Cohen Millinery

While living upstairs during the 1890’s, Mrs. Elizabeth Cohen converted her husband’s store into a millinery shop after her husband’s death to earn money to support her family. Mrs. Cohen sold hats, fancy goods and gentleman’s accessories from the shop and decorated pre-made hats to suit the individual taste of her customers. Mrs. Cohen would purchase ready-made hat bodies, then customize them using ribbons, artificial flowers, buttons and feathers. Fabrics, notions, and ties, cuff links and shirt collars -- gentlemen’s accessories -- were also sold in the store. While Mr. Cohen was alive, he owned and operated the store selling gentleman’s accessories which Mrs. Cohen continued to sell after converting the store into the millinery shop.