The Clothing Industry

THE SCRIBE The Journal of the Jewish Museum and Archives of British Columbia Volume XXXV – 2015/16 Focus on the Clothing Industry Editor: Cynthia Ramsay Publications Committee: Gary Averbach, Debby Freiman, David Goldman, Harley Rothstein, archivist Alysa Routtenberg, Perry Seidelman, Ronnie Tessler, archivist Jennifer Yuhasz, with appreciation to Josie Tonio McCarthy, Marcy Babins and Michael Schwartz Layout: Western Sky Communications Ltd. Cover Photo: Courtesy of Irving Goldenberg Statements of fact or opinion appearing in The Scribe are made on the responsibility of the authors/interviewees alone and do not imply the endorsements of the editor or the Jewish Museum and Archives of British Columbia. Please address all submissions and communications on editorial and circulation matters to: THE SCRIBE Jewish Museum and Archives of British Columbia 6184 Ash Street, Vancouver, B.C., V5Z 3G9 604-257-5199 • [email protected] • http://www.jewishmuseum.ca Membership Rates: Households – $54; Institutions/Organizations – $75 Includes one copy of each issue of The Scribe and The Chronicle Back issues and extra copies – $20 plus postage ISSN 0824 6048 © The Jewish Historical Society of British Columbia/Jewish Museum and Archives of British Columbia is a nonprofit organization. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored or transmitted without the written permission of the publisher, with the following exception: JMABC grants permission to individuals to download or print single copies of articles for personal use. A person may reproduce excerpts from articles in the journal for any purpose that respects the moral rights of the authors, on the condition that the source is fully acknowledged. Permission does not extend to other kinds of copying, such as copying for general distribution, promotional purposes, new collective works or resale. Printed on 100% post-consumer recycled paper with vegetable-based inks. THE JEWISH MUSEUM AND ARCHIVES OF BRITISH COLUMBIA The Jewish Historical Society of British Columbia (JHSBC) was founded on January 25, 1971, under the direction of historian Cyril Leonoff, with assis- tance from the National Council of Jewish Women and Canadian Jewish Congress, Pacific Region. By 2002, the JHSBC’s collection had become so extensive that it became apparent that a formal archives was needed to house their records. The Jewish Museum and Archives of British Columbia (JMABC), administered by the Jewish Historical Society, officially opened to the public on March 25, 2007. The JMABC is the preeminent and authoritative body for the gathering and sharing of community memory of Jewish life in British Columbia. Through its publications, education programs, public events and the operation of the archives, the JMABC collects, researches, preserves, exhibits and interprets archival material and artifacts related to the history of the Jewish people in British Columbia. The archives’ holdings comprise records from 70 organizations, families and individuals, and cover the years 1860-present, with predominant dates of 1920-2005. As of publication, the archives holds 300 linear metres of textual files, 300,000 photographs and 750 oral history interviews. The Scribe is the annual journal published by the JMABC. As an anthology, occasionally with peer-reviewed articles, it seeks to cover all aspects of the Jewish experience in British Columbia and Western Canada, including history, culture, art, literature, religion, communal activities and contributions to the development and progress of Canada. Contents I. Editor’s Introduction 7 II. Focus on the Clothing Industry 9 From the JMABC Collection: Oral History Excerpts 9 Carole Abramson 9 Esther Brandt (with Ron Brandt) 15 Arthur Chinkis 19 Boris Chenkis 25 Marlene Cohen 37 Louis Eisman 43 Yoel Farzan 49 Doreen and Solly Globman 52 Irving Goldenberg 58 David Goldman 66 Murray and David Goldman 81 Irving Grad 89 Harry Hammer 93 Joel Herman 98 Michael James 105 Abe Jampolsky 111 Richard Lowy and Jocy Lowy 116 Esther Nobleman 125 Solomon and Minnie Pelman 130 Leslie and Nicky Raphael 135 Leslie Raphael 140 Brian Rosner 145 Joseph Segal 151 Marnie Tritt 160 Leonard and Henriette White 169 Mark White 173 Sam Zack 179 Marilyn Glazer (née Zack) 186 From the JMABC Digital Collection 191 III. Recent Publications 217 IV. Archivist’s Report 225 7 EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION From bargain basement to formal wear, factory to retail store, employees to own- ers, this issue of The Scribe looks at Jewish involvement in the clothing industry in Greater Vancouver. While many of the companies featured had retail locations elsewhere in the province and beyond, and there are a few photos in this issue of stores in other parts of British Columbia, there are no interviewees from outside the Lower Mainland. Given the sheer number of Jews participating in the industry, there was no chance of compiling a comprehensive issue. Nonetheless, this