Born in Hechingen Germany. Founder of Lipman and Wolf, Sacramento, Carson City and Portland.
"The roots of Lipman Wolfe & Co. go back to 1850 in Sacramento when gold-fever had a grip on everyone. Adolphe Wolfe, who was originally from Germany, had immigrated to America many years before and teamed with his uncle Solomon Lipman, to become successful merchants.
Wolfe opened a branch of the family store in Virginia City, Nevada to capitalize on the wealth of the Comstock Lode Silver Mines. As the luster of the Silver Mines began to fade, Wolfe decided to try his luck elsewhere and he moved to Portland in February 1880.
When Wolfe arrived, the cold rain was coming down in sheets and after spending a few years in Nevada, it was quite a shocking experience. Had it not been for the friendly welcome from Portland leaders William Ladd, Henry Corbett and Henry Failing, Wolfe later said he probably would have left on the next boat out.
Wolfe set up shop in a building at Washington and First streets where Portland's first store elevator transported patron's vertically. His customers marvelled at being able to move among the other floors without using stairs. Following the lead of fellow merchant Henry Corbett, Lipman & Wolfe Company closed the store on Sundays.
Wolfe also introduced several revolutionary ideas of his own. He marked the prices of his items in plain numerals, in full view, not using the code fashion of the time. There was no haggling, items were sold at the marked price.
Lipman & Wolfe also started the practice of making change down to the penny, instead of down to the last nickel, as was the custom of the day. This forced the Ladd & Tilton Bank to telegraph for supplies of copper pennies, which prior to this time were not readily available. Until the coppers arrived, Lipman Wolfe & Co. made change with postage stamps.
Wolfe moved his store two blocks up Washington to the grand new Dekum Building at Third Street, but that wasn't far enough to spare him from the great flood of 1894. By 1912, Lipmans had moved uptown to its own huge building at Fifth & Washington, which was located across the street from the north end of Meier & Frank. Architect A.E. Doyle, who also designed the U.S. Bank Building, the Central Library, Reed College, Multnomah Falls Lodge and Meier & Frank, was the architect on the Lipman Wolfe Building.
Buying offices were opened in London, Paris and Berlin. The Oregon Journal announced that Lipman & Wolfe displayed gowns within 12 days after they appeared on the boulevards of Paris. During World War I, the entire eighth floor was turned over to the Red Cross. Wolfe died in 1933, several years after management of the store was passed on to his nephew, Harold Wendel."
http://www.pdxhistory.com/html/lipman_wolfe.html
"The roots of Lipman Wolfe & Co. go back to 1850 in Sacramento when gold-fever had a grip on everyone. Adolphe Wolfe, who was originally from Germany, had immigrated to America many years before and teamed with his uncle Solomon Lipman, to become successful merchants.
Wolfe opened a branch of the family store in Virginia City, Nevada to capitalize on the wealth of the Comstock Lode Silver Mines. As the luster of the Silver Mines began to fade, Wolfe decided to try his luck elsewhere and he moved to Portland in February 1880.
When Wolfe arrived, the cold rain was coming down in sheets and after spending a few years in Nevada, it was quite a shocking experience. Had it not been for the friendly welcome from Portland leaders William Ladd, Henry Corbett and Henry Failing, Wolfe later said he probably would have left on the next boat out.
Wolfe set up shop in a building at Washington and First streets where Portland's first store elevator transported patron's vertically. His customers marvelled at being able to move among the other floors without using stairs. Following the lead of fellow merchant Henry Corbett, Lipman & Wolfe Company closed the store on Sundays.
Wolfe also introduced several revolutionary ideas of his own. He marked the prices of his items in plain numerals, in full view, not using the code fashion of the time. There was no haggling, items were sold at the marked price.
Lipman & Wolfe also started the practice of making change down to the penny, instead of down to the last nickel, as was the custom of the day. This forced the Ladd & Tilton Bank to telegraph for supplies of copper pennies, which prior to this time were not readily available. Until the coppers arrived, Lipman Wolfe & Co. made change with postage stamps.
Wolfe moved his store two blocks up Washington to the grand new Dekum Building at Third Street, but that wasn't far enough to spare him from the great flood of 1894. By 1912, Lipmans had moved uptown to its own huge building at Fifth & Washington, which was located across the street from the north end of Meier & Frank. Architect A.E. Doyle, who also designed the U.S. Bank Building, the Central Library, Reed College, Multnomah Falls Lodge and Meier & Frank, was the architect on the Lipman Wolfe Building.
Buying offices were opened in London, Paris and Berlin. The Oregon Journal announced that Lipman & Wolfe displayed gowns within 12 days after they appeared on the boulevards of Paris. During World War I, the entire eighth floor was turned over to the Red Cross. Wolfe died in 1933, several years after management of the store was passed on to his nephew, Harold Wendel."
http://www.pdxhistory.com/html/lipman_wolfe.html
Born in Hechingen Germany. Founder of Lipman and Wolf, Sacramento, Carson City and Portland.
