Melvin's Men's Shop

The building at 901 Main Street is an important site for a locally prominent business and ties to the growth of the Jewish community in the heart of Downtown Vancouver. It also links directly to two early prominent Jewish business owners of Clark County -- Morris Wolf and Melvin Shevach.

In 1919, Morris Wolf purchased a small gas station on Main Street in downtown Vancouver, pioneering what would become a substantial Jewish community. In the following decades, other Jewish-owned establishments were founded within downtown Vancouver, most of which were located in a 13-block area on and around Main Street.

Among these establishments was Melvin’s Men’s Shop, opened in 1939 by Melvin Shevach; it operated out of 901 Main Street for over 50 years. By the 1950s, downtown Vancouver was a hub for Jewish-owned businesses, the 13 blocks of Main Street being a focal point and remaining so to the present time.

  • Listed in the Clark County Heritage Register in 2020
Related information
Melvin's Men's Shop
Did you know?
The Wolf’s auto supply building in downtown Vancouver, which is still owned by the family, is the site of a mural honoring their pioneering father and his contributions to the growth of Vancouver and its early Jewish community.
Built
1934
Open to the public
Yes
Location

901 Main Street
Vancouver, WA 98660
United States