Bobbie Brooks, Inc., was founded in 1939 as Ritmore Sportswear in Cleveland, Ohio. It developed a national and international reputation for its leadership in the field of women's clothing, particularly outerwear and swimwear. The company was established by Maurice Saltzman and Max Reiter with a $3,000 investment. In 1953 Saltzman bought out Reiter's share of the company for one million dollars. The name of the company was changed to Bobbie Brooks when it went public in March 1960. During the 1960s the company continued to expand, adding production divisions in other cities. However, during the early 1980s, Bobbie Brooks suffered serious financial difficulties. In 1985 the company merged with Pubco Corporation. Operational control was assumed by Robert H. Kanner who reduced Bobbie Brooks' involvement in apparel and diversified its holdings to include retailing outlets and commercial printing.
The Bobbie Brooks, Inc. Photographs. 1939-1964 and undated, consist of group portraits of management and employees, including company president Maurice Saltzman. The lantern slides consist of portraits of Saltzman, employees, and others; and views of plant facilities, advertising, and philanthropic activities. The collection includes 28 black and white photographs and 69 black and white and color glass lantern slides that measure 3.5 x 4 inches.
This collection is of value to researchers interested in the general business history of Cleveland, Ohio; the history of the garment industry, particularly women's apparel; Jewish-owned businesses; and in Maurice Saltzman.
The collection is arranged by media type and then chronologically.
The researcher should also consult MS 4764 Bobbie Brooks, Inc. Records; and MS 5157 Bobbie Brooks, Inc. Records, Series II.
Processed by Louis Rosenblum in 1997.
None.
[Container ___, Folder ___ ] PG 489 Bobbie Brooks, Inc. Photographs, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio
These photographs were removed from MS 4764 Bobbie Brooks, Inc. Records. Gift of Mrs. Shirley Kanner in 1994.
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.