HISTORY
BUSINESSES
TOWN SQUARE
BUSINESSES
TOWN SQUARE
CHARLES COHEN & SONS
Created by Gail Hussey Weir
October 15, 2023
Created by Gail Hussey Weir
October 15, 2023
Charles Cohen was born May 6, 1900, to Ida and Simon Kolonel in Vilnius City Municipality, Vilnius, Lithuania. The family emigrated to Newfoundland from London, England, in 1904, and Simon worked for a while with the White Clothing Co. in St. John's. It was at this time that he changed the family's name to Cohen. After a stint in the United States working in an ammunitions plant during World War I, the family moved back to St. John's to start a poultry farm, but this failed to pay the bills. In 1919, Simon and his eldest son, Charles, opened a general store in Grand Falls Station, which later became the Town of Windsor. Charles married Molly Cooper (1900-1987) in 1921. She was born in Russia on July 12, 1900, and was a U.S. citizen who had emigrated to Newfoundland in 1920 to work as a saleswoman with S. Cohen & Sons of Grand Falls. The couple left Grand Falls in 1921 or 1922 for Wabana, Bell Island. Charles is first mentioned in local news in 1922 when he took part in a CLB concert on April 17th. Before starting his own business, he may have been working for his uncle, Nathan Cohen, who had been in business on Bell Island for at least 10 years by then. His uncle, Abraham Cohen, may have also still had business premises on Bell Island, even though records indicate he was working between St. John's and New York City during this time.
On October 15, 1925, Charles opened his own business on Town Square in premises previously occupied by William Cahill. The business was one of about 20 stores and homes that were destroyed by fire on the night of January 14, 1937. He, along with most of the other businesses, rebuilt that year. Many teenaged girls had their first job experience working part-time at Charles Cohen's, and many women found full-time employment there over the years. In October 1959, the store celebrated its 34th anniversary, with the following item appearing in the local newspaper:
COHEN PAYS TRIBUTE TO EMPLOYEES. Mr. Bob Cohen [c.1922-2008, son of Charles and Molly Cohen], manager of the Charles Cohen and Son enterprise here, said yesterday that the 10 personally-selected female employees of the big Cohen store are "among the very best to be found anywhere." Paying tribute to them on the occasion of the 34th anniversary of the Charles Cohen firm, Mr. Cohen said the employees are equipped by intelligence and training to show the shopping public every courtesy and service. He said he was "quite pleased" with the employees setup as far as the store was concerned.
Robert (Bob) Cohen's wife, Ruth (nee Levitz, 1922-1965) died while on a trip to Rome in 1965, and he left Bell Island in 1966 or 67, shortly after the mines closed. Charles and Mollie's second son, Donald Kolonel (1924-2013), had returned to Bell Island about 1964 and began working at the store. He became manager after Robert left. Charles Cohen died in 1977. The store closed about 1979 (the last year it is listed in the Telephone Directory), after 64 years of operation.
Charles Cohen died December 20, 1977, age 77. Mollie Cohen died July 16, 1987, age 87. They are buried in the St. John's Jewish Cemetery, Blackmarsh Road, St. John's, NL.
In the c.1960 photo below, the Charles Cohen store is on the right-hand side. (Source: A&SC MUN Library: James Carew 92-022.)
On October 15, 1925, Charles opened his own business on Town Square in premises previously occupied by William Cahill. The business was one of about 20 stores and homes that were destroyed by fire on the night of January 14, 1937. He, along with most of the other businesses, rebuilt that year. Many teenaged girls had their first job experience working part-time at Charles Cohen's, and many women found full-time employment there over the years. In October 1959, the store celebrated its 34th anniversary, with the following item appearing in the local newspaper:
COHEN PAYS TRIBUTE TO EMPLOYEES. Mr. Bob Cohen [c.1922-2008, son of Charles and Molly Cohen], manager of the Charles Cohen and Son enterprise here, said yesterday that the 10 personally-selected female employees of the big Cohen store are "among the very best to be found anywhere." Paying tribute to them on the occasion of the 34th anniversary of the Charles Cohen firm, Mr. Cohen said the employees are equipped by intelligence and training to show the shopping public every courtesy and service. He said he was "quite pleased" with the employees setup as far as the store was concerned.
Robert (Bob) Cohen's wife, Ruth (nee Levitz, 1922-1965) died while on a trip to Rome in 1965, and he left Bell Island in 1966 or 67, shortly after the mines closed. Charles and Mollie's second son, Donald Kolonel (1924-2013), had returned to Bell Island about 1964 and began working at the store. He became manager after Robert left. Charles Cohen died in 1977. The store closed about 1979 (the last year it is listed in the Telephone Directory), after 64 years of operation.
Charles Cohen died December 20, 1977, age 77. Mollie Cohen died July 16, 1987, age 87. They are buried in the St. John's Jewish Cemetery, Blackmarsh Road, St. John's, NL.
In the c.1960 photo below, the Charles Cohen store is on the right-hand side. (Source: A&SC MUN Library: James Carew 92-022.)
