THE HEART OF THE CITY
LEVY BROTHERS CO.
58-60 King Street East
CURRENT STATUS (1999)
Present Owner: Shaver and Scanlan Ltd.
Present Use: Chester's Beers of the World
Heritage Status: N/A
Locally Significant Date: N/A
BUILDING INFORMATION
Date Built: 1920 (existing facade; replaced 1875-76 facade added with fourth storey to pre-1850 building)
Original Owner: Russell Prentiss, merchant
Original Use: Hardware store
Subsequent Uses: Associated with the Levy Bros. jewellers (1877-1945); Canada Business College; men's wear retail store; art gallery; financial offices; restaurant.
Previous Building on Site: See above
ARCHITECTURE
Size: Four-storeys
Design and Style: N/A
Architect, Builder: N/A
Construction Materials: Brick masonry
Architectural Integrity: N/A
Architectural Features: N/A
The Levy Bros. store was the leading wholesale house of its kind in British
North America. The store dealt in jewellery, clocks, watches, Jewellers materials,
and watchmakers tools and materials. Optical goods were sold as well.
Herman Levy founded the store in 1857 and it was incorporated under Provincial law in
1893. After Herman Levy opened the firm and began to make a success of it, he sent back
home to Germany, for his brother Abraham and his childhood sweetheart. In 1862, Abraham
and Herman changed the business name to
H. & A. Levy, and eventually became known as the Levy Bros.
The store was located at 5860 King Street East with showrooms on the first floor and manufacturing on the top floors. Jewellery was available in gold, white gold, silver, or platinum. Bridal Belline of diamond rings were sold as well. All the work was done by a staff of about fifty craftsmen employed by the firm, most of whom stayed with the company until retirement, giving the workers a life-long experience in the trade. The Levy Bros. business was recognized throughout Canada as the standard of excellence.
There was even a poem written about the company, called "Oh! Mr. Levy - Now How Could You?" The poem centres around the rationing of World War II and how it came to affect the company.
There's a blight upon the nation,
And the haughty dames of fashion
Lack a spirit of elation
Over Levy's latest ration.Five O Seven Jewellery Order
Touches people in high places,
Plus the lower income border
An the in-bewteenish cases.Hence, Milady when austerely
Looking down her tilted nose
Must support her lorgnette merely
By aristocratic pose.For no golden chain may dangle
In its sweeping are of glitter;
What! Henceforth no gilded bangle
Set the populace atwitter?And her lowly working sister
May not buy a dummy locket,
Nor a mesh bag to assist her
To deplete her purse and pockets.Mayors may buy no mayoral collars,
Wardens cannot have a chain,
Lodges must conserve their dollars
Spent for pennies, lest it rains!Baby pins and rings, though classy,
Are forbidden; dinner bells
Can't be made, and also passe
Are flower holders for lapels.Rings for guards and rings for sleepers,
Rings initialed, rings de key,
Coloured stone rings, rings for keepers
Suffer joint morality.Pin guards, pins (but not scholastic)
Men's dress set and dummy spades,
Charms and bars (hurrah for plastic!)
Watch chain knives with tiny blades.Plates and keys for presentation
All are causalities of war!
Once a brightly decked-out nation -
Quoth the raven, Nevermore!
When plans were made to build a new Post Office, the store moved to a new location at 25
Main Street West. The company was passed to Hermans son Adolph, and later to his
grandson Herman. The firms founder was appointed Jewellery Administrator of the War
Time Prices and Trade Board. He was also awarded the order of the British Empire for his
work.