| Abstract: |
The Halle Brothers Company (1891-1982), a department store known for high quality merchandise and superior service, began
on February 7, 1891 as a small hat and fur shop operated by brothers Samuel H. (1868-1954) and Salmon P. Halle (1866-1949).
It was located at 221 Superior Street near Public Square in Cleveland, Ohio. They purchased the business from Captain T. S.
Paddock. In 1893 the business was moved to Euclid Avenue and East 4th Street due to a need for more space. It was also around
this time that women's ready to wear clothing began to be carried by the store. In 1902 the company was incorporated, changing
its name from Halle Brothers to The Halle Bros. Co. The store continued to grow, adding both space and departments. A new
building was constructed at Euclid and East 12th Street where the company moved in 1910. An addition was opened in 1914 allowing
for the addition of new departments including furniture, toys, and sporting goods. In 1921 Salmon P. Halle resigned as president
to devote himself to philanthropic work and other private interests. Samuel Halle then became president. By 1927 a new building,
the Huron-Prospect store was opened in the Playhouse Square district. Branch stores were opened in Erie, Pennsylvania, in
1929 and Canton, Ohio, in 1930. Although losses did occur during the Depression, business bounced back after World War II
allowing Halle Bros. Co. to open suburban branches, beginning with a Shaker Square store in 1948. Walter Halle, son of Samuel,
became president in 1946 and Samuel moved to the position of chairman of the board. There was also expansion to their main
downtown Euclid Avenue store which was completed in 1949. Problems began to arise in the 1960s stemming from their over-expanded
downtown store and sales competition from stores such as the Higbee Co. and May Co. In 1970 Halle Bros. Co. was merged with
Marshall Field and Company of Chicago. Operations continued to decline and Chisholm Halle, son of Walter who had become president
in 1966, resigned in 1974. Medium-priced goods were introduced but failed help the stores and in 1981 they were sold to Associated
Investors Corporation which closed or sold all stores in 1982. The collection consists of advertisements, annual reports,
articles of incorporation, a book draft, brochures, bylaws, cash books, certificates, charts, constitutions, correspondence,
diaries, forms, guest books, handbooks, journals, leases, ledgers, lists, magazine articles, manuals, memoranda/notices, minutes,
newsletters, newspaper clippings, notes, a play script, press releases, reports, sales data, scrapbooks, and tax records.
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