Hildermann's Grocery and Meat Market
Alexander Hildermann arrived in Portland on May 8, 1919, and his brother, David, soon joined him. Alexander and David had previously operated stores under the Hildermann Brothers banner in Tangier, Oklahoma, and Calgary, Canada. Alexander learned the trade in the town of Kamyshin, Russia, on the Volga after leaving the family home in the colony of Holstein once he completed his schooling. He came to America in 1900 at twenty years of age.
Alex and David bought the former John H. Sinner store at 3536 NE Union Avenue near Fremont Street on December 1, 1919, and named it Hildermann Brothers Grocery and Meat Market. They had a horse and wagon to deliver their groceries and had a man go from house to house to take orders. Many of Alexander and David’s children worked in the store once they were old enough. They worked hard and, in a few years, built up a good business.
It was more than a store, more like a community meeting place. Alex helped many German immigrants from Russia get settled in their new community and would often help write letters and translate documents for his customers. He helped others get their American citizenship. Even though Alexander and David were brothers, they didn’t look alike. They were called “Hildermann, Weiss” and “Hildermann, Schwarz,” which means white and black in German, as Alexander had light hair, and David was dark.
In 1927, the Hildermann Brothers Grocery was located at 808 Union Avenue N. (now 3828 NE Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard near Failing Street).
Alex and David bought the former John H. Sinner store at 3536 NE Union Avenue near Fremont Street on December 1, 1919, and named it Hildermann Brothers Grocery and Meat Market. They had a horse and wagon to deliver their groceries and had a man go from house to house to take orders. Many of Alexander and David’s children worked in the store once they were old enough. They worked hard and, in a few years, built up a good business.
It was more than a store, more like a community meeting place. Alex helped many German immigrants from Russia get settled in their new community and would often help write letters and translate documents for his customers. He helped others get their American citizenship. Even though Alexander and David were brothers, they didn’t look alike. They were called “Hildermann, Weiss” and “Hildermann, Schwarz,” which means white and black in German, as Alexander had light hair, and David was dark.
In 1927, the Hildermann Brothers Grocery was located at 808 Union Avenue N. (now 3828 NE Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard near Failing Street).
Page showing an advertisement for Hildermann's Grocery from the 20th Anniversary booklet for the Second German Congregational Church in Portland (1932). Source: Steve Schreiber.
Alexander sold his interest to David in May of 1928 and retired for the first time. Alexander would return to the grocery business in 1933.
The renamed David Hildermann Grocery Store was located at 3828 NE Union Avenue (now MLK Blvd.), according to the 1938 Portland City Directory. 1943, the store was located at 3535-39 NE Union Avenue.
David operated the store until he died in 1941. His children continued to own it, and sons, Dave and Lee, ran it and moved to Union and Failing until 1946 when David’s daughter, Tillie, and her husband, Nate Zusman, bought out Dave and Lee’s interest. Nate operated the store for another nine years.
The renamed David Hildermann Grocery Store was located at 3828 NE Union Avenue (now MLK Blvd.), according to the 1938 Portland City Directory. 1943, the store was located at 3535-39 NE Union Avenue.
David operated the store until he died in 1941. His children continued to own it, and sons, Dave and Lee, ran it and moved to Union and Failing until 1946 when David’s daughter, Tillie, and her husband, Nate Zusman, bought out Dave and Lee’s interest. Nate operated the store for another nine years.
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Last updated October 30, 2023