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not feasible, and he increased it to $ 3 ($ 30 in 2023 money), a ceiling he kept until 1972. The company grew rapidly; by 1961, Family Dollar had expanded into neighboring South
Carolina. In 1962, Family Dollar did some $ 2 million ($ 19.9 million in 2023 money) in business, and moved into the Augusta, Georgia market. Around this time, Levine went solo, buying out his partner's interest in the company. By the end of 1979 Family Dollar had 380 stores in eight states.
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In June 1960, Levine opened a second store, also in
Charlotte, next door to a Park 'n Shop store on Wilkinson Boulevard. Later that year he opened a third store in Charlotte, followed by another one, in Hamlet, North Carolina. That same year, due to inflation, he realized that the $ 2 price cap was
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Twelve years after his first wife died, on June 5, 1978, Levine married Sandra
Poliakoff. They had met in the 1960s while Sandra was friends with his first wife, Barbara. After some years of having lost touch, he renewed his friendship with her in 1975. Their daughter, Amy, was born in June 1981.
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Levine started The Leon Levine
Foundation, which aims to improve the general welfare throughout the Carolinas. The organization invests in nonprofit organizations that have strong leadership, a successful track record, and a focus on sustainability in the areas of health care, education, Jewish
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Levine and
Poliakoff had been involved in numerous charitable and philanthropic causes. She has served on the Board of Commissioners of the Carolinas Healthcare System. The couple had 10 grandchildren. He was a member of the
305:, requiring Leon to assume his responsibilities at the store. This necessitated him to attend school only during the morning hours, while working in the afternoon, something permitted by North Carolina law then.
294:, but that town, some 19 miles away from Wadesboro, had no hospital at that time. The family operated a small town store called The Hub, managed by his brother Sherman and his mother until its closure in 1960.
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for the affordability of its merchandise and the demographic that it was aimed towards. Levine capitalized Family Dollar with $ 3,000 ($ 31,014 in 2023 money) of his own money and $ 3,000 from a partner.
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during the morning so he could manage the factory for the rest of the day. After a discouraging sales trip to New York, Leon nonetheless persisted and was able to develop a market for his bedspreads in
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that sold nothing costing more than a dollar. He liked the simple concept and in
November 1959, at age 22, he opened a similar store in the 1500 block of Central Avenue in
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In 1949, when Leon was 12, his father died from a heart attack; that loss led him to become closer to his mother than before. In 1951, Sherman was drafted by the
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During a summer vacation to
Florida in 1957, Levine met Barbara Leven, who lived in Chicago; they married in February 1958. Their three children were
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values and human services. Leon and Sandra were members of the Board of
Directors, serving as President and Vice-President, respectively.
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In 2003, he retired as
Chairman and CEO of Family Dollar. He was succeeded by his son, Howard, who served until January 2016.
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In 1974, Family Dollar moved its administrative and warehouse space to a newly built facility in
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730:"Levine Jewish Community Center, Charlotte, NC - Levine Jewish Community Center, Charlotte, NC"
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469:: Family Dollar Room, a multipurpose room used for student activities, meetings, and training
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266:(June 8, 1937 – April 5, 2023) was an American businessman and philanthropist who founded
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and belonged to
Charlotte's Temple Israel, which named its social hall after him.
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475:: Leon Levine Hall, home of the Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine
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806:"For $ 5M grant, ASU's health building to be named for Leon Levine"
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608:"About Queens University | Queens University of Charlotte"
633:"Homepage | Levine Scholars Program | UNC Charlotte"
586:"Philanthropist, Family Dollar founder Leon Levine dies at 85"
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Levine died in Charlotte on April 5, 2023, at the age of 85.
321:. Much like he did during high school, Leon attended nearby
536:"Children's Services | Levine Children's Hospital"
757:. Jewish Federation of Great Charlotte. Archived from
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49:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
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American businessman and philanthropist (1937–2023)
833:Forbes.com: Forbes America's Richest Families
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561:"About Us : The Leon Levine Foundation"
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512:"NC Business Hall of Fame -- Leon Levine"
407:University of North Carolina at Charlotte
109:Learn how and when to remove this message
658:"Charlotte Country Day: Tour Our Campus"
684:"Levine Campus | Central Piedmont"
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454:Leon Levine Hall of Health Sciences at
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313:In 1956, Leon and Sherman purchased a
888:21st-century American philanthropists
873:People from Wadesboro, North Carolina
838:Article on The Leon Levine Foundation
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883:21st-century American businesspeople
878:20th-century American businesspeople
863:American businesspeople in retailing
709:"Levine Center for the Arts - About"
460:Levine School of Health Sciences at
379:North Carolina Business Hall of Fame
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47:adding citations to reliable sources
893:Philanthropists from North Carolina
868:Businesspeople from North Carolina
419:Central Piedmont Community College
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781:"Levine Museum of the New South"
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290:. The family actually lived in
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34:needs additional citations for
785:Levine Museum of the New South
492:Garfield, Ken (January 2010).
446:Levine Science Research Center
441:Levine Museum of the New South
435:Levine Jewish Community Center
409:: UNCC Levine Scholars Program
401:Queens University of Charlotte
333:In 1959 he visited a store in
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565:www.leonlevinefoundation.org
456:Appalachian State University
414:Charlotte Country Day School
282:Leon Levine was born into a
755:"Foundation of Shalom Park"
467:Johnson C. Smith University
286:family on June 8, 1937, in
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898:21st-century American Jews
430:Levine Children's Hospital
425:Levine Center for the Arts
292:Rockingham, North Carolina
288:Wadesboro, North Carolina
272:Charlotte, North Carolina
166:Charlotte, North Carolina
147:Wadesboro, North Carolina
355:Matthews, North Carolina
637:levinescholars.uncc.edu
359:American Stock Exchange
319:Wingate, North Carolina
588:. WFAE. April 5, 2023
412:The Levine Center at
317:bedspread factory in
734:www.charlottejcc.org
43:improve this article
473:Campbell University
498:Charlotte Magazine
462:Wingate University
761:on August 3, 2012
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58:"Leon Levine"
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160:(2023-04-05)
143:June 8, 1937
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41:Please help
36:verification
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858:2023 deaths
853:1937 births
815:January 17,
328:Puerto Rico
264:Leon Levine
177:Businessman
127:Leon Levine
847:Categories
790:January 9,
739:January 9,
714:January 2,
693:January 9,
642:January 9,
617:January 9,
545:January 9,
517:January 9,
480:References
303:Korean War
299:U. S. Army
278:Early life
174:Occupation
139:1937-06-08
99:April 2023
69:newspapers
570:April 16,
339:Charlotte
256:Howard R.
765:June 21,
668:July 28,
592:April 5,
403:: Queens
335:Kentucky
315:Chenille
251:Children
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83:scholar
309:Career
284:Jewish
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90:JSTOR
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594:2023
572:2018
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238:1978
216:1958
155:Died
133:Born
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