Dambrov Shop (Tailor & Furrier)

Many small merchants dotted the downtown area along High, Maple and Main Streets during the early 20th century. This is the story of Hyman Dambrov, a tailor, furrier, and women’s clothing dealer who was in business there for nearly a half-century. 

Hyman Dambrov was born in Russia in 1880 and migrated to New York City in 1900. By trade, he was a tailor who worked for Bergdorf & Goodman in New York before moving to Holyoke in 1911 with his wife, Sarah and young children.  

In 1911, he opened his business, H. Dambrov Importing Ladies’ Tailor at 370-372 High Street at the corner of Appleton. The shop was located one floor above Glessman’s Drug Store. During that era and in the years that followed, tailoring included making garments and alterations.

In 1917, H. Dambrov advertised that buying trips were made to New York to procure “a full line of ladies’ clothing and trimmings.” It was a telling of what was to come.

The shop moved to 281 Maple Street in 1921. More space was needed, as the store now carried ladies’ ready-to-wear and tailored clothing. Fur coats were added to the inventory.

The new location was not without its problems, as it was robbed of merchandise twice within 4 weeks in 1922. The second theft resulted in a $10,000 loss, a large sum in its day.

In 1924, the business was incorporated as Dambrov Shop Inc., with Louis Beckwitts of Springfield as President and Sarah Dambrov of 408 Elm Street as its Treasurer.

The store on Maple Street had its financial problems; in January 1928, its inventory was sold at auction. 

In late March 1928, Mr. Dambrov relocated to 346 High Street, opening as the Dambrov Shop, Ladies Tailor & Furrier. 25 years later, in December 1953, a large fire forced a relocation to 45 Suffolk Street at the corner of High Street, above the Walgreens Drug Store.

Mr. Dambrov continued in business for 3 more years and announced the closure of his shop due to illness, effective August 31, 1956. He was 76 years old and had been in business in Holyoke for 45 years.

Citations:

Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; Springfield (Massachusetts) Republican; publication dates and pages are shown.

Ancestry.com (paid subscription): Price & Lee Holyoke, Massachusetts, City Directories