403 Main Street (Racine, Wisconsin): Difference between revisions

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| opened_date =
| opened_date =
| owner = OCM LLC<ref name=assessor/>
| owner = OCM LLC<ref name=assessor/>
| developer =
| developer = W.S. Buffham & Son
}}
}}


'''403 Main Street''' is the address of a building in downtown [[Racine, Wisconsin]].<ref name=assessor>[https://cityofracine.org/Source/Templates/WebPro.aspx?TabIndex=1&CardNumber=1&AccountNumber=118 Property Details: 403 MAIN ST], cityofracine.org</ref>
'''403 Main Street''' is the address of a building in downtown [[Racine, Wisconsin]].<ref name=assessor>[https://cityofracine.org/Source/Templates/WebPro.aspx?TabIndex=1&CardNumber=1&AccountNumber=118 Property Details: 403 MAIN ST], cityofracine.org</ref> Built in 1893 for the W.S. Buffham & Son paint store, it housed a [[J.C. Penney]] department store from 1925 to 1948, a [[Salkin & Linoff]] department store from 1949 to 1953, and a [[Walgreens]] drugstore from 1953 to 1994.


==History==
==History==
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Racine's first J.C. Penney department store opened in the building on November 6, 1925.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78789567/ "Penney Store Opens Doors to Public"], [[Racine Journal-News]], November 7, 1925, page 4.</ref> In the early morning of June 20, 1943, a fire caused damage estimated at $62,000 to the store building.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78789284 "Penney Loss Set at $62,000"], [[Racine Journal-Times]], June 24, 1943, page 4.</ref> In 1945, the company announced plans to construct a new building at [[413 Main Street (Racine, Wisconsin)|413 Main Street]], then the site of Bloch Furniture Co.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78789318 "Penney Plans New Building On Main St."], [[Racine Journal Times]], August 2, 1945, front page.</ref> The new store ultimately opened on November 11, 1948.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78789468 "Penney's Store Ready to Open"], [[Racine Journal Times]], November 10, 1948, section 3, front page.</ref>
Racine's first J.C. Penney department store opened in the building on November 6, 1925.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78789567/ "Penney Store Opens Doors to Public"], [[Racine Journal-News]], November 7, 1925, page 4.</ref> In the early morning of June 20, 1943, a fire caused damage estimated at $62,000 to the store building.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78789284 "Penney Loss Set at $62,000"], [[Racine Journal-Times]], June 24, 1943, page 4.</ref> In 1945, the company announced plans to construct a new building at [[413 Main Street (Racine, Wisconsin)|413 Main Street]], then the site of Bloch Furniture Co.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78789318 "Penney Plans New Building On Main St."], [[Racine Journal Times]], August 2, 1945, front page.</ref> The new store ultimately opened on November 11, 1948.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78789468 "Penney's Store Ready to Open"], [[Racine Journal Times]], November 10, 1948, section 3, front page.</ref>


An [[Salkin & Linoff|S & L]] department store, the 37th location in the chain, opened in the building on March 25, 1949.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78851907/ "S & L Company's 37th Store To Open in Racine Friday"], [[Racine Journal Times]], March 24, 1949, page 10.</ref> The building was owned by the Buffham family until 1952, when it was sold to Edward Shovers.<ref name=assessor/> S & L closed on January 17, 1953, the day after [[Walgreens|Walgreen Drug Company]] announced that it would begin leasing the space.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78851935/ "Walgreen Drug Co. Leases Building Occupied by S & L"], [[Racine Journal Times]], January 16, 1953, page 4.</ref>
The building was owned by the Buffham family until 1952, when it was sold to Edward Shovers.<ref name=assessor/>


[[File:Walgreens, 403 Main Street, Racine, Wisconsin, 1953.jpg|thumb|right|A [[Racine Journal Times]] photo taken shortly before the Walgreens store opened in 1953.<ref name=walgreens19530901/>]]
[[File:Walgreens, 403 Main Street, Racine, Wisconsin, 1953.jpg|thumb|right|A [[Racine Journal Times]] photo taken shortly before the Walgreens store opened in 1953.<ref name=walgreens19530901/>]]
[[Walgreens]] moved into the building's ground floor from its existing Racine location at [[201 6th Street (Racine, Wisconsin)|201 6th Street]], opening the new store on August 31, 1953, and holding a grand opening on September 3.<ref name=walgreens19530901>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78788948/ "Walgreen's Features Self Service In Its New Racine Drug Store"], [[Racine Journal Times]], September 1, 1953, page 18.</ref><ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78788910 Full-page advertisement], [[Racine Journal Times]], September 3, 1953, page 11.</ref> The same year, the Eitel Apparel Shop at the neighboring [[401 Main Street (Racine, Wisconsin)|401 Main Street]] announced it would expand its second floor above the new Walgreens.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78788793/ "Eitel to Expand Present Store"], [[Racine Journal-Times]], May 20, 1953, page 28.</ref>
Walgreens moved into the building's ground floor from its existing Racine location at [[201 6th Street (Racine, Wisconsin)|201 6th Street]], opening the new store on August 31, 1953, and holding a grand opening on September 3.<ref name=walgreens19530901>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78788948/ "Walgreen's Features Self Service In Its New Racine Drug Store"], [[Racine Journal Times]], September 1, 1953, page 18.</ref><ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78788910 Full-page advertisement], [[Racine Journal Times]], September 3, 1953, page 11.</ref> The same year, the Eitel Apparel Shop at the neighboring [[401 Main Street (Racine, Wisconsin)|401 Main Street]] announced it would expand its second floor above the new Walgreens.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78788793/ "Eitel to Expand Present Store"], [[Racine Journal-Times]], May 20, 1953, page 28.</ref>