collection of 28 oral history interview excerpts represents an extensive collection of voices, covering a period of almost 100 years. The vast majority of the 20-plus stores featured in this edition have been or were in business for decades. The longest-running company by far is Army & Navy, started by Samuel Cohen in 1919, the most recent, Fab Clothing, was started in 1999 by Yoel Farzan. More than half the companies represent multiple generations in the clothing business. Army & Navy is headed by Cohen’s granddaughter, Jacqui. Murray Goldman, whose father was a steam presser in a ladies coat factory, has been followed i n the industry by his son David and grandson Sammy in Boys’Co. Rose and Arthur Chinkis’ son Boris, with his wife Janine and son Brad, carry on After Five. Bryan’s also represents three generations in the business, while Finns Kerrisdale Ladies is a second-generation store. Among the stores that have closed, Jermaine’s lasted three generations in the White family, Petite Fashions’ Chark family also had three generations in the clothing industry and several stores involved two generations: for example, Sam’s Shirt Shop, Drapeshire Clothes and Sweet 16. As fad-driven as fashion is, the entrepreneurs in this issue of The Scribe negotiat- ed the moving target of style, as well as dips in the economy, the advent of new technologies, changes in clientele and other factors to run successful, long-last- ing businesses. Most of the companies had more than one location at some point in their history, and it is fascinating to see what seems like a quick progression from one storefront to dozens, to even more, in and outside of the province. Joseph Segal took Fields, which he started in 1948, to some 80 stores. In 1977, it became a sub- sidiary of Zellers when Segal bought Zellers, and then it was acquired by the 8 The Scribe Hudson’s Bay Company, in which Segal was the largest stockholder at the time. Fields’ ownership has changed and Segal is no longer involved, but the store survives. Many other stores expanded and contracted on an impressive scale. What is striking about the clothing industry, as opposed to the junk and furniture industries, on which The Scribe has previously focused, is the number of women involved in either running the business on their own or working as partners with their husbands or other family. In chronological order of the stores’ establish- ment, examples include Army & Navy, Jermaine’s, Leo’s Menswear, Marjorie Hamilton, Bryan’s, La Belle Rose, Jay David, Petite Fashions and After Five. Another unique aspect of this industry versus that of junk and furniture is that fewer businesses were sta rted by a first-generation North American. Several entrepreneurs did come from Eastern Europe or Russia, but many were born in Canada and a few in the United States; Louis Eisman of Mr. Jax immigrated from South Africa and Farzan from Israel. For some reason, the Prairie provinces appear often in this edition, in particular Saskatchewan, with the Wines (Petite Dress Shop) coming to Vancouver via Saskatoo n, Irving Goldenberg of Clinton’s was born in Saskatoon, Joel Herman’s (Charles of California and McKee’s) mother was from Canora, Mickey James and his brother Abe Jampolsky (Finn’s) were from Lipton, Esther Nobleman (Jay David) came from Estuary, the White family (Jermaine’s) has Saskatoon connections and Sam Zack (Regal Clothiers) was born in Regina. One aspect of the clothing industry that is not differe nt from the junk and furniture industries is the level of commitment that all of the interviewees featured in this issue had or continue to have toward the Jewish community. Volunteers, philanthropists, employees, active members of different groups and organizations – all are represented in these pages. Hopefully, reading this issue of The Scribe will offer a new, or renewed, appreciation for the people who make and sell our clothes. Theirs is a competitive, ever- changing industry that requires ingenuity, creativity, self-confidence and tenac- ity to survive. Fashion, business and common sense all come into play, of course – and a healthy sense of humour helps in dealing with customers and in making a store stand out in advertising. While it’s too late to get Mac-Cohen tartan sportswear f rom Jermaine’s or a “dirty shirt” from Murray Goldman, there are many places that would benefit from your patronage – and help make you into the smart-dressed person you were meant to be. 9 From the JMABC Collection: Oral History Excerpts – The Clothing Industry In this section are excerpts from oral histories conducted by various volunteers. They were also transcribed by volunteers, entailing hundreds of hours of work, as most of the interviews were more than 10,000 words long. For their presentation here, the interviews have been edited and parts have been summarized by journal editor Cynthia Ramsay and archivist Alysa Routtenberg.

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