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Clothing and Accessories
Men's Clothing ➔ Coat
Identifier:
156674Description:
This navy blue coat is made of wool and is double breasted with six buttons on the center front. It has notched lapels and flap pockets on the front of the waist. There is an interior maker label that reads "The Viking, Adler-Rochester, A. Mays & Sons, Grand Rapids, Mich.". There is also a union label from the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America.Date:
1938Materials:
WoolCurrent Location Status:
In StorageCollection Tier:
Tier 2Source:
Gift Of Mr. William C. GallmeyerRelated Entities:
William C. Gallmeyer (donor) Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America (is related to)Alternate names: ACTWU, ACWA, Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union, Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees, UNITE, UNITE HERE
The Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America (ACWA) was founded in 1914 and was a labor union from the United States. It helped found the Congress of Industrial Organizations. In 1976 it merged with the Textile Workers Union of America (TWUA) and formed the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union (ACTWU). In 1995 the ACTWU merged with the International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union to form the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE). In 2004 UNITE merged with the Hotel Employees and Restaurant Employees Union (HERE) to create UNITE HERE. A. May and Sons (sold by)
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.
