Bella Bloom; Entrepreneur (Fashion Store Chain)
Hyfler/Rosner
The Age (Melbourne)
November 21, 2003 Friday
HEADLINE: Migrant's Life Burgeoned Into A Fashion Store Chain
BYLINE: Barry And Norman Bloom Pamela Czarny
BODY:
BELLA BLOOM, MATRIARCH AND BUSINESSWOMAN/, 18-1-1917 - 7-10-2003
Our mother, Bella Bloom, died on October 7, 2003. Hers is an Australian
story about the people who arrived in the mid-1920s and their achievements.
It symbolises the essence of what has gone into making Australia a country
we are proud of, and the contribution made to its heritage over the past 200
years.
In 1927 Bella, aged 10, arrived in Melbourne with her mother Mary and sister
Adela. They had been preceded by their father, Felix Eigenberg, who landed
in Melbourne on July 3, 1926, on board the Esperance Bay. Ship documents
listed his occupation as a tailor. This was to mark the beginning of more
than 75 years in the family's garment and clothing industry.
Bella went to Princes Hill State School in Carlton. Many of the friendships
made there endured for the rest of her life. It must have been an
interesting time, with many migrants struggling with learning English, as
well as coping with the traumas of a new country and culture. Bella learnt
English quickly, and adapted easily to her new country. She often helped her
father in his factory in translating and negotiating with suppliers and
customers.
We believe Bella did a bookkeeping course and must have always had a leaning
towards business and the clothing industry. At the age of 21 she opened a
shop in Camberwell called Belles Modes in partnership with her fiance, Joe
Bloom. The takings for the business were $2 10 shillings a week and she
employed one girl. Our father told us how they would go to a city store at
weekends and take stock for their little shop in Camberwell.
On June 21, 1939, Bella and Joe were married at the Melbourne Hebrew
Congregation by Rabbi Friedman. The wedding celebrations were at Bella's
parents' home at 109 Mitford Street, Elwood. At this time, Joe was working
with his father-in-law earning $6 a week. He learnt the trade as a cutter,
and later went into selling and promoting the business.
This was all unfolding at a time when the world was in turmoil. Fortunately,
Australia was relatively removed from some of the world's traumas. The
factory started manufacturing uniforms and so became an essential industry.
As a result Joe was excluded from military duty, as he was required to help
run the factory.
In 1941, their first child, Barry, was born and they soon moved into their
first house at 25 Austin Avenue, Elwood. Three years later their second
child, Norman, was born. Bella's third child, Pamela, was born in 1950.
In 1946 Bella opened a new shop called Revue De Modes with her
sister-in-law, Anne Bierman, at 259 Chapel Street, Prahran, just around the
corner from now trendy Greville Street. In those days Chapel Street was one
of the busiest strip-shopping areas in Melbourne. Bella and Anne continued
to operate this store while Joe worked in the factory and Anne's husband,
Sonny, worked in the markets.
Revue De Modes was successful and as time went by both families improved
their status, moving their family residences to Brighton. On the business
front, in 1950, in partnership with another family, they purchased a city
store at 144 Elizabeth Street called Portmans. This was a sizeable store and
the cornerstone of what was to become a women's fashion chain that went on
to be represented in every state and territory in Australia and New Zealand.
The business grew and in 1957 a store at 15 Swanston Street, Melbourne, was
added. The day it opened, the doors had to be temporarily closed as there
were too many people trying to enter. Next, a store in Collins Street called
Nicholson's Blouses was added to the growing chain, on the site where Henry
Buck's is now located. In 1960 the first regional shopping centre in
Australia was opened at Chadstone, and from then expansion occurred as
shopping centres were built around Australia. Who could have foreseen that
Bella's entrepreneurial spirit would be the seed that grew to the 87
Portmans stores that existed at the time they were sold in 2002.
She continued to work and juggle family life until 1997, when she stopped
going to her favourite store in Chapel Street. She was 82 and only stopped
for health reasons. During her illness one of the things she missed most was
going to her shop.
Bella enjoyed people, was strong in her views and opinions, and loved
travelling and cooking for her family and friends. Family was very important
to her, especially her grandchildren. She also had seven great-grandchildren
who affectionately referred to her as Bella. Seeing the babies would always
put a smile on her face and was one of her main sources of pleasure in her
later years.
Her long involvement in the Montefiore Fete was legendary, persuading
suppliers to donate goods and organising all the details to ensure success.
She was a loving daughter and had a very close friendship and relationship
with her sister Adela.
In many ways Mum was a pioneer of her time, combining work and family life
and enjoying all their aspects. We trust that the example she set will be a
lasting memory not only to all who knew her, but to the community and the
country she adopted as her own.
The Bella we remember will be sadly missed. May her memory always be a
blessing.
Barry, Norman and Pamela are the children of Bella Bloom.
Robert Feigel (aka Bob)
wrote:
>I loved this obit. Written by her children.
>
>
>The Age (Melbourne)
>
>November 21, 2003 Friday
>
>
>HEADLINE: Migrant's Life Burgeoned Into A Fashion Store Chain
Neat obit - I especially like the ones that describe interesting,
productive lives. But what I found curious about this obit is that
there is no mention (that I can find) of where the family immigrated
from. I would have thought that this would be pretty germane to the
overall story. b
"When weaving nets, all threads count." - Charlie Chan
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Hyfler/Rosner
"Robert Feigel (aka Bob)" <rrfe...@earthsea.co.enzed> wrote in message >
>HEADLINE: Migrant's Life Burgeoned Into A Fashion Store Chain
>
> Neat obit - I especially like the ones that describe interesting,
> productive lives. But what I found curious about this obit is that
> there is no mention (that I can find) of where the family immigrated
> from. I would have thought that this would be pretty germane to the
> overall story. b
According to this fascinating piece of evidence, the Esperance Bay seemed to
routinely transport refugees from Tilbury to Brisbane. Whether England was
the place of origin for Bella, we'll never know. But I'll guess, based on
the experiences of many Jewish refugees, it was not. Eigenberg would appear
to be a German name, maybe Austrian?
http://www.naa.gov.au/Publications/research_guides/guides/vic/pages/pic45.htm