Archives West Finding Aid

Julius Shafer (shortened surname from Schofowitch) was born in Russia in 1872. At 12 years old, he immigrated to the United States. He first lived in Leavenworth, Kansas, and Taylor, Texas, before settling in Seattle, Washington, in 1890. With his brother Izzie, he owned and operated the Shafer Brothers, a retail clothing and men’s furnishing company. Together they also partnered as property owners, with a real estate portfolio that included the Arcade Building, Columbia Theatre and the Mutual Life Building. In 1923, the Shafer Brothers developed the Shafer Building at Sixth Avenue and Pine Street in Downtown Seattle, which is on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

In addition to his business career, Julis Shafer served in leadership roles with the Independent Order of B'nai B'rith (I.O.B.B.); the Hebrew Sheltering and Immigrant Aid Society with the Port of Seattle; Bikur Cholim; Temple de Hirsch; United Jewish War Relief Drive; Scottish Rite Masons; Nile Temple Shrine; and other industry roles related to the retail clothing industry. He passed way in 1951.