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.