GRANO RETAIL EXEC LAWRENCE POLLACK DIES AT 66

Lawrence Pollack, the executive vice chairman of Grano Retail Investments, died suddenly on March 30 of a massive heart attack at age 66. Pollack was playing golf while vacationing in his native South Africa, where his father resides.

Pollack, who lived in Canada for the past 30 years, first partnered with Grano head Stephen Granovsky in 2007, when they entered into a partnership to invest in the music business. In 2010, the pair decided to switch their focus to retail and founded the Luxury Men’s Apparel Group, which now owns Samuelsohn, Hickey-Freeman, and Culturata. Pollack was actively involved in the acquisitions of these companies.

“If you talk to anyone in the world of independent stores, Lawrence was extremely well known and well liked,” said Granvosky. “He had a real affinity for this business and the people in it. I wish I had half of his personality. Even on his days off, he would go have coffee with the owner of a menswear store right near his home in Toronto – and that store wasn’t even a client of our company. No one thought of him just as business colleague.”

In addition to playing golf, Pollack was devoted to this family, and even “rented” himself out to those who needed a grandfather to take to school on Grandparents Day. “He lived his life to the fullest in every way, and embraced everything he could,” added Granovsky. “To me, he was both my best friend and a father figure. We have so much more in store at Grano, and it’s sad that he will not live to see everything we plan to accomplish. That said, we should all have his legacy.”

Granvosky added that the company plans to honor Pollack through the establishment of a memorial fund, as well in other ways.

He is survived by his wife of 43 years, Hazel, three children, and five grandchildren.