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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 24 Collections and/or Records:

Box 12, 1900-1993

 File — Box B097.01.0012: Series B097.01 [Barcode: U186022111461]
Identifier: B097.01.0012
Abstract

(1) framed photo of Denver Street James Hotel, future site of first Fashion Bar store (c. 1900); (1) framed photo portrait of Jack Levy (c. 1970).

Dates: 1900-1993

Box 13, 1938-1993

 File — Box B097.0013: Series B097.01 [Barcode: U186020759302]
Identifier: B097.01.0013
Abstract

(1) framed photo of Fashion Bar store front; (1) bound ledger of cash receipts and disbursements; (1) framed photo of Levy hometown in Germany; Fashion Bar shopping center plan; (4) loose black and white photos of Levys; (1) stencil portrait of Hannah Levy.

Dates: 1938-1993

Box 13, c. 1880 - 2002

 File — Box B256.01.0013: Series B265.01 [Barcode: U186023293486]
Identifier: B265.01.0013
Abstract

Box contains eleven (11) file folders, six (6) of which are from the photographs, scrapbooks, and clippings series. File folders contain portrait photos of Weil ancestors; Levy family photos; photos of Bill and Elise Weil; scrapbook pages; newspaper clippings about William Weil; and a VHS of family photos entitled "Weil: Reflections 1944-1990".

Dates: c. 1880 - 2002

Box 14, 1950-1990

 File — Box B097.01.0014: Series B097.01 [Barcode: U186020759310]
Identifier: B097.01.0014
Abstract

(1) framed Rocky Mountain News cover of Hannah Levy (1984); (1) framed portrait of Hannah Levy; (1) framed photo of Rocky Mountain News story honoring Jack Levy; (1) illustrated Mounted poem wishing Hannah recovery (1950).

Dates: 1950-1990

Box 15, 1950-1970

 File — Box B097.01.0015: Series B097.04 [Barcode: U186020759328]
Identifier: B097.04.0015
Abstract

(1) large bound scrapbook

Dates: 1950-1970

Box 16, 1938-1953

 File — Box B097.01.0016: Series B097.02 [Barcode: U186020759336]
Identifier: B097.02.0016
Abstract

(1) large ledger containing Fashion Bar sales 1938-1953

Dates: 1938-1953

Box 17, 1938-1993

 File — Box B097.01.0017: Series B097.04 [Barcode: U186020759221]
Identifier: B097.04.0017

Box 18, 1953-1993

 File — Box B097.01.0018: Series B097.04 [Barcode: U186020759522]
Identifier: B097.04.0018
Abstract

(2) large bound scrapbooks of Fashion Bar; (1953-1976) & (1976-1993).

Dates: 1953-1993

Container 19, 1970-1980

 File — Drawer B097.05.0019: Series B097.05 [Barcode: U186018641991]
Identifier: B097.05.0019

Fashion Bar and Levy Family Papers

 Collection
Identifier: B097
Abstract Siblings 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 business, Hilb and 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. Jack started as a traveling salesman for the Hilb company and Hannah as a shop-girl at...
Dates: 1938-1993; Coverage: 1900-1993

Additional filters:

Type
Archival Object 23
Collection 1
 
Subject
Jews 20
Department stores 6
Jewish businesspeople 5
Clothing trade 3
Denver (Colo.) 3