Finding aid for the Halle Bros. Co. Records
Title:
Halle Bros. Co. Records
Repository:
Western Reserve Historical Society
Phone: 216-721-5722
http://www.wrhs.org
Creator:
Halle Bros. Co.
Dates:
1891-1982
Quantity:
13.27 linear feet (11 containers, 32 oversize volumes, and 2 oversize folders)
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.
Identification:
MS 5112
Location:
closed stacks
Language:
The records are in English

History of the Halle Bros. Co.

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 Great 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 the 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, Illinois. 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.


click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for the Halle Bros. Co.


click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for Salmon P. Halle


click here to view the Encyclopedia of Cleveland History entry for Manuel Halle

Scope and Content

The Halle Bros. Co. Records, 1891-1982 and undated, consist 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.

This collection is of value to researchers studying the growth and decline of department stores during the twentieth century in the United States generally and in Cleveland, Ohio, more specifically. Anyone interested in the Halle Brothers Company history and Marshall Field and Company history will find this collection useful. There is much information regarding retail business practices, employee relations and associations, and sales data. Those interested in the decline of the Playhouse Square area of Cleveland in the 1960s and the shift of downtown shopping trends will also find this collection of value. The collection also documents the lives of working women at Halle Bros., including office workers and workroom assistants.

Statement of Arrangement

The collection is arranged in four series.
Series I: Corporate History is arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically.
Series II: Corporate Administrative Records is arranged in two sub-series.
Sub-series A: Corporate Operations Files is arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically.
Sub-series B: Administrative Subject Files is arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically.
Series III: Public Relations and Advertising is arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically.
Series IV: General Subject Files is arranged alphabetically by subject and then chronologically.

Restrictions on Access

None.

Separated Material: Separated Material

All photographs have been removed to PG 574 Halle Bros. Co. Photographs.


Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Advertising -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Clerks (Retail trade) -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Department stores -- Employees -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Department stores -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- Marketing.
Department stores -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Department stores -- United States -- 20th century.
Halle Bros. Co.
Industrial recreation -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Industrial relations -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Marshall Field & Company.
Retail trade -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Retail trade -- United States -- 20th century.
Sales promotion -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Shopping -- Ohio -- Cleveland -- History.
Women clerks (Retail trade) -- Ohio -- Cleveland.
Women employees -- Ohio -- Cleveland.

Preferred Citation

[Container ___, Folder ___ ] MS 5112 Halle Bros. Co. Records, Western Reserve Historical Society, Cleveland, Ohio

Acquisition Information

Gifts of Cynthia Halle in 1984 and 1988; Ann Halle Little in 1991; Mrs. Robert Shankland in 1991; and Howard and Beverly King in 2007.

Processing Information

Processed by Hannah Kemp-Severence in 2012.


Detailed Description of The Collection



Series I: Corporate History, 1914-1981; undated

Box 1 / Folder 1
Book draft, Samuel Halle as a Teacher by DeForest Mellon, ca. 1950




Box 1 / Folder 2-3
Diary of Florence Adams from the superintendant's office on daily general business conditions, 1914-1916




Box 1 / Folder 4
Diary of Mary Schall of the millinery workroom, 1918




Box 1 / Folder 5
Halle history file, Erie, Pennsylvania, 1967




Box 1 / Folder 6-7
Halle history file, general, 1924




Box 1 / Folder 8
Purchase (gift) certificates and related correspondence, ca. 1935





