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Levy family

 Family

Biography

In the town of Haigerloch, near Stuttgart in Southern Germany, Raphael and Bertha Hilb Levy became parents of six children: a boy who died at age four, Hannah born 1905, Jack born 1908, Edward born 1909, Kate born 1916, and Ruth born 1919. Leopold Weil, a relative of the Hilb family, settled in Colorado around 1860 and moved to Denver in 1868. He was one of the founders of the Temple Emanuel reform synagogue. Isidore Hilb, Bertha Hilb's brother, came to Denver in the early 1900s and founded Hilb and Company, a wholesale clothing supply company. Hannah, Jack and Edward Levy immigrated to America in the 1920s. Jack Levy came to America in 1923, headed to Denver, and began working at his uncle's company. Edward Levy reached Denver in 1925 and also started working for Hilb and Company, eventually becoming the president. After working in New York City for 20 months at menial jobs, Hannah moved to Denver in the fall of 1927. Late in 1927, Raphael and Bertha Hilb Levy, their daughters Kate and Ruth, and Bertha's mother, Mina Hilb, moved to Denver, where the entire family was reunited once more. Raphael Levy began working at Hilb and Company as a stock clerk. Jack started as a traveling salesman for the Hilb company and Hannah as a shop-girl at Neusteters Department store, before Jack opened a hosiery store in 1933, which evolved into the Fashion Bar Corporation. Despite the Great Depression, the enterprise flourished, and within three years, it grew to five clothing stores. Hannah Levy became a nationally known fashion expert and traveled extensively to New York, Europe, and Asia to buy clothes for the stores. William Weil, a distant cousin, became a salesman for the company in 1952, and in 1968, he became president of the company. The organization grew dramatically in the 1960s after the main downtown outlet was added at 16th and Tremont. By the 1980s, Fashion Bar employed over 1700 people in over 84 specialty clothing stores. Fashion Bar became the largest privately owned chain store in Colorado. Hannah and Jack Levy remained involved in the business until their deaths. The Fashion Bar Company was sold in 1992. Hannah, Jack, and Edward supported many Jewish, civic, and cultural causes, including Temple Emanuel, Rose Hospital, the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, the Denver Symphony, Jewish Community Center, and the University of Denver's Holocaust Awareness Institute.

Found in 23 Collections and/or Records:

Box 2, 1960-1990

 File — Box B097.0002: Series B097.04 [Barcode: U186020759190]
Identifier: B097.04.0002
Abstract

(8) Scrapbooks of Fashion Bar history.

Dates: 1960-1990

Box 3, 1960-1990

 File — Box B097.01.0003: Series B097.02 [Barcode: U186020759205]
Identifier: B097.02.0003
Abstract

(6) file folders include: Hannah Levy; Fashion Bar correspondence; articles and clippings; employee material. (1) framed dollar bill from Boulder Chamber of Commerce; (1) News article remembering Fashion Bar in 1933 mounted on wood; (1) Jack Levy membership metal of the ADL; (1) United Airlines 100,000 mile club plaque for Hannah Levy; (1) Rose Medical Center plaque; (1) Keymatic rolodex.

Dates: 1960-1990

Box 4, 1938-1993

 File — Box B097.01.0004: Series B097.02 [Barcode: U186020759213]
Identifier: B097.02.0004
Abstract

Administrative and financial papers of Fashion Bar Inc.; (2) bound sales ledgers (1944-1947) & (1957 01965).

Dates: 1938-1993

Box 5, 1960-1990

 File — Box B097.0005: Series B097.04 [Barcode: U186020759289]
Identifier: B097.04.0005
Abstract

(21) Mounted photos of interior of Fashion Bar clothing store.

Dates: 1960-1990

Box 6, 1938-1993

 File — Box B097.04.0006: Series B097.04 [Barcode: U186020759239]
Identifier: B097.04.0006
Abstract

(7) file folders include: photographs of Fashion Bar buildings, events, logo images, employees, and Hannah and Jack Levy. Photos of trips to Hong Kong, Italy and Israel with Golda Meir. Also a photo with May D and F visible.

Dates: 1938-1993

Box 7, 1970

 File — Box B097.01.0007: Series B097.04 [Barcode: U186020759247]
Identifier: B097.04.0007
Abstract

(11) boxes of color slide film

Dates: 1970

Box 8, 1950-1990

 File — Box B097.01.0008: Series B097.01 [Barcode: U186020759255]
Identifier: B097.01.0008
Abstract

(1) file folder of Hannah Levy achievement awards; (1) bound master copy of Hannah's awards (1976-1985); news magazines, news clippings, and articles.

Dates: 1950-1990

Box 9, 1961

 File — Box B097.0009: Series B097.04 [Barcode: U186020759263]
Identifier: B097.04.0009
Abstract

Scrapbook from 1961 European Trip. Includes trip itinerary.

Dates: 1961

Box 10, 1950-1990

 File — Box B097.01.0010: Series B097.04 [Barcode: U186022111453]
Identifier: B097.04.0010
Abstract

(1) framed photo of Fashion Bar store front; (1) framed photo of 15th annual Christmas party (1951); (1) small framed photo of downtown Greeley store; (1) large advertising copy scrapbook (1980s)

Dates: 1950-1990

Box 11, 1980-1990

 File — Box B097.01.0011: Series B097.01 [Barcode: U186022111445]
Identifier: B097.01.0011
Abstract

(1) framed interview with Hannah Levy; (1) framed governor's proclomation of Jack Levy day; (1) news article honoring Jack Levy at Rose Celebration, mounted on wood.

Dates: 1980-1990

Filtered By

  • Type: Archival Object X

Additional filters:

Subject
Jews 19
Department stores 5
Jewish businesspeople 4
Fashion 3
Jewish families 3