Levy, Hannah, 1905-1984
Biography
Hannah Levy became a nationally known fashion expert, traveling extensively to New York, Europe, and Asia to buy clothes for Fashion Bar, which was started by her brother Jack in 1933. Fashion Bar became the largest privately owned chain in Colorado. Hannah was born in the town of Haigerloch, near Stuttgart in Southern Germany, on May 19, 1918, to Raphael and Bertha Hilb Levy. Hannah's uncle, Isidore Hilb, came to Denver in the early 1900s and founded Hilb and Company, a wholesale clothing supply business. Jack Levy came to Denver in 1923 to work at his uncle's company as a salesman. Hannah Levy reached New York in 1925, working at menial jobs for 20 months to earn enough money for a train ticket to Denver. She worked as a cleaner, a nanny, a manicurist, and a delicatessen worker. Hannah Levy 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.After a 50-year career at Fashion Bar, Hannah Levy died December 1, 1984.
Citation
Not found in LCNAF or VIAF. mmata 2016-10-26
Sources: https://www.immigrantentrepreneurship.org/entry.php?rec=268 (article by Jeanne Abrams (2016).
Tales of a Little Trunk by Hannah Shwayder Berry.
Obituaries.
Found in 15 Collections and/or Records:
A Legacy of Caring : Early Colorado Jewish Women, 2004
Brief biographies of Jewish women from Colorado who help set up as well as work in charitable orgnazitions in Colorado. Written and directed by Jeanne Abrams for the 2004 RMJHS Dinner.
Bill Weil and Hannah Levy, between 1940-1960
Bill Weil and Hannah Levy pose together on a hill overlooking Florence, Italy. A bridal couple can be seen posing with their photographer in the background.
Box 1: Brown Leather Suitcase, between 1938-1993
A brown leather suitcase with two leather straps across the sides that buckle at the top. Two metal snaps are along the side of the top and a metal latch with a lock is featured in the middle. Originally belonged to Hannah Levy.
Box 6, 1938-1993
(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.
Box 8, 1950-1990
(1) file folder of Hannah Levy achievement awards; (1) bound master copy of Hannah's awards (1976-1985); news magazines, news clippings, and articles.
Box 9, 1961
Scrapbook from 1961 European Trip. Includes trip itinerary.
Box 11, 1980-1990
(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.
Box 12, 1900-1993
(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).
Box 13, c. 1880 - 2002
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".
Fashion Bar and Levy Family Papers
Additional filters:
- Type
- Archival Object 14
- Collection 1
- Subject
- Jews 8
- Denver (Colo.) 7
- Jewish businesspeople 5
- Jewish women 5
- Photographs 5
- Colorado 4
- Department stores 4
- Fashion 3
- Jewish families 3
- Jewish merchants 3
- Social life and customs 3
- Clothing trade 2
- Jewish men 2
- Merchants 2
- Weddings 2
- Aspen (Colo.) 1
- Awards 1
- Businesspeople 1
- Central City (Colo.) 1
- Clippings (Books, newspapers, etc.) 1
- Clothing and dress 1
- Europe 1
- Florence (Italy) 1
- Haigerloch (Germany) 1
- Immigrants 1
- Italy 1
- Jewish businesspeople -- Colorado 1
- Jewish businesspeople -- Colorado -- Denver 1
- Jewish families -- Colorado 1
- Jewish hospitals -- Colorado -- Denver 1
- Leadville (Colo.) 1
- Oral histories 1
- Photograph albums 1
- Portraits 1
- Special events 1
- Stores, Retail 1
- Suitcases 1
- Video Home System (VHS) 1
- Wedding anniversaries 1
- Women merchants 1 + ∧ less