"The roots of Lipman Wolfe & Co. go back to 1850 in Sacramento when gold-fever had a grip on everyone. Adolphe Wolfe, who was originally from Germany, had immigrated to America many years before and teamed with his uncle Solomon Lipman, to become successful merchants.
Wolfe opened a branch of the family store in Virginia City, Nevada to capitalize on the wealth of the Comstock Lode Silver Mines. As the luster of the Silver Mines began to fade, Wolfe decided to try his luck elsewhere and he moved to Portland in February 1880.
When Wolfe arrived, the cold rain was coming down in sheets and after spending a few years in Nevada, it was quite a shocking experience. Had it not been for the friendly welcome from Portland leaders William Ladd, Henry Corbett and Henry Failing, Wolfe later said he probably would have left on the next boat out.
Wolfe set up shop in a building at Washington and First streets where Portland's first store elevator transported patron's vertically. His customers marvelled at being able to move among the other floors without using stairs. Following the lead of fellow merchant Henry Corbett, Lipman & Wolfe Company closed the store on Sundays.
Wolfe also introduced several revolutionary ideas of his own. He marked the prices of his items in plain numerals, in full view, not using the code fashion of the time. There was no haggling, items were sold at the marked price.
Lipman & Wolfe also started the practice of making change down to the penny, instead of down to the last nickel, as was the custom of the day. This forced the Ladd & Tilton Bank to telegraph for supplies of copper pennies, which prior to this time were not readily available. Until the coppers arrived, Lipman Wolfe & Co. made change with postage stamps.
Wolfe moved his store two blocks up Washington to the grand new Dekum Building at Third Street, but that wasn't far enough to spare him from the great flood of 1894. By 1912, Lipmans had moved uptown to its own huge building at Fifth & Washington, which was located across the street from the north end of Meier & Frank. Architect A.E. Doyle, who also designed the U.S. Bank Building, the Central Library, Reed College, Multnomah Falls Lodge and Meier & Frank, was the architect on the Lipman Wolfe Building.
Buying offices were opened in London, Paris and Berlin. The Oregon Journal announced that Lipman & Wolfe displayed gowns within 12 days after they appeared on the boulevards of Paris. During World War I, the entire eighth floor was turned over to the Red Cross. Wolfe died in 1933, several years after management of the store was passed on to his nephew, Harold Wendel."
http://www.pdxhistory.com/html/lipman_wolfe.html
"The roots of Lipman Wolfe & Co. go back to 1850 in Sacramento when gold-fever had a grip on everyone. Adolphe Wolfe, who was originally from Germany, had immigrated to America many years before and teamed with his uncle Solomon Lipman, to become successful merchants.
Wolfe opened a branch of the family store in Virginia City, Nevada to capitalize on the wealth of the Comstock Lode Silver Mines. As the luster of the Silver Mines began to fade, Wolfe decided to try his luck elsewhere and he moved to Portland in February 1880.
When Wolfe arrived, the cold rain was coming down in sheets and after spending a few years in Nevada, it was quite a shocking experience. Had it not been for the friendly welcome from Portland leaders William Ladd, Henry Corbett and Henry Failing, Wolfe later said he probably would have left on the next boat out.
Wolfe set up shop in a building at Washington and First streets where Portland's first store elevator transported patron's vertically. His customers marvelled at being able to move among the other floors without using stairs. Following the lead of fellow merchant Henry Corbett, Lipman & Wolfe Company closed the store on Sundays.
Wolfe also introduced several revolutionary ideas of his own. He marked the prices of his items in plain numerals, in full view, not using the code fashion of the time. There was no haggling, items were sold at the marked price.
Lipman & Wolfe also started the practice of making change down to the penny, instead of down to the last nickel, as was the custom of the day. This forced the Ladd & Tilton Bank to telegraph for supplies of copper pennies, which prior to this time were not readily available. Until the coppers arrived, Lipman Wolfe & Co. made change with postage stamps.
Wolfe moved his store two blocks up Washington to the grand new Dekum Building at Third Street, but that wasn't far enough to spare him from the great flood of 1894. By 1912, Lipmans had moved uptown to its own huge building at Fifth & Washington, which was located across the street from the north end of Meier & Frank. Architect A.E. Doyle, who also designed the U.S. Bank Building, the Central Library, Reed College, Multnomah Falls Lodge and Meier & Frank, was the architect on the Lipman Wolfe Building.
Buying offices were opened in London, Paris and Berlin. The Oregon Journal announced that Lipman & Wolfe displayed gowns within 12 days after they appeared on the boulevards of Paris. During World War I, the entire eighth floor was turned over to the Red Cross. Wolfe died in 1933, several years after management of the store was passed on to his nephew, Harold Wendel."
http://www.pdxhistory.com/html/lipman_wolfe.html
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