Henry's (clothiers)
| File:Henry's Department Store Logo.png | |
| Formerly | B. Levitt & Sons |
|---|---|
| Industry | clothing retailer |
| Founded | 1911 |
| Founder | Bernard Levitt |
| Headquarters | Wichita, Kansas |
Key people | Henry Levitt Leo Levitt Isadore Levitt |
Henry's operated as a family-run clothing retailer in Wichita, Kansas from its establishment in 1911 until it closed in 1993.
The company was known for sponsoring the Henry Clothiers basketball squad, which secured three consecutive national titles in the Amateur Athletic Union championships from 1930 to 1932, during an era when collegiate teams, corporate-sponsored squads, and private athletic clubs all competed together.
Store history
The business began in 1911 under the name B. Levitt & Sons, founded by Bernard Levitt, an immigrant from Russia.
Following Bernard's passing, his sons Henry (1894-June 20, 1968), Leo (commonly called Buddy) (died 1978), and Isadore (1898-1985) assumed control and rebranded the company as Henry's. A new outlet was launched at 420 E. Douglas, situated two blocks west of the original location. In 1929, the store underwent renovations that introduced Wichita’s first large-scale neon signage.
In 1948, a branch opened at Broadway and William. This was succeeded by a 1954 store at Douglas and Oliver, which ultimately expanded into two adjacent stores known colloquially as "Twin Corners." During the 1970s, Henry's expanded to include locations in the Twin Lakes Shopping Center and Towne East Square, and in the early 1980s, a store was added at Towne West Square. The Twin Lakes location closed in 1982, followed by the downtown store in 1984 and the Towne West location in 1988.
Henry Clothiers basketball
In the 1928–29 season, Henry Levitt established the Henry Clothiers basketball team centered around players Barry Dunham and Ross McBurney, both members of the 1925 Wichita High School East team that won state and the National Interscholastic Basketball Tournament held in Chicago. Both athletes had continued their careers at Wichita State University, where the team finished third nationally and McBurney earned recognition as a member of the 1927 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans. Levitt successfully recruited Dunham, McBurney, and fellow WSU player Harold Davis. Under coach Dutch Lonborg, the team reached the AAU championship game at Kansas City’s Convention Hall, ultimately falling to Cook's Paint with a score of 51–35.
The following season (1929–30), with new coach Gene Johnson—formerly of WSU—the team captured the national championship by defeating the San Francisco Olympic Club 29–16 in Kansas City. Among the players was notable athlete Tex Gibbons.
During the 1930–31 campaign, two players including Gibbons left for Phillips Petroleum. To maintain amateur status under AAU rules, players were required to be employed by their sponsoring companies; this placed Henry Clothiers at a competitive disadvantage against Phillips in recruiting talent. Nevertheless, Henry Clothiers triumphed over the Los Angeles Athletic Club, coached by Chuck Hyatt, with a score of 33–20 in the semifinals and defeated the Kansas City Athletic Club 38–14 to claim the finals victory in Kansas City.
In the 1931–32 season, they narrowly defeated Northwest Missouri State University 15–14 in Kansas City. Earlier that season, Northwest—coached by Hank Iba and featuring star player Jack McCracken—had beaten Henry Clothiers.
For the expanded schedule of fifty games during the 1932–33 season, Henry Clothiers finished third nationally after losing to Diamond DX Oilers 34-20 in the semifinals but securing third place by defeating Southern Kansas Stage Lines 26–24.
Levitt discontinued sponsorship of the basketball team after the conclusion of the 1933 season.
Following Henry Levitt’s death in 1968, Wichita State University renamed its fieldhouse as Levitt Arena. In 2003, after a $6 million donation from Charles G. Koch for renovations—the largest gift in university history—the facility was renamed Koch Arena.