Merritt Schaefer & Brown Records
An Inventory of the Collection
Overview of the Collection | ||
| Creator: | Merritt Schaefer & Brown | |
| Title: | Merritt Schaefer & Brown Records | |
| Inclusive Dates: | 1933-1995 | |
| Bulk Dates: | 1941-1943 | |
| Abstract: | Small collection that highlights the opening and closing of the downtown Austin men's clothing store Merritt Schaefer & Brown. | |
| Identification: | AR.2004.029 | |
| Quantity: | .2 linear feet (1 box) | |
| Language: | The records are in English. | |
| Repository: | Austin History Center, Austin Public Library, 810 Guadalupe, PO BOX 2287, Austin, TX 78768 | |
Administrative History
Merritt Schaefer & Brown was a men's clothier that was started by Frank Merritt, A. O. Schaefer, Walter Finis Brown and Verno Blomquist in Austin, Texas in 1941. The original store location was 611 Congress Avenue. They carried medium-priced to high-end brand name men's apparel. During World War II they also sold military uniforms to bomber pilots. In 1956, the store was sold to Hart Schaffner & Marx, a national men's clothing maker. In 1992, HSSI, Inc., the company's retail store division took over. Over the years the store expanded to have satellite stores in area malls that all eventually closed because of financial difficulties. The last remaining store in downtown Austin store closed in 1995 after the Chicago company, The Hastings Group, that bought out the store in 1994 filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
Scope and Contents
This small (14 item) collection contains correspondence, programs, newspaper clippings and photographs that document the opening and closing of Merritt Schaefer & Brown. The eight black and white photographs document the opening ceremonies of the store in 1941 and feature then-Austin mayor Tom Miller and Lyndon B. Johnson as well as the owners of Merritt Schaefer Brown and their wives.
Arrangement | ||
| Arranged by material type. | ||
Restrictions
Restrictions on Access
Open to all users.
Restrictions on Use
None.
Index Terms | ||
| This record series is indexed under the following controlled access subject terms. | ||
| Persons: | ||
| Brown, Walter Finis. | ||
| Johnson, Lyndon B. (Lyndon Baines), 1908-1973. | ||
| Merritt, Frank. | ||
| Miller, Tom. | ||
| Schaefer, A. O. | ||
| Organizations: | ||
| Merritt Schaefer & Brown | ||
| Places: | ||
| Austin (Tex.) | ||
| Subjects: | ||
| Clothing And Dress - Men. | ||
Related Material
Austin Files - C5230 (4) |
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Administrative Information
Custodial History
Donated by a family member of Walter Brown.
Preferred Citation
Merritt Schaefer & Brown Records (AR.2004.029). Austin History Center, Austin Public Library, Texas.
Acquisition Information
Donor #: DO/2004/121
Donation Date: 2004
Processing Information
Finding aid created and encoded by Molly Hults/2010.
Detailed Description of the Collection
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||||
| 1 | 1 | Textual Materials, 1935, 1944, 1995, undated | |||||||||||
| Box | Folder | ||||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | Photographs, circa 1941 | |||||||||||