Series II: Corporate Administrative Records, 1891-1981; undated




Sub-series A: Corporate Operations, 1891-1981; undated

Box 1 / Folder 9-10
Annual reports, 1948-1969




Box 1 / Folder 11
Articles of Incorporation, 1914




Box 1 / Folder 12
Basic objectives and master policies, 1967




Box 1 / Folder 13
Buyers' contracts and records, Aldrich-Beach, 1909-1946




Box 1 / Folder 14
Buyers' contracts and records, Behrend-Buckreis, 1906-1949




Box 1 / Folder 15
Buyers' contracts and records, Card-Durhamer, 1903-1945




Box 1 / Folder 16
Buyers' contracts and records, Edelson-Garlick, 1909-1945




Box 1 / Folder 17
Buyers' contracts and records, Getzendonner-Hutman, 1909-1950




Box 1 / Folder 18
Buyers' contracts and records, Inman-Metzger, 1906-1950




Box 1 / Folder 19
Buyers' contracts and records, Mielziner-Robinson, 1902-1946




Box 1 / Folder 20
Buyers' contracts and records, Ross-Summers, 1907-1943




Box 1 / Folder 21
Buyers' contracts and records, Swan-Weisenberg, 1902-1954




Box 1 / Folder 22
Buyers' contracts and records, Weissenburger-Wood, 1904-1953




Box 2 / Folder 1
Executive compensation plan, 1966-1969




Box 2 / Folder 2
Financial records, cash book, 1891-1894




Box 2 / Folder 3
Financial records cash book, journal, and ledger, 1908-1914




Box 2 / Folder 4
Financial records equitable financing documents, 1950




Box 2 / Folder 5
Financial records equitable financing modification documents, 1956




Box 2 / Folder 6
Financial records miscellaneous loose documents, 1901-1915




Box 2 / Folder 7
Financial records miscellaneous record books, 1900-1915




Box 2 / Folder 8
Financial records stock information, certificate of increase of capital stock and certificate of amendment, 1920-1921




Box 2 / Folder 9
Financial records stock information, convertible preferred stock issue of 1936, 1936




Box 2 / Folder 10-11
Financial records stock information, Halle Bros. Co. capital, common, and preferred stock certificates, 1902-1914




Box 2 / Folder 12
Financial records stock information, stock that Halle Bros. owned, Combined Insurance Company of America, 1968-1976; Credit Bureau of Erie, Inc., 1951-1976; Edico, Inc., 1967; Employment task Force, Inc., 1965; The Ludlow Company, 1961-1979; and Norwalk Company, Inc., 1959-1970, .




Box 2 / Folder 13
Financial records tax records, Domestic corporation for profit annual report, 1919-1925




Box 2 / Folder 14
Financial records tax records, tax valuation statements, 1917-1918




Box 2 / Folder 15-18
General corporate record books of The Halle Bros. Co. (including articles of incorporation, stock information, code of regulations, election of directors, election of officers, and various meeting minutes, etc.), 1902-1938




Box 3 / Folder 1-12
General corporate record books of The Halle Bros. Co. (including articles of incorporation, stock information, code of regulations, election of directors, election of officers, and various meeting minutes, etc.), 1938-1977




Box 3 / Folder 13-14
General corporate records of The Halle Bros Co. of Pennsylvania, 1924-1974




Box 3 / Folder 15
General corporate records of The H.W. Realty Company and The Halle Corporation, 1970-1977




Box 3 / Folder 16
Leases, 1915




Box 3 / Folder 17
Merger of the Halle Bros. Co. with and into a subsidiary of Marshall Field and Company, 1970




Box 3 / Folder 18
Notices, annual meetings of shareholders and proxy statements, 1966-1970




Box 3 / Folder 19
Notices, Comptroller's bulletins, 1971-1975




Box 4 / Folder 1-3
Notices, Comptroller's bulletins, 1976-1981




Box 4 / Folder 4-6
Notices, Executive Office/Office of the President, 1971-1981




Box 4 / Folder 7-13
Notices, general, 1950-1971




Box 4 / Folder 14-15
Notices, office of the controller system notices, 1955-1976




Box 4 / Folder 16
Notices, office of the general manager, 1971-1977




Box 4 / Folder 17
Notices, office of the general merchandise manager, 1971-1981




Box 4 / Folder 18
Notices, office of the general operating manager, 1971-1981




Box 4 / Folder 19
Notices, office of the general personnel manager, 1971-1981




Box 4 / Folder 19
Notices, office of the sales promotion director, 1980




Box 4 / Folder 20
Profit sharing plan data, Ohio corporation, 1944-1954




Box 5 / Folder 1
Profit sharing plan data, Ohio corporation, 1955-1957




Box 5 / Folder 2
Profit sharing plan data, Pennsylvania corporation, 1945-1957




Box 5 / Folder 3-4
Retirement plan data, Ohio corporation, 1944-1957




Box 5 / Folder 5
Retirement plan data, Pennsylvania corporation, 1945-1957




Box 5 / Folder 6
Sales records, Halle Bros. Co. Bridal Salon Wedding Embassy Yearbook, 1962




