WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

Jacob Seligman was one of the most colorful figures in Saginaw during the 1860’s thru the 1890’s. Standing only four feet-eleven inches tall, he promoted himself as “Little Jake”. One of Jake’s earliest ventures was a department store in downtown Saginaw at the corners of Genesee and Franklin streets. He especially catered to lumberjacks, the City’s workingmen and their families.

Little Jake was Saginaw’s largest newspaper advertiser and he had prospered enough to start his own bank, the first electric trolley system in Saginaw, and a long list of other unique enterprises and savvy investments throughout Michigan. In 1878, Jake sold his successful clothing business to Carl and Max Heavenrich. From that same location, Heavenrich’s Department Store remained a mainstay of downtown Saginaw for over another 100 years.

Well-recognized by Saginaw history buffs, Little Jake Seligman has had a biography and countless news articles written about his antics. But Jake’s vision, imagination and marketing savvy ultimately proved him to be one of the consummate entrepreneurs of his time. His legacy has continued into a third century as the namesake of what is regarded as one of finest food & beverage establishments in the Great Lakes Bay area: Jake’s Old City Grill.