Introduction: In this article, Melissa Davenport Berry celebrates the upcoming Presidents’ Day with an interesting insight: many presidents loved shopping at Abercrombie & Fitch. Melissa is a genealogist who has a website, americana-archives.com, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History.

In recognition of Presidents’ Day this upcoming Monday, my story today examines the hobbies and recreational activities of past presidents, featuring anecdotes and highlighting a popular retailer favored by several of them that was as Americana as you could find: Abercrombie & Fitch (A & F).

A & F – All the Presidents’ Rage!

Many past presidents shared a common love for one retail store to furnish their recreation. From Teddy Roosevelt to John Fitzgerald Kennedy, A & F – who opened their doors in 1892 – was the preferred choice for quality equipment and clothing.

Additionally, A & F sold house furnishings, grills, books, games, and exotic gifts to enjoy during down time. Check out JFK’s A & F pewter mug, or this leather Rhinoceros, or this vintage portable bar which no doubt came in handy after a day of romping.

During World War II, A & F was contracted to supply military equipment and uniforms for servicemen and women. The store made $682,894 in 1947 (about $9,925,604 today), and by 1960 net sales had risen to $16.5 million.

In 2018, A & F released a specialized “Archive Americana Collection” inspired by John F. Kennedy after acquiring a pair of his original A & F sailing chinos at auction, which fetched $5,500.

Below is a photo of University Archives’ Lot # 15 with item description as follows: “John F. Kennedy well-loved and worn sailing/boating pants, impeccable provenance.”

The April 1922 edition of Advertising & Selling magazine reported that A & F stores featured a basement shooting gallery and a rooftop log cabin for meetings. They also connected customers with guides for popular hunting and fishing regions.

This San Jose News article describes U.S. presidents’ fondness for A & F.

This article reports:

Abercrombie’s final curtain marks the end of an era [actually, the company is still in business]: its elephant guns, arctic equipment, old touring cars and improbable gifts will be mere remembrances of more adventurous and elegant times.

The store outfitted President Theodore Roosevelt on his African hunt. Herbert Hoover bought fishing tackle, and Presidents Taft, Harding, and Eisenhower were ardent golf equipment patrons. John Kennedy ordered rocking chairs, and Lyndon Johnson purchased barbeque grills. Gerald Ford also shopped at Abercrombie for a wide variety of items.

A & E also catered to the First Wives: Jackie Kennedy bought custom-fitted trousers; Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt a traveling solitaire card set; and Mrs. Truman a backgammon game.

Below is a photo of Herbert Hoover sporting his A & E attire and gear while fly fishing, which he called his “gentle sport.”

“All men are equal before fish,” Hoover wrote in his book, Fishing for Fun and to Wash Your Soul. Rapidan Camp, now preserved as part of Virginia’s Shenandoah National Park, was his spot to fish and commune with nature.

A 1909 A & F ad in Outing magazine stated the following:

When the Hon. Theodore Roosevelt set about the selection of his personal equipment for his African expedition, it developed that our 456-page catalog was the final authority on what he should take with him, because we were assisted in the preparation of this volume by the big Nimrods [skillful hunters] who have repeatedly journeyed and hunted over just the spots which he will visit. He loved A & F “snake-proof” sleeping bags.

Here is a photo of Theodore Roosevelt on his favorite horse, Tranquillity, in Nairobi, Kenya, 26 July 1909, outfitted by A & F including the rifle.

Roosevelt’s estate “Sagamore Hill” at Oyster Bay, New York, was furnished with A & F merchandise from the “Entrance Hall” to the “Gun Room.”

Below is an ad for a Damascus hunting hatchet featuring a receipt for Roosevelt from A & F.

President Warren Harding, like so many Marion, Ohio, residents, vacationed in Florida – they were known as “The Marion Colony.” He sometimes stayed with his in-laws Amos and Louisa Kling at their home in Daytona Beach, and was often a guest at the Cocolobo Cay Club, a private fishing club.

Pictured below is Harding showing off his catches and a bag of his A & F fishing hooks.

However, Harding did not always possess such privilege, being very poor as a child, according to this news clip revealing that his fondness for fishing began when he was a young boy.

This article reports:

“He was very fond of fishing when a boy – I believe he is yet – and he used to spend many days at the sport down on the Whetstone River which was not far from his home. [according to George B. Christian Sr., a family friend]

“Not having enough money to travel much Warren Harding and his chums used to hop rides on freight trains going through Caledonia when they wanted to go outside of town.”

President Dwight David “Ike” Eisenhower bought A & F hunting boots for his trips to Camp David, and much of his golf paraphernalia.

He loved to play golf with his family, and this news clip from 1960 entitled “Eisenhower Clan Makes Threesome” mentions three generations of Eisenhower menfolk teeing off at the Gettysburg Country Club.

I found two photos of that day in the archives, showing President Eisenhower, his son Major John Eisonhower, and his grandson David, age 12, playing golf at the Gettysburg Country Club.

President Woodrow Wilson was also a regular customer of A & F and shopped for horseback riding clothing and gear, and golf equipment. According to this headline from President’s Day 1917, Wilson rises early and loves golf and billiards.

David Lawrence, author of The True Story of Woodrow Wilson, noted that Dr. Cary T. Grayson, Mr. Wilson’s physician, was a constant golf companion.

The day after the election in 1916, President Wilson and Dr. Grayson were playing golf when they passed other players.

“How is your game today, Mr. President?” one of the players called.

Mr. Wilson waved his hand and called back “Grayson has me three down, but I don’t care; I am four states up on yesterday’s election.”

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Note on the header image: Abercrombie & Fitch store in New York City. Credit: Urizzato; Wikimedia Commons.