Pierce H. Bitker was born December 2, 1905 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Jacob L. Bitker
and Sara Rubin. Jacob and Sara also had a son, Bruno (1898-1984), a few years
earlier. Pierce Bitker grew up in Milwaukee and attended the Milwaukee Country Day
School. He was involved with the Students’ Army Training Corps Camp, Fort Sheridan
and a member of the Zeta Beta Tau. As a young boy in 1918, he participated as a
speaker in a Flag Day ceremony in Waterloo, WI. Pierce was in the Navy during World
War II. He married Thelma Pollack in Great Neck, New York on January 25, 1942. They
had two daughters, Patricia and Susan. Pierce passed away February 22, 2002.
Jacob Bitker opened the Bitker Department store in 1896. It was located at 1801-13
(later 1801 W.) Fond du lac Ave. in Milwaukee and sold general merchandise, piece
goods and supplies to women making their own clothes. It was destroyed by fire in
1912. The Bitker-Gerner Store, the family’s second store, was located at 2345 N. 3rd
Street in Milwaukee. Pierce Bitker joined the family business in 1929 and eventually
became president.
