In what Kentucky city did Levi Strauss sell his brothers' supplies?

Levi Strauss sold his brothers' supplies in Louisville, Kentucky, after working for their New York dry-goods business.

Strauss arrived in the United States in 1847 and initially helped his brothers, Jonas and Louis, by peddling merchandise. Their goods included practical items such as kettles, blankets, and sewing supplies. Louisville became the city where Levi sold these products before the family expanded its business westward.

The Louisville years are easy to overlook because Strauss is most closely associated with San Francisco. In 1853, the family chose him to represent them on the West Coast, a commercial region transformed by the California Gold Rush. He reached San Francisco in early 1854 and established what became Levi Strauss & Co.

Another common misconception is that Levi immediately made blue jeans in Louisville or during the Gold Rush. His early work was as a dry-goods salesman. The famous copper-riveted work pants came later, following his partnership with tailor Jacob W. Davis and their 1873 patent.