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Hat, Brown-gray, Fedora, Man's
Identifier:
208125Current Location Status:
On ExhibitSource:
Gift Of Farougi, HarryExhibit/Program:
Newcomers: The People of this Place (after 2008)Related Entities:
Knox Hat Company (creator)Alternate names: Hat Corporation of America, Hat-Co, Knox Hats
The Knox Hat Company was founded in 1838 by Charles Knox in New York. It was later taken over by his son, Edward Knox. Knox Hatters started in a modest shop on 110 Fulton Street and eventually grew to the corporate headquarters and shop being located on Fifth Avenue. By the middle of the century, Knox hats were being sold all over America. They were manufactured in Knox's Brooklyn hat factory - the largest hat factory in the world. 23 US Presidents wore Knox hats including Abraham Lincoln's famous 'Stovepipe' hat.
The Knox brand lasted until the great depression when in 1932 the three largest Hatters; Cavanagh, Dunlap, and Knox merged to become the Hat Corporation of America (known as Hat-Co).
Read more: http://bernardhats.com/hat-companies/knox-new-york-hat-company/#ixzz5IJLsw5cm
A. May and Sons (creator)
Alternate names: May's, Mays Of Michigan, The Giant
A. May & Son’s, also known as May’s of Michigan, was a men’s wear store based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The store was founded as the Giant Clothing Store by German merchant Abraham May in 1883 at Monroe and Lyon Streets, Grand Rapids and was nicknamed “the Giant”. After two years at the University of Michigan, Abraham's son Meyer May and other children in the family joined their father's business and the name of the store was changed to A. May & Son’s. It was the first store in the nation to display clothing on Batts hangers, an important first in the merchandizing of clothing. Meyer May became president of the company after his father's death in 1906. Meyer May and his wife Sophie Amberg were also known for their private residence designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Today the house is operating as a museum by Steelcase Inc. A. May & Son’s remained in the family until 1967, when it was purchased by Botany Industries. Norman Talmo, a former Botany executive purchased the store in 1972. The downtown store closed in 1986 and the building was demolished for parking in 1988.
Source: Michael Hauser and Marianne Weldon. Images of America, 20th Century Retailing in Downtown Grand Rapids. Arcadia Publishing: Charleston, 2014. Harry Fagouri (donor)
Mr. Harry Farougi was the owner of the Washington Hat Cleaning and Shoe Repair Shop at 318 Bridge Street NW in Grand Rapids, Michigan around 1970 until around 1980. Portions of his store have been recreated in the Newcomers Exhibit at the Grand Rapids Public Museum.