David May I

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David May in Leadville

A sole monument erected outside the locale of his last store in Leadville on Harrison Avenue today remains the only mention of David May in Leadville. Now tourists stop beside the stone monument and ponder where it all started.

The story of David May is, perhaps, not as well known as some of his contemporaries. This might have been because his success was unmarked by personal flamboyance or scandal. A rather solid member of his community, he prospered initially through the usual virtues of hard work, integrity, and some good luck. Over time his talents led him to establish a large retail enterprise. To the extent that May's life has been chronicled, the emphasis has been on the commercial aspect. But David May also had a strong commitment to his family, his religion, and his civic obligations.

Within two years of his 1877 arrival in the Leadville area, May was associated in business with his future brother-in-law, Moses Shoenberg. He was also active among the area's Jews as evidenced by his membership in the local, and short-lived, chapter of B'nai B'rith and by his participation in the organization and subsequent operation of the Hebrew Benevolent Association. Like most fraternal organizations of the era, both of these groups served important social welfare functions for the growing Jewish presence in Leadville and David May's affiliations bespeak his sense of dedication to his fellows.

The following year, 1880, was pivotal for May as it was the year during which he met, wooed, and married Rosa Shoenberg, sister of his partner. They established their home at 203 West 5th Street, immediately next to Moses at 201 West 5th Street and just a short walk to the store (where May had previously lived) on Harrison Avenue. In addition to his growing business interests, the Mays expanded their social activities to include membership in the Standard Club and service on the welcoming committee for the First Annual B'nai B'rith Ball.

Rather promptly, Rosa was delivered of Morton J. a year after the wedding and there is evidence that May was able to arrange for the circumcision of his son by Dr. Elsner, a traveling mohel. As a signal of May's growing importance in the community, he was invited to join as an incorporator of the Leadville Electric Light Company. In 1881, May sought better retail accommodations and leased 318 Harrison Avenue from the very flamboyant and scandalous Leadville legend: Horace A. W. Tabor. The relationship would bear happy fruit three years later.

In 1883, Tom was born and it seems that with the closing of the branch store in Irwin May was focusing more on his Leadville activities. Certainly, by 1884, he had become deeply involved in community affairs. Early in the year he was elected vice president of Temple Israel and appointed chairman of the building committee. The building was ready for services by September on land donated by May's very agreeable landlord, Horace Tabor. May was also "to have charge of burial grounds", an obligation passed down from the Hebrew Benevolent Association as it evolved into the Congregation Israel. But this was not enough for the busy Mr. May. Shortly after serving as a judge, dressed as Music, for the Purim Bal Masque, May was appointed County Treasurer on March 25. He successfully defended the appointment the following November as a Republican and held the office until 1885.

Such a large commitment seems to have had a sobering affect on May and 1885 marked a partial withdrawal. Not only was the Treasurer's office lost, but the partnership with Moses ended in January and May's tenure as an officer of the Temple Israel was over on September 13. Still, May continued to contribute to the larger community and there is a record of his gift to the Catholic Church of the Annunciation during their campaign for a new bell. And the social life continued. The apex appears to have been dinner with a visiting Baron St. Lindoner of Berlin.

By 1887, David May had become very active investing his growing resources. He bought real estate, a mine lease, and a competitor. May was a director of the Leadville Board of Trade and found time to attend the annual Purim Ball at the Tabor Opera House where he was a member of the reception committee. But his vision was wandering and May acquired retail space in Denver, joining with in-laws Joseph and Louis Shoenberg in entering the Queen city's burgeoning market.

Still a resident of Leadville, May served on a jury during 1888 and bought a fine home at 120 West 4th Street, which he sold in 1889 to a local banker, A. V. Hunter, who inhabited it for many years. It is now a bed and breakfast. May had already sold, in 1888, his Leadville store to Meyers Harris.

David May's last recorded event in Leadville involved the receipt of a key to the City in conjunction with the Ice Palace ceremonies in 1896.

The above text is courtesy of the Temple Israel Foundation at www.jewishleadville.org.

 


History of the May Department Stores Company

1877 David May opened the first store of what was to become The May Department Stores Company in Leadville, Colo., a silver-mining boom town.

1892 David May and three brother-in-law partners purchased The Famous Clothing Store in St. Louis.

1898 David May and partners purchased a department store in Cleveland and named it May Company.

1905 May headquarters moved to St. Louis.

1910 The May Department Stores Company was incorporated. Earnings were
$1 million.

1911 The company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange. In St. Louis, May acquired the William Barr Dry Goods Company and combined it with The Famous Clothing Store to form Famous-Barr. May Merchandising Company was formed under the original name of The Sostman Mercantile Company and became May Merchandising in 1969.

