From the Richard L. Crowther Architectural Records, PHBox 3, FF39 Fashion Bar store located at 16th and Tremont, 1966
Fashion Bar store located at 16th and Tremont, 1966
Here’s a Colorado Cinderella story: what began in 1933 as a Denver hosiery store became Colorado’s largest, privately held clothing retailer in 1992.
Siblings Hannah and Jack Levy, German émigrés, opened Hosiery Bar at 707 16th Street in 1933. In 1936, the store became Fashion Bar after the purchase of a nearby dress shop, and the Fashion Bar chain was born.
From the Richard L. Crowther Architectural Records, PHBox 3, FF39 Fashion Bar, 1534 Curtis Street, circa 1947
Fashion Bar, 1534 Curtis Street, circa 1947
In 1958, Fashion Bar opened a new distribution center on Denver’s South Broadway. The following year, they expanded and remodeled their University Hills location (shown below).
From the Richard Crowther Architectural Records, PHBox 3, FF31 Fashion Bar, University Hills location, 1955
Fashion Bar, University Hills location, 1955
Fashion Bar continued to expand during the 1960s. In 1963, Fashion Bar stores opened in Boulder and Lakewood’s Westland Shopping Center. In February 1964, the company announced plans for the construction of a new downtown Denver shopping destination at 16th and Tremont Place, designed by architect Richard L. Crowther.
From the Richard L. Crowther Architectural Records, PHBox 3, FF34 Architectural rendering, Fashion Bar at 16th and Tremont, circa 1963. By Richard Crowther
Architectural rendering, Fashion Bar at 16th and Tremont, circa 1963. By Richard Crowther
The 16th Street store opened in early December 1965—just in time for the holiday shopping season.
From the Richard L. Crowther Architectural Records, PHBox 3, FF39 Interior of Fashion Bar store, 16th Street and Tremont, circa 1966
Interior of Fashion Bar store, 16th Street and Tremont, circa 1966
By September 1966, the company’s 15th store had opened at the Bear Valley Shopping Center. During the 1970s, Fashion Bar diversified its brand, opening specialty shops for men (“FB Men” and “L’Uomo”), young women (“Stage”), women 35 and older (“Hannah”), and children (“Young Set”). FB Design carried furniture and household designs.
From the Richard L. Crowther Architectural Records, PHBox 3, FF44 FB Design, Fashion Bar store, Crossroads Mall (Boulder), 1971
FB Design, Fashion Bar store, Crossroads Mall (Boulder), 1971
When Fashion Bar turned 50 in 1983, the company boasted a fleet of 83 stores.
Fashion Bar’s co-founder, Hannah Levy, passed away in 1984, and Jack H. Levy, died in April 1985.
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From the Richard L. Crowther Architectural Records, PHBox 3, FF39 Exterior of Fashion Bar, 1966
Exterior of Fashion Bar, 1966
After the deaths of its co-founders, Fashion Bar made plans to expand further west. Two stores opened in the Los Angeles area in 1988.
On June 2, 1992, the Levy family was bought out by Houston-based Specialty Retailers for $14.7 million. Specialty Retailers began shutting down the 71 Fashion Bar stores in 1995.
The last Denver-area Fashion Bar stored closed on January 31, 1997.
Photos and architectural records of Fashion Bar can be found in the Richard L. Crowther Architectural Records (WH1504)
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