Stepping Back in Times || Early entrepreneurs and their role in our city's growth

Pictured in the foreground is the original Cohen & Levy Store, situated in Peel Street, across the road from today's Rivers Store, between Bourke and Brisbane Street. Further down the street can be seen the 2-storey Aiken Store.

Lewis Wolfe Levy was a cousin of successful Maitland businessman David Cohen, the latter also having considerable influence in early Tamworth.

Levy purchased this allotment in the first Government land sales in East Tamworth on January 26, 1850.

Neighbouring Peel Street allotments were purchased by James Bailey, Thomas Hobbs and George Bevege.

Initially the Cohen and Levy partnership had been involved in taking over an already established business in the mid 1840's, a combined store/post office/hotel/coachyard opposite today's Maguire's Hotel.

Following this they went on to build their new Cohen & Levy Store seen in the foreground of the photo.

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The success of the new Store can be gauged by a report in the 'Maitland Mercury' on May 2, 1855 which indicated that "20 drays carrying 42 1/2 tons of goods for the Cohen & Levy Store had recently left Sydney, with another 20 underway".

The goods included clothing, boots and shoes, hardware, jewellery, softgoods, groceries, preserves, jams and jellies, wines and spirits. Abraham Cohen had become Postmaster in the Store in 1861, and previous Postmaster Louis Levy had obtained an auctioneer's licence.

A major disruption to business occurred with the devastating 1864 flood which rose "almost to the eaves" of the store, causing it to close, with the business relocating to a new store, opening in 1867, where today's entrance to Centrepoint Arcade is located.

A new Cohen & Levy Flour Mill was soon underway around the corner in Fitzroy Street, where our Town Hall is today.

It was conducted by Abraham Cohen, with George Fielder the Chief Miller. Following extensions to the Peel Street Store in 1882, it was said to have "surpassed any business establishment outside of Sydney".

Another major setback occurred in 1894 when one of Tamworth's worst fires destroyed the Store and residence. However, with in 2 years it was rebuilt.

The Store was to retain its Cohen & Levy name under various owners in subsequent years.

The Cohens and the Levys - certainly 'movers and shakers' in both business and community affairs over the years.

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