University of North Carolina at Asheville
D. Hiden Ramsey Library
Special Collections/University Archives

Register of Manuscript
for

Lipinsky Family Collection

M2006.1.1

"Solomon Lipinsky, portrait," [lip0005] Lipinsky Family Collection, Jewish Life in Western
North Carolina Collection, UNCA Special Collections

Solomon Lipinsky appears  in the Asheville census, in 1880.  He was born in Richmond, Virginia on February 23, 1856 and at the age of 21 he moved to Tarboro, North Carolina and remained there for four years.  He  came to Asheville when he was 25 years old with his wife, Eva Whitlock Lipinsky and his brother-in-law, Solomon Whitlock. Sol and his brother-in-law opened a dry goods store at various locations on S. Main Street (now Biltmore Avenue) during the 1880s and 1890s. One of his first stores was Lipinsky and Ellick, a partnership with his half-sister, Eva Ellick. Sometime around 1911 or 1912, he had moved his store, by then called Bon Marche', to the northwest corner of  Lexington and Patton Avenues (19-23 Patton Avenue).  In 1928, Bon Marche' moved again to the northwest corner of Haywood Street and Battery Park Avenue and in 1933, the store moved across the street to 33-35 Haywood Street.  His three sons followed in their father's footsteps and Morris and Whitlock ("Whit") worked in the local Asheville store, while Louis was placed in charge of the store in Charlotte, North Carolina, founded by Solomon in 1920. Another Bon Marche store had been opened in Wilmington, North Carolina in 1916 but closed in 1921 and a Columbia, South Carolina Store was operated between 1920 and 1923.

Solomon was active in many civic organizations. As Director of the National Bank of Commerce, he played a major role in the economic construction of Asheville. He was an active member of the Knights of Pythias, the Masons, and the Odd Fellows. He played a central role in the administration of the Congregation Beth Ha Tephila as its President. His work as president of the local Institutional Service Committee, was well known and his attempts at social reform in Buncombe are well-documented. His obituary notes that his "many activities show that he did not concern himself solely with business. His love for his fellow man was demonstrated by many acts of kindness. Asheville has had few citizens who have been held in greater affection than Mr. Lipinsky. His kindness and courtesy, his unfailing consideration for others, made him one of the most beloved of Asheville citizens." 

Solomon's home at the time of death was at 156 Cumberland Avenue in the Montford section of Asheville. Previous to that he and his family lived at 36 Montford Avenue.

Solomon Lipinsky's name appears in the Vol.2_Sherrills_Inn ledgers which are found in the D.H. Ramsey Library Special Collections. D.H. Ramsey, who annotated the ledgers, notes that "... S. Lipinsky who founded Bon Marche was a frequent visitor to Sherrill’s Inn. He has just moved to Asheville and gone into the Mercantile business here when his name first began to appear on the register. His wife was a Whitlock. S. [Solomon] Lipinsky was the father of  Clara, Morris, Whitlock, and Louis Lipinsky."

Bon Marche, once the leading department store in Asheville, was modeled on the famous Parisian store of the same name. Located at 37 South Main St., Asheville, N.C., Bon Marche was a "Dry Goods, Fancy Goods, Ladies and Gents Furnishings, Materials for Artistic Needle-Work" department store.

Description

1

Solomon Lipinsky

2

Louis Lipinsky

3-4

Newspaper Clippings, Misc.

5

Bon Marche

6-11

Photographs