Special HCPL exhibit recalls era of industrial dressmaking here, by Chuck Stinnett:
The Cornbleet brothers—Benjamin and Richard—built a company making dresses at plants in Illinois. Needing more production capacity, the Cornbleets in 1935 opened a small plant at the corner of First and Ingram streets here, producing cotton dresses that were sold for $1.
With business booming, it needed more space; the city, the federal WPA program and the Cornbleets put up money to erect a new building in 1936 on South Water Street that employed 100 people.
As the U.S. slowly recovered from the Depression, the Cornbleets produced more stylish dresses under the Betty Maid label that were sold at Betty Maid stores stretching coast to coast.
“I didn’t realize how many stores we had in the United States—over 100—and one of the first air-conditioned stores in Hollywood,” Vera Beth Cornbleet said.
As the Cornbleet brothers scaled back their careers, the Water Street plant in 1951 was converted to Dixie Lou Frocks, which sold dresses in 27 states and operated until 1975.
Reference:
Special HCPL exhibit recalls era of industrial dressmaking here, by Chuck Stinnett