Levy Bros. (Louisville, Ky.) Records, 1885-1934
Collection held by The Filson Historical Society
Creator: Levy Bros. (Louisville, Ky.)
Title: Records, 1885-1934
Rights: For information regarding literary and copyright interest for these papers, contact the Collections Department.
Size of Collection: 0.79 cu. ft.
Location Number: Mss. BB L668a
Scope and Content Note
This collection consists of documentation regarding Levy Bros., a clothing store in Louisville, Kentucky. The collection includes insurance policies, internal business records, and material regarding building renovations. These documents detail insurance and business policies, business transactions, and credit accounts of patrons that frequented the store. Correspondence includes letters regarding the inheritance of the business and personal holdings, as well as the buyout of Randall Clothes Incorporated—a clothing store authorized to sell Levy Bros. products.
Biographical Note
Brothers Moses and Henry Levy immigrated to the United States from Germany in 1853. After establishing themselves as peddlers in rural Kentucky, the brothers opened their first store in downtown Louisville in 1861. The business, a department store carrying men’s, women’s and children’s apparel, was run by the brothers and then by successive generations of the Levy family. In 1888, the business began the process of purchasing the lot at 3rd and Market Streets in downtown Louisville and commissioned the construction of a new building to house their flagship store. The company opened several satellite locations in area malls and shopping centers beginning in 1955, and the store on Market Street remained open until 1979. The company ceased retail operations in 1987.
Folder List
Volume 1: Monthly sales totals book, 1915-1922.
Volume 2: Credit account purchases, 1921-1934.
Folder 3: Business correspondence, 1885-1932.
Folder 4: 3rd and Market deeds and financing, 1892-1903.
Folder 5: Levy Bros. insurance policies, 1901-1908.
Folder 6: Levy Bros. insurance policies, 1909-1912.
Folder 7: Remodeling contracts for 3rd and Market Street, 1919.
Folder 8: Remodeling contracts for 3rd and Market Street, 1927.
Folder 9: Randall Clothes Incorporated buyout, 1927.
Subject Headings
For more details on how the below subjects appear in this collection, search the subject in the manuscript database at https://filsonhistorical.org/collections/manuscript-database/.
Levy Bros. (Louisville, Ky.)
Stores, Retail – Kentucky – Louisville.
Business records – Kentucky – Louisville.