In 1971-72 I studied abroad at Loyola-Rome Center of Liberal Arts. On a Spring Break trip to then Czechoslovakia, I was running short of money, so at Old Town Square in Prague I sold a pair of Levi's for the equivalent of U.S. $60.00 - more than enough for 4 days of food and a shared-room in a student pensione before my return to Rome. During the summer before going to Rome, I worked at a clothing store which was the largest seller of Levi's in the Chicago suburbs. I was able to buy Levi's with my employee discount for about $6.00/pair. I took 10 pairs to Rome and that helped pay for my travel around Europe. I received the most $ for them Eastern European countries. -Justin
Love today’s column! Another Paul Harvey moment and a great Immigrant story demonstrating the power of diversity - the thing that made our country great.
“I see one-third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, ill-nourished. ... The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.”
That’s crazy - I live in Reno and have never heard the story about Jacob Davis! Now I just have to go to Virginia St and find the plaque. Thank you for this story. Just curious, did Jacob Davis have any family that got to inherit some of this wealth??
I had heard the Levi Strauss story before but nothing about his partner Jacob Davis. Immigrants have made this country because that’s the way this country began-as immigrants. There used to be a Levi Strauss factory in one of our little mountain towns that had hired several generations of the residents there until it closed and moved its operation overseas. It was a big hit to the economy because they had always run three shifts, 24/7.
So it was on this day 73 years ago that a woman broke the sound barrier. How time does fly. Breaking the sound barrier sounds so quaint these days but it was a BDD(big damn deal)at the time. It would be only a very few years later that a man would be shot into space.
Old Ben was onto something with his bifocals as I sit here reading this through my trifocals.
Great story Bill. What really struck me was that two men who barely knew each other did a deal by mail and they both honored it. Honor. Sadly far too rare these days.
Great story. Jeans now come in so many different styles and price points, but they are still the same basic design. Where I grew up, you wore Lee Jeans, Levi Jeans were for the not cool kids. I have three pairs of jeans in my closet, none of them are Levis and I can't remember the last time I saw a pair of Levis, but then I haven't been looking for them either. My dad said he never understood why you would want to wear someone's name on your butt, but I think he was referring to a different brand.
And Nixon was right, the bureaucrats are good for creating paper. He was an interesting fellow. Good reminder about breaking the speed barrier. We forget how many things have been done over the years, they become old news so quickly.
In 1971-72 I studied abroad at Loyola-Rome Center of Liberal Arts. On a Spring Break trip to then Czechoslovakia, I was running short of money, so at Old Town Square in Prague I sold a pair of Levi's for the equivalent of U.S. $60.00 - more than enough for 4 days of food and a shared-room in a student pensione before my return to Rome. During the summer before going to Rome, I worked at a clothing store which was the largest seller of Levi's in the Chicago suburbs. I was able to buy Levi's with my employee discount for about $6.00/pair. I took 10 pairs to Rome and that helped pay for my travel around Europe. I received the most $ for them Eastern European countries. -Justin
That is one cool story! According to Dr. Google you sold those jeans for about $500 in today’s dollar!
Wow I love this story!
Love today’s column! Another Paul Harvey moment and a great Immigrant story demonstrating the power of diversity - the thing that made our country great.
“I see one-third of a nation ill-housed, ill-clad, ill-nourished. ... The test of our progress is not whether we add more to the abundance of those who have much; it is whether we provide enough for those who have too little.”
— FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT
I love this FDR quote Darrell.
That’s crazy - I live in Reno and have never heard the story about Jacob Davis! Now I just have to go to Virginia St and find the plaque. Thank you for this story. Just curious, did Jacob Davis have any family that got to inherit some of this wealth??
That's a great question and I don't know. If you find the plaque, take a picture and send it to me! I'll put it in the newsletter!
I had heard the Levi Strauss story before but nothing about his partner Jacob Davis. Immigrants have made this country because that’s the way this country began-as immigrants. There used to be a Levi Strauss factory in one of our little mountain towns that had hired several generations of the residents there until it closed and moved its operation overseas. It was a big hit to the economy because they had always run three shifts, 24/7.
So it was on this day 73 years ago that a woman broke the sound barrier. How time does fly. Breaking the sound barrier sounds so quaint these days but it was a BDD(big damn deal)at the time. It would be only a very few years later that a man would be shot into space.
Old Ben was onto something with his bifocals as I sit here reading this through my trifocals.
Great story Bill. What really struck me was that two men who barely knew each other did a deal by mail and they both honored it. Honor. Sadly far too rare these days.
What a great story! We live in Reno, any chance you have the address of that historical marker?
Great story. Jeans now come in so many different styles and price points, but they are still the same basic design. Where I grew up, you wore Lee Jeans, Levi Jeans were for the not cool kids. I have three pairs of jeans in my closet, none of them are Levis and I can't remember the last time I saw a pair of Levis, but then I haven't been looking for them either. My dad said he never understood why you would want to wear someone's name on your butt, but I think he was referring to a different brand.
And Nixon was right, the bureaucrats are good for creating paper. He was an interesting fellow. Good reminder about breaking the speed barrier. We forget how many things have been done over the years, they become old news so quickly.
I just looked it up - 211 N. Virginia - corner of E 2nd and Virginia. One block south of the Reno Arch.
Did you figure out what the royalty income to Davis was and whether his heirs inherited the share?