Wieboldt Stores and Mandel Brothers store records, 1892-1958

This collection is open for research use.

Copyright may be retained by the creators of items, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law, unless otherwise noted.

Gift of Wieboldt's Stores, Inc. and other accessions (accession #: 1989.0280).

Wieboldt Stores and Mandel Brothers store records, 1892-1958 (Chicago History Museum) plus a detailed description, date, and box/folder number of a specific item.

Ledgers, reports, and other business records (1911-1958) of Wieboldts, a Chicago (Ill.) area department store company, and of Mandel Brothers department store and Mandel family financial papers (1892-1940s). The Mandel family materials pertain primarily to two of the brothers, Leon Mandel and Simon Mandel. Materials pertaining to both Leon Mandel (1841-1911) and Leon Mandel (1902-1974) are included in the collection. The Wieboldt Stores reports to the board of directors contain specific information on buying patterns, marketing, and management policies.

Wieboldt's store was founded in 1883; Mandel Brothers store was founded in 1865. The companies merged in 1960.

Related materials at Chicago History Museum, Research Center, include the Mandel family papers; the Mandel family photograph collection (1985.0411); the Mandel Brothers (Chicago, Ill.) construction photographs (1986.0362); and the Mandel Brothers department store photographs (1980.0077); as well as materials on the Wieboldt family; and photographs and publications by and about the families and the stores cataloged separately.

• Subject
  • Marketing--Illinois--Chicago
  • Department stores--Illinois--Chicago Metropolitan Area--19th century
  • Department stores--Illinois--Chicago Metropolitan Area--20th century
• Names
  • Mandel Family
  • Mandel, Leon, 1841-1911
  • Mandel, Leon, 1902-1974
  • Mandel, Simon
  • Wieboldt family
  • Mandel Brothers (Chicago, Ill.)--Archives
  • Wieboldt Stores (Chicago, Ill.)--Archives
• Geographic Coverage
  • Chicago (Ill.)--Commerce--19th century
  • Chicago (Ill.)--Commerce--20th century
  • Chicago (Ill.)--Social life and customs--19th century
  • Chicago (Ill.)--Social life and customs--20th century

The collection is organized in five series.

Series 1. Mandel Brothers ledgers 1892-1930 (volume 1-23); Notices to Employees 1897-1946 (box 1)

Series 1 contains store ledgers, notices issued to store employees, and related photographs.

Series 2. Mandel Brothers income tax returns and accountant reports 1918-1930 (box 2)

Series 2 contains financial records related to Mandel Brothers income tax returns and related reports and correspondence.

Series 3. Mandel Brothers private journals and ledgers 1897-1927 (box 3 and Vol. 24-31)

Series 3 contains the Simon Mandel and Milton Mandel personal papers, journals, and ledgers.

Series 4. Wieboldt Stores, Inc. reports to board of directors 1929-1958 (box 4-11)

Series 4 contains Wieboldt Stores board of directors reports.

Series 5. Wieboldt Stores, Inc. income tax returns, 1911-1944 (box 12-15)

Series 5 contains Wieboldt Stores income tax returns and related correspondence.