Box 5 / Folder 7
Sales records, How to Avoid Wasteful Markdowns manual and memoranda, ca. 1970




Box 5 / Folder 8-11
Sales records, sales data book (oversize material removed to Oversize Volume 1), 1891-1894




Box 5 / Folder 12-13
Sales records, sales data books, obsolete sections 1-200, 1910-1947




Box 5 / Folder 14-15
Sales records, sales data books, Erie, Pennsylvania, 1929-1951




Box 5 / Folder 14-15
Sales records, sales data books, Canton, Ohio, 1939-1950




Box 5 / Folder 16
Sales records, Severance sales numbers, undated




Box 5 / Folder 17
Status report, A Description of the Halle Bros. Co. of Cleveland, Ohio by E.V. Hale and Co., Chicago, Illinois, 1954




Box 5 / Folder 18
Training department, boys' department manual, 1957




Box 5 / Folder 19
Training department, fashion guides, 1962




Box 5 / Folder 20-22
Training department, merchandising handbook, 1969-1981




Box 5 / Folder 23
Training department, orientation manuals, ca. 1948-ca. 1979




Box 5 / Folder 24
Training department, selling system handbook, 1973-1981







Sub-series B: Administrative Subject Files, 1908-1974; undated

Box 6 / Folder 1-5
Correspondence, Samuel Halle regarding Halle Bros. 50th anniversary, 1941




Box 6 / Folder 6
Correspondence, Samuel, Salmon, Walter, and Chisholm Halle, 1908




Box 6 / Folder 7-8
Employees' Association records, 1913-1944




Box 6 / Folder 9-11
Employees' Federal Credit Union, 1937




Box 6 / Folder 12
Employees' Retirement Profit Sharing plan, ca. 1959




Box 6 / Folder 13
Merchandise arithmetic course, Marshall Field and Company, undated




Box 6 / Folder 14
Miscellaneous documents, 1917-1972




Box 6 / Folder 15
Officers' contract authority and agent and miscellaneous resolutions, 1972-1974




Box 6 / Folder 16
Productivity and unit payroll cost report, 1950-1953




Box 6 / Folder 17
Retail career information, 1961




Box 6 / Folder 18
William Taylor welfare director files, 1935-1955




Box 6 / Folder 19
Warehouse, 1961





Series III: Public Relations and Advertising, 1903-1982; undated

Box 6 / Folder 20
Advertisements, bound volumes and loose items (oversize material removed to Oversize Volumes 2-16 and Oversize Folder 1), ca. 1920-1949




Box 6 / Folder 21
Anniversary files, Frederick Atkins, 1938




Box 6 / Folder 22
Anniversary files, Halle Bros. Co. 50th anniversary, 1941




Box 6 / Folder 23
Booklets, Do you know that You are the Public Relations Expert in your store?, 1960; and How to Budget Advertising for Bigger Volume, More Profits, 1956, .




Box 6 / Folder 24-25
Branch stores and other departments, Belden Village branch, Canton, Ohio, 1969-1975




Box 6 / Folder 26
Branch stores and other departments Cedar Center branch, 1950




Box 6 / Folder 27
Branch stores and other departments Erie, Pennsylvania downtown branch, 1968




Box 6 / Folder 28
Branch stores and other departments general, 1967-1978




Box 6 / Folder 29
Branch stores and other departments Halle's garage, 1957




Box 6 / Folder 30
Branch stores and other departments Halle's redesigned third floor, 1937




Box 6 / Folder 31
Branch stores and other departments Halle's Tea Room, 1956-1972




Box 6 / Folder 32
Branch stores and other departments Huron Road Mall branch, 1970-1974




Box 6 / Folder 33
Branch stores and other departments Millcreek Mall, Erie, Pennsylvania branch, 1973-1974




