Encyclopedia Dubuque
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URBACH, Abe
URBACH, Abe. (Westiten, Poland, 1864--Dubuque, IA, Oct. 6, 1940). Urbach at the age of thirteen first settled in Utica, New York where he had relatives. After working for a time, he invested his money in a railroad ticket to Freeport, Illinois. Carry8ng his merchandise in trunks, he sold goods along the line of the ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD BEFORE settled in Dubuque in 1878. (1)
By saving his money had enough in 1889 to open his own clothing store at 542 Main Street. Among his first customers were the trainmen who encouraged him to carry a complete line of their working clothes. His store became known as the "Rails" headquarters. (2) Around 1900 he purchased the PLATT BROTHERS COMPANY. (3)
His success led him in 1902 to lease the double store 520-524 Main and begin [[HUB) (THE). In this new location his brother, Milton, became his associate under the partnership known as Urbach Brothers. The business grew to the degree that in 1910 they took over the entire building and remodeled it. Abe and Milton incorporated the business under the name Urbach Brothers Company in 1922 giving their brother Walter URBACH and their four oldest employees the opportunity to become financially involved in the business. (4) The company opened the Hub at its new location, 752 Main, on March 19, 1928. (5)
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Source:
1. "Formal Opening of The Hub's New Store Scheduled for Monday," Telegraph-Herald and Times-Journal, March 18, 1928, p. 32
2. Ibid.
3. "Abe Urbach, Clothing Store Founder, Dies," Telegraph-Herald, October 7, 1970, p. 1
4. "Formal Opening..."
5. Ibid.
Goodspeed, Weston Arthur, History of Dubuque County, Iowa. Chicago: Goodspeed Historical Association, 1911, p. 670
