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Nehemiah Myer Cohen emigrated from Palestine in 1915 and settled in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. A rabbi, teacher, and shochet who prepared meat according to Jewish dietary laws, Cohen had saved enough money to bring his family to America and open a kosher butcher shop. A competitor opened up, so N.M. moved south and into a new business. It was the first and last time a Cohen-owned store would bow to the competition.
N.M. and his partner, Samuel Lehrman, brought more than their families to washington. They brought a new idea. The first Giant on Georgia Avenue in 1936 was a big departure from the pricey neighborhood markets and the chain stores open to Washington consumers. Giant was a self-service store offering both perishables and packaged goods at low prices.
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