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Rocky Mountain Online Archive


Table of Contents

Collection Summary

Organization History

Arrangement of Collection

Scope and Content

Restrictions

Preferred Citation

Processing Information

Provenance/Source of Acquisition

Access Terms

Container List

Fashion Bar 


Fashion Bar / Levy records, 1938-1993

Ira M. Beck Memorial Archives, Special Collections and Archives, Penrose Library, University of Denver

Email:  jabrams@du.edu
URL:  http://library.du.edu/About/collections/SpecialCollections/FashionBar/





Collection Summary

Title Fashion Bar / Levy records
Dates 1938-1993
Creator Fashion Bar
Abstract The Fashion Bar, a retail women's clothing store in Denver Colorado, originated with a small hosiery shop founded by Jack Levy in 1933 and managed by his sister Hannah Levy. Born in the town of Haigerloch, near Stuttgart in Southern Germany, both Hannah, Jack and another brother emigrated to America in the 1920s. Jack had started as a traveling salesman and Hannah as a shop girl in Neusteter's Department Store, located in Denver, before opening their own store. Their store became the Fashion Bar Corporation. Despite the Great Depression, the enterprise flourished and within three years it grew to five clothing stores that were later named Fashion Bar. In 1940, Jack and Hannah Levy bought out their partner and took full control of the business. They brought William Weil on board as manager and later he became president of the company.
Identification MS 97
Quantity 30 linear feet, 8 boxes and oversize photographs and scrapbooks
Repository Ira M. Beck Memorial Archives, Special Collections and Archives, Penrose Library, University of Denver.
Language(s) English

Organization History

Fashion Bar originated with a small hosiery shop started by Jack Levy in 1933 and managed by his sister Hannah Levy. Born in the town of Haigerloch, near Stuttgart in Southern Germany, both Hannah, Jack and another brother emigrated to America in the 1920's. Jack went to Colorado to join other family members who had come to Colorado much earlier. After a few years in New York City, Hannah also moved to Denver. Late in 1927, Hannah and Jack's parents and other family members moved to Denver, where the entire family was reunited once more.

Jack had started as a traveling salesman and Hannah as a shop girl in Denver's Neusteter's before opening their own store which evolved into the major Fashion Bar corporation. Despite the Great Depression, the enterprise flourished and within three years it grew to five clothing stores that were later named Fashion Bar. In 1940, Jack and Hannah Levy bought out their partner and took full control of the business. Later they brought William Weil on board as manager and later he became president of the company.

Hannah and Jack became major business figures and philanthropists in the Colorado general and Jewish community, and remained involved in the business until their deaths. By the 1980's Fashion Bar employed over 1700 people in over 80 stores.

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Arrangement of Collection

The collection is organized into types of materials including: scrapbooks, photographs, articles, memorabilia and correspondence.

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Scope and Content

The Fashion Bar /Levy collection consists of scrapbooks, photographs, articles, memorabilia and correspondence that reflects the growth and development of Fashion Bar and pivotal roles of Jack and Hannah Levy.

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Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

The collection is open to qualified researchers. Contact Ira M. Beck Memorial Archives, Special Collections and Archives, Penrose Library, University of Denver, Denver, Colo.

Restrictions on Use and Reproduction

Permission for use or reproduction must be obtained from the Director of the Ira M. Beck Memorial Archives, Special Collections and Archives, Penrose Library, University of Denver. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.

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Preferred Citation

Fashion Bar / Levy records, Ira M. Beck Memorial Archives, Special Collections and Archives, Penrose Library, University of Denver.

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Processing Information

The collection was processed by Jeanne Abrams and William Weil in 1994.

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Provenance/Source of Acquisition

Gift of John Levy and Barbara Levy Goldburg in 1994.

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Access Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the repository's online public access catalog:

Fashion Bar Corporation

Hannah Levy

Jack Levy

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Container List

Fashion Bar 

Description Container

Scrapbooks  1950's - 1980's

Box 1  

Financial Records   1950's-1980's

Box 2  

Articles, Clippings, Correspondence, Statements  1950's-1980's

Box 3  

Laminated Photographs of Fashion Bar Interiors  1980's

Box 4  

Photographs of Fashion Bar and Levy Family  undated

Box 5  

Scrapbooks  1950's-1960's

Box 5A  

Scrapbooks  1953-1976

Box 6  

Scrapbooks  1976-1993

Box 7  

Suitcase thought to have been used by Hannah Levy on trip  undated

  Item 1

Framed watercolor of Fashion Bar-Tollgate Center  undated

  Item 2

Framed watercolor of Fashion Bar downtown  undated

  Item 3

Framed color portrait photograph of Hannah Levy  circa 1982

  Item 4

Photograph of early Denver site that became first Fashion Bar  undated

  Item 5

Photo portrait of Jack Levy  circa 1970's

  Item 6

Blow-up of Fashion Bar- 32nd Anniversary Meeting  undated

  Item 7

Blow-up of Jack Levy and June Anderson  undated

  Item 8

Blow-up of Jack Levy and Mrs. Gish  circa 1960

  Item 9

Blow-up of Bill Weil and Hannah Levy  circa 1960

  Item 10

Architect's drawing of proposed new Fashion Bar building  undated

  Item 11

Architect's drawing of proposed Fashion Bar building  undated

  Item 12

Laminated plaque- Jack Levy honored by Rose Hospital  undated

  Item 13

Photo of first Fashion Bar on Curtis after Hosiery Bar expanded  undated

  Item 14

Fashion Bar Party  1951

  Item 15

Photo of Levy hometown of Hagerloch, Germany  undated

  Item 16

Framed Rocky Mountain News article regarding Jack Levy honored by Rose Medical   undated

  Item 17

Framed photo of Jack Levy  1970's

  Item 18

Framed photo of Jack Levy  1970's

  Item 19

Framed photo of Contemporarycover of Hannah Levy  1984

  Item 20

Framed article on Hannah Levy "Candid Talk with Hannah Levy"  undated

  Item 21

Framed Governor's Proclamation, "Jack Levy Day"  1982

  Item 22

Framed Photo of Fashion Bar  1950's

  Item 23

Framed photo portrait of Hannah Levy by R. Wohlauer  1980's

  Item 24

Advertising Copy Scrapbook  1980's

  Item 25

Fashion Bar Sales  1938-1983

  Item 26

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