Bell Shops photographs, approximately 1950

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Summary

Creator:
Bell Shops
Abstract:
Bell Shops were a chain of clothing and variety stores primarily in the northeast United States, founded as Bell Hosiery Shops in Massachusetts in 1929 by Max and Morris Feldberg. Collection consists of black-and-white photographs that depict two Bell Shops locations, one announcing an expansion sale and the other boarded for renovation/enlargement. Additionally some photographs show store interiors with merchandise displays. Acquired as part of the John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History.
Extent:
0.1 Linear Feet
Language:
Materials in English.
Collection ID:
RL.12091

Background

Scope and content:

Collection consists of black-and-white photographs that depict two Bell Shops locations, one announcing an expansion sale and the other boarded for renovation/enlargement. Additionally some photographs show store interiors with merchandise displays.

Biographical / historical:

Bell Shops were a chain of clothing and variety stores primarily in the northeast United States, founded as Bell Hosiery Shops in Massachusetts in 1929 by Max and Morris Feldberg.

Max and Morris Feldberg were Russian immigrants who established a wholesale venture, the New England Trading Company, in 1919. The Brothers shifted to a retail operation as Bell Hosiery Shops in 1929 and renamed the business Bell Shops in the 1930s. Their sons, Stanley and Sumner Feldberg, established a discount department store chain, Zayre, in 1956 and the chain gradually absorbed the Bell Shops. Zayre launched a spinoff discount chain, T.J. Maxx in 1976 and eventually sold off the Zayre stores. Operating as TJX Companies, the firm now manages a number of discount and department store chains, including T.J. Maxx, Marshals, and Home Goods.

Acquisition information:
The Bell Shops photographs were received by the David M. Rubenstein Rare Book Manuscript Library as a purchase from Walkabout Books in 2023.
Processing information:

Processed by Richard Collier, Apr. 2023;

Accessions described in this collection guide: 2023-0035

Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Subjects

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Subjects:
Retail trade
Display of merchandise
Names:
John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History

Contents

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Restrictions:

Collection is open for research.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to Duke University. For more information, consult the Rubenstein Library's Citations, Permissions, and Copyright guide.

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Preferred citation:

[Identification of item], Bell Shops photographs, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.