Azen's

Azen's (often referred to as Max Azen's) was a prestigious, luxury furrier and high-end women's clothing store that operated a prominent location in Monroeville Mall during its heyday.

Store Profile

• Type of Store: It was primarily known as a prestigious furrier, specializing in luxury furs like rabbit, mink, and other high-fashion outerwear.
• Offerings: Beyond furs, they sold designer dresses, shirts, and high-fashion accessories for the "fashion-conscious" shopper.
• Atmosphere: The store was regarded as a "high fashion" destination within the mall, fitting the developers' original goal of creating an indoor "town center" with a range of services from hardware to luxury apparel.

History at Monroeville Mall

• Opening: Azen's expanded into suburban malls starting in the 1960s, including the newly opened Monroeville Mall in 1969.
• Location: While specific suite numbers from the 70s are rare, it was a featured tenant in the mall's original two-level layout, often grouped with other high-end retailers like Horne's and Gimbels.
• Closure: The entire Azen's business, including the Monroeville location, closed in 1981 as the company closed all of its doors.

Founded in Pittsburgh by Max Azen in 1906, Azen’s grew from a small clothing and dry-goods business into one of the region’s best-known fur and women’s fashion retailers. The company eventually established its downtown flagship in the former Monongahela National Bank building at Sixth Avenue and Wood Street, where it became especially recognized for fine furs, fashion apparel, and fur-storage services.

Under the leadership of Max Azen’s sons, the family-owned business expanded into Pittsburgh’s suburban shopping centers during the 1960s, ultimately operating four documented locations: Downtown, South Hills, North Hills, and Monroeville. The Monroeville Mall store opened on August 9, 1969, several months after the mall’s grand opening. Azen’s remained a familiar Pittsburgh retail name until 1981, when the Azen family sold or closed the business. Although the exact circumstances of its closure remain unclear, the company’s long history reflects the growth of Pittsburgh retail from traditional downtown shopping districts to the suburban mall era.