his family to Hamilton, Canada when he was nine; by the age of fourteen he and members of his family were residing in Michigan. His brother William moved to Buffalo, New York in 1896, to operate a branch of the Hudson's store until his death in 1928.

While Hudson began his career in merchandising with family members and other outside partners, he founded what would provide the basis for Hudson's Department Stores in 1881 inside a shop at the Detroit Opera House. Hudson at first focused on men' and boy's wear, and succeeded through set low prices and a return policy that favored the customer. As business volume grew, Hudson added sale professionals and additional lines of goods, including women's clothing and housewares. Hudson incorporated his venture in 1891 as the J. L. Hudson Company.