Box 7 / Folder 1
Branch stores and other departments Millcreek Mall, Erie, Pennsylvania branch, 1973-1974




Box 7 / Folder 2
Branch stores and other departments, Painesville, Ohio branch (considered), 1970




Box 7 / Folder 2
Branch stores and other departments, Sandusky, Ohio Mall branch, 1980




Box 7 / Folder 3
Branch stores and other departments, Severance Center branch, 1962-1963




Box 7 / Folder 4
Branch stores and other departments, Shaker Square branch, 1978-1979




Box 7 / Folder 5
Branch stores and other departments, Southland branch, 1956-1977




Box 7 / Folder 6
Branch stores and other departments, Westgate branch, 1953-1971




Box 7 / Folder 7
Certificates and awards (oversize material removed to Oversize Folder 1), 1916




Box 7 / Folder 8
Christmas catalog, ca. 1969




Box 7 / Folder 9-23
Company newsletters, (oversize material removed to Oversize Volume 17), 1913-1942




Box 8 / Folder 1-23
Company newsletters, 1943-1958




Box 9 / Folder 1-8
Company newsletters, 1959-1981




Box 9 / Folder 9
Executive files, Chisholm Halle, 1966-1973




Box 9 / Folder 10
Executive files, Samuel Halle, 1949-1962




Box 9 / Folder 11
Executive files, Walter Halle, 1947-1975




Box 9 / Folder 12
Executive files, Robert M. Rasmussen, 1973-1978




Box 9 / Folder 13-17
Fashion show programs, The Junior League of Cleveland, Inc. and The Halle Bros. Co., 1960-1969




Box 9 / Folder 18-23
General publicity files, various departments, 1971-1976




Box 10 / Folder 1-4
General publicity files, various departments, 1975-1977




Box 10 / Folder 5-6
Halle Bulletin information files, 1946-1977




Box 10 / Folder 7
The Halles' Tour of Europe, 1965




Box 10 / Folder 8
Magazines and magazine articles, 1951




Box 10 / Folder 9
Marshall Field and Company merger with Halle Bros. Co., 1970-1974




Box 10 / Folder 10
Miscellaneous documents, 1903-1982




Box 10 / Folder 11
Promotion files, Grand tour, 1978




Box 10 / Folder 12-14
Promotion files, Two Worlds of Italy, 1967-1968




Box 10 / Folder 15-16
Scrapbooks, (oversize removed-Oversize Volumes 18-32), 1908-1961




Box 10 / Folder 17
Statement to employees upon stores closing (oversize removed to Oversize Folder 2), 1982




Box 10 / Folder 18
Take-with campaign, 1952





Series IV: General Subject Files, 1915-1970; undated

Box 10 / Folder 19
Artwork, drawings, and sketches of Halle executives, promotions, and stores (oversize material removed to Oversize Folder 2), 1954-1959




Box 10 / Folder 20-22
Choraleers, 1958-1962




Box 10 / Folder 23
Civil defense, 1954




Box 10 / Folder 24
Coffee talks for employees by Walter Halle, 1960




Box 10 / Folder 25
Community Chest and Red Cross, 1938-1954




Box 10 / Folder 26
Courtesy month programs, 1948-1952




Box 10 / Folder 27
Girls' bowling league, undated




Box 10 / Folder 28
Guest books, book shop, 1928-1969




Box 10 / Folder 29
Guest books, Samuel Halle guestbook given by employees of Halle Bros. Co. of 25 years or more, 1934




Box 10 / Folder 30
Guest books, unidentified, undated




Box 11 / Folder 1
Halle Bros. Men's club minutes, 1920-1927




Box 11 / Folder 2
Halle Players play programs, cast list, and news release, 1915




Box 11 / Folder 3-4
Halle Players production, Strange Bedfellows, script and notes, undated




Box 11 / Folder 5
Miscellaneous documents, 1932-1968




Box 11 / Folder 6
Supreme Court of Ohio brief, undated




Box 11 / Folder 7
Twenty-five (25) year club and other anniversaries, 1955-1959




Box 11 / Folder 8
United States bonds, 1942-1944