1912 May acquired the M. O'Neil department store company in Akron, Ohio.

1923 May acquired the A. Hamburger & Sons department store in California and renamed it May Company. Earnings topped $5 million.

1927 May acquired the Bernheim-Leader department store in Baltimore and renamed it The May Company. It became part of Hecht's in 1959.

1939 May achieved $100 million in annual sales.

1946 May acquired Kaufmann's, a department store company in Pittsburgh.

1951 Between 1922 and 1951, May stock split five times.

1957 May acquired The Daniels & Fisher Stores Company in Denver and renamed all Denver stores May D&F.

1959 May acquired Hecht's, a department store company with stores in
Washington, D.C., and Baltimore.

1964 Stock split two-for-one.

1965 May acquired the G. Fox department store company in Hartford, Conn.

1966 May acquired the Meier & Frank department store company in Portland, Ore.

1967 May reached the $1.0 billion milestone in annual sales.

1974 May Department Stores International began operations.

1976 Stock split three-for-two.

1977 Earnings reached the $100 million milestone.

1981 Annual sales topped $3.0 billion.

1984 Stock split three-for-two.

1986 May acquired Associated Dry Goods Corporation, including Lord & Taylor headquartered in New York City; Sibley's headquartered in Rochester, N.Y.; J.W. Robinson's headquartered in Los Angeles; Denver Dry Goods Corporation headquartered in Denver; Goldwaters headquartered in Phoenix, Ariz.; Hahne's headquartered in Newark, N.J.; and L.S. Ayres headquartered in Indianapolis. Strouss, in Youngstown, Ohio, was consolidated with Kaufmann's. Earnings reached $250 million. Stock split two-for-one.

1987 The Denver Dry Goods Corporation was consolidated with May D&F.

1988 May acquired Foley's in Houston and Filene's in Boston. Annual sales topped $6.0 billion.

1989 O'Neil's in Akron, Ohio, was consolidated with the May Company, Cleveland, division; seven Goldwaters stores were consolidated with other divisions; and six Hahne's stores in New Jersey were consolidated with Lord & Taylor.

1990 May acquired Thalhimers, based in Richmond, Va.; Sibley's was consolidated with Kaufmann's.

1992 Thalhimers was consolidated with Hecht's, and L.S. Ayres was consolidated with Famous-Barr, but retained the L.S. Ayres name in the Indiana markets.

1993 May Company and J.W. Robinson's in Los Angeles were consolidated to create Robinsons-May; May Company, Cleveland, was consolidated with Kaufmann's; G. Fox was consolidated with Filene's; and May D&F was consolidated with Foley's. May Merchandising Company and May Department Stores International were moved to the St. Louis corporate headquarters. Annual sales were $9.0 billion, and earnings topped $500 million. Stock split two-for-one.

1994 May acquired 10 stores from Hess's in Pennsylvania and New York state. Six of the stores were consolidated into Kaufmann's, two into Hecht's, and two into Filene's.

1995 The company purchased 14 Wanamaker's stores in the Philadelphia area and three Woodward & Lothrop stores in Washington, D.C.; 15 of the stores were consolidated with Hecht's and two with Lord & Taylor.

1996 May purchased 13 Strawbridge & Clothier stores in the greater Philadelphia area. The stores were consolidated into Hecht's and operate under the Strawbridge's name, along with eight other stores in the Philadelphia market. The May Department Stores Company, a New York corporation, reincorporated in Delaware, becoming The May Department Stores Company, a Delaware corporation.

1997 Annual sales topped $12.0 billion.

1998 May purchased 13 stores, including 11 former Mercantile locations. Nine of the acquired stores were consolidated into Famous-Barr, seven of which operate under The Jones Store name in Kansas City and Topeka.

1999 May purchased 13 Zions Co-operative Mercantile Institution (ZCMI) stores in Utah and Idaho. The stores were operated by Meier & Frank, and the ZCMI name was changed to Meier & Frank in 2001. Stock split three-for-two.

2000 David's Bridal, the largest retailer of bridal gowns and other bridal party-related merchandise in the United States, joined May.

2001 May acquired After Hours Formalwear, the largest tuxedo rental and sales retailer in the nation. May purchased nine department stores from Saks Incorporated, 13 former Wards stores, and two Bradlees stores.

2002 May acquired substantially all of the assets of Priscilla of Boston, an upscale bridal gown retailer, and announced a marketing alliance with The Knot, an online wedding planning resource. May combined its Filene's and Kaufmann's divisions as well as its Robinsons-May and Meier & Frank divisions.

2003 May acquired two Marshall Field's stores in Columbus, Ohio, and operates them under the Kaufmann's name.