Gladys Mills
Gladys Mills was the founder and remains the inspiration of Gotham Realty. Born with an instinct for people and business, Gladys Mills began Gotham Realty in 1944.
The daughter of Russian immigrants, Gladys Goldstein was born on the lower east side of Manhattan in 1905. One of 6 children, she was a devoted daughter who was indispensible helping her mother with the many Eastern European relatives and friends who drifted over their New York threshold. Though her brothers were quickly assimilated into businesses–appropriate for Jewish men at the time–it was clear from the beginning that Gladys’ most significant familial contributions were not going to come from the time-honored domestic responsibilities set aside for women.
Utilizing her gift with numbers and showing early signs of her now legendary business instincts, Gladys went to work, initially part-time during high school and then full-time upon graduating, as a bookkeeper for a successful real estate developer and businessman. Punctual, astute and honest (attributes that became her trademark), Gladys was a dedicated and invaluable employee for 6 years until she met her husband, Sam Siegel in 1926.
Sam was also a good businessman. By the time he met Gladys, he already had a flourishing clothing business with stores throughout New York and Chicago. Sam quickly realized the prize he had in with Gladys. Before long, they were married and he put her to work.
Their business selling inexpensive high-fashion clothing thrived, employing friends and family alike. Gladys did some style and design work, but her natural talent with numbers, people and real estate became apparent. As their business grew and Gladys continued to select ideal store locations, it was clear that although Sam was perceived as a “boy genius,” it was Gladys who had the business acumen and the real entrepreneurial spirit.
Soon Gladys was pregnant and began raising her family. Other family members stepped in attempting to fill Gladys’ vital roll. But it was 1929. Gladys’ absence and the market crash eventually took its toll. As Gladys became more involved with raising her young family and the economy worsened, the business struggled. By 1933 the business had over expanded and Sam Siegel went bankrupt.
After bouncing around apartments in New York and even a short stint in Vandalia, Missouri, Gladys realized she needed to go back to work. But working and a young family proved too much for their marriage; Sam and Gladys were divorced in 1942.
A single mom with 2 young children, Gladys took one of the few paths open to working women at that time. She became a real estate salesperson. Fortunately her past employment provided some experience. Ultimately however, it was Gladys’ instincts and work ethic that truly set her apart.
Everyday Gladys walked from her Manhattan apartment on West 93rd Street to her office on West 72nd Street. As she walked, she introduced herself to each superintendent along the route. Often, she would slip the super a few dollars and suggest (in her unique and classically diplomatic way) that if anything became available in any of their buildings, they should give her a call.
Soon Gladys was busy when no one else in the office had anything to do. Her business grew exponentially as each new super and customer provided additional referrals and more new business. She moved from her office on West 72nd Street to an office on the second floor at 100 West 57th Street. The broker and business owner she worked for, Rose Fabricant, immediately noticed Gladys wasn’t like the other salespeople in her office and encouraged Gladys to get her broker’s license. Soon thereafter, Rose Fabricant retired and Gladys bought her business.
It was here that Gotham Realty was born in 1944. From her perch on the second floor on the corner of 57th and 6th, Gladys developed the niche that became the backbone of her business. Nothing happened along 57th Street that Gladys didn’t know about.
Gotham Realty’s proximity to Broadway and New York’s famed Theatre District inspired Gladys with another outstanding business opportunity. Realizing that theatre people were always rotating through productions and as a consequence, regularly turning over apartments, Gladys developed a niche helping theatre people (and eventually other celebrities) find interim housing. Through this, she served a roster of famous personalities that included Marilyn Monroe, Joe DiMaggio, Eddie Fisher, Elizabeth Taylor, Sol Hurok and others. The Gotham Realty 57th Street office was lined with pictures of her well-known clients.
Throughout her ongoing success, Gladys maintained a level of integrity and class that became her hallmark. Regardless of her clients’ fame or fortune, Gladys treated every client with the same respect, privacy and dignity. Her ability to connect with people, regardless of their notoriety, status or temperament proved to be one of her most valuable and enduring assets.
Though she never gave up the backbone of her residential business, Gladys became involved in investment sales. It was around this time that she connected with Sarah Korein, one of New York’s “toughest and sharpest yet largely unknown deal makers” (Lois Weiss, New York Post, 1998). They became great friends and remained so for over 50 years. During that time, they worked on many deals together. Sarah, known for her shrewd, hardheaded business style and Gladys with her steadfast diplomacy were a formidable, well-matched team.
Though Gladys was involved in many substantial transactions, she never strayed far from her core business offering discreet, invaluable real estate solutions to her varied and storied clientele. When her daughter Vivian joined Gotham Realty in the mid 1970’s, the mother- daughter team continued to build the business, sometimes even buying and selling the same building.
667 Madison Avenue was one the many purchases Gladys and Sarah Korein (and later Vivian) worked on together. When they closed the deal, Sarah offered Gladys an office in perpetuity (no term, no escalations). Though it was hard to leave her nest on 57th Street, Gladys was never one to pass up a “better” address or a good deal. And so, with few “better addresses” in New York City, Gladys moved Gotham Realty to 667 Madison where they stayed for almost 20 years at $97 a month until Vivian sold the building.
Gladys Mills was most “at home” in her office, where she worked religiously until she was 93 years old. Though times and the real estate business have changed, Vivian and now Gladys’ granddaughter Sarah, aspire to maintain the same business ethic and guiding principals laid out so many years ago.
It all started with Gladys Siegel Mills who remains the inspiration and heart of Gotham Realty.