Skip to main content

Bond Clothing Stores, Inc. papers

 Collection
Identifier: D.222

Biographical/Historical note

The last firm to enter the men's clothing manufacturing industry of Rochester, NY was Bond Clothes. Founded by Charles Bond in Cleveland, Ohio, Bond Stores Inc. became the largest retail chain of men's clothing in the United States, best known for selling two-pant suits. In 1933, company president Barney S. Ruben moved the manufacturing center of Bond Clothes from New Brunswick, NJ to Rochester, where he spent his youth and got his start in the clothing industry with Fashion Park. By 1936, Bond Clothes had outgrown its factory in Rochester, prompting a trade with Levy Brothers & Adler-Rochester, Inc. for their larger, more modern facility. Still more growth forced the company to add an annex to that building, and by 1938 Bond Clothes had become the largest employer of textile workers in Rochester, employing over 2,500 people.

In 1945, an even larger facility was built on North Goodman St., and Barney Ruben predicted Bond Stores Inc. would be the largest clothing manufacturer with the largest factory in the world, employing thousands more workers. Unfortunately, by the late 1940s, the clothing industry in Rochester was beginning a steady decline, as manufacturers were starting to move to other parts of the country, where labor was cheaper. As a result, employment in the clothing industry dropped dramatically, and Bond Clothes was never able to fully occupy this vast new building. After nine years, the facility was sold to General Dynamics Corp. and Bond Clothes returned to its previous factory. Despite the growing decline in employment and manufacturing, Bond Stores Inc. was able to remain in Rochester until 1979, when the factory was finally closed.

The disappearance of Bond Clothes proved to be a significant loss for the clothing industry of Rochester, NY. Bond Stores Inc. was the largest employer of clothing workers in Rochester, and its closing left Hickey-Freeman Co. as the sole manufacturer of men's clothing in the city.

Scope and Contents

This small collection consists of one box containing four folders. The most significant historical information can be found in Folder 1, which contains newspaper articles about Bond Clothes. Folder 2 contains copies of the company's newsletter. Also included is a limited amount of correspondence regarding Robert M. Adler's research into the company's history.

Creator

Dates

  • Creation: 1933-1979

Language of Materials

English

Extent

.25 cubic feet (1 container)

Access

The Bond Clothing Stores, Inc. Papers is open for research use. Researchers are advised to contact the Rare Books Special Collections & Preservation Department prior to visiting. Upon arrival, researchers will also be asked to fill out a registration form and provide photo identification.

Use

In consultation with a curator, reproductions may be made upon request. Permission to publish materials from the collection must be requested from a curator. Researchers are responsible for determining any copyright questions.

Preferred Citation

[Item title, item date], Bond Clothing Stores, Inc. Papers, D.222, Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation, River Campus Libraries, University of Rochester

Subject

Title
Bond Clothing Stores, Inc. papers
Author
Finding aid prepared by Rare Books and Special Collections staff
Date
undated
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Library Details

Part of the Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation Library

Contact:
Rochester NY 14627-0055 USA