The Walgreens store closed with the opening of the nearby [[Walgreens 3022|Walgreens #3022]] at [[State Street (Racine, Wisconsin)|State Street]] and [[Memorial Drive (Racine, Wisconsin)|Memorial Drive]] on March 7, 1994.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/50775430/ "Out with old, in with new"], [[Racine Journal Times]], March 8, 1994, page 4A.</ref>
The Walgreens store closed with the opening of the nearby [[Walgreens 3022|Walgreens #3022]] at [[State Street (Racine, Wisconsin)|State Street]] and [[Memorial Drive (Racine, Wisconsin)|Memorial Drive]] on March 7, 1994.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/50775430/ "Out with old, in with new"], [[Racine Journal Times]], March 8, 1994, page 4A.</ref> Norman Seeger, the owner of the Seeger Map Company business at 401 Main Street,<ref>Buttweiler, Joe. [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78852034/ "Racine's Big Change: There's progress in plan to revive heart of Downtown"], [[Racine Journal Times]], May 23, 1993, front page.</ref> purchased the building in June 1995<ref name=assessor/> to expand his business into the building. He also removed the building's Walgreens facade to reveal its brick front once again.<ref>Blaustein, Elizabeth. [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78852073/ "City's sleeping beauty: Step by step, Main Street comes back to life"], [[Racine Journal Times]], January 28, 1996, page 6A.</ref>


The Children UpFront program, administered by [[Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago]], moved into the building in 1999.<ref>[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78852143 "In Brief: UpFront Program moves to new offices"], [[Racine Journal Times]], June 9, 1999, page 5C.</ref> Copacetic, a store featuring {{w|Life Is Good Company|"Life is good"}} T-shirts, opened in the building on July 1, 2004.<ref>Garbo, Jean. [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/78852189 "Possibilities abound Downtown: Plenty of fun for all comers"], [[Racine Journal Times]], June 3, 2004, page 4B.</ref>

Seams Unlimited, a costume design business which had moved to 401 Main Street in 2003, occupied the space for several years before shutting down in October 2020 due to the {{w|COVID–19 pandemic}}.<ref>Johnson, Eric. [https://journaltimes.com/news/local/breaking-up-the-band-after-25-years-seams-unlimited-to-shut-down-due-to-covid/article_3a17d56b-2775-550c-b8b8-073f5e0ec32f.html "Breaking up 'The Band:' After 25 years, Seams Unlimited to shut down due to COVID"], [[Racine Journal Times]], September 30, 2020.</ref> The business reopened in March 2021 at [[1509 Rapids Drive]].<ref>Williams, Scott. [https://journaltimes.com/business/local/business-owners-hope-to-rebound-after-covid-19-forced-them-to-call-it-quits/article_889d698f-1ea9-51de-ba89-7c64319000af.html "Business owners hope to rebound after COVID-19 forced them to call it quits"], [[Racine Journal Times]], March 28, 2021.</ref>


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 07:41, 3 June 2021

Coordinates: 42°43′45″N 87°46′58″W / 42.72917°N 87.78276°W / 42.72917; -87.78276

403 Main Street
General information
TypeCommercial building
Location403 Main Street
Racine, Wisconsin
Construction started1893
OwnerOCM LLC[1]
Design and construction
DeveloperW.S. Buffham & Son

403 Main Street is the address of a building in downtown Racine, Wisconsin.[1] Built in 1893 for the W.S. Buffham & Son paint store, it housed a J.C. Penney department store from 1925 to 1948, a Salkin & Linoff department store from 1949 to 1953, and a Walgreens drugstore from 1953 to 1994.

History

The current building was constructed in 1893 for the W.S. Buffham & Son paint store,[2] which operated there until 1925, when the Buffham family leased the site to J.C. Penney.[3]

Racine's first J.C. Penney department store opened in the building on November 6, 1925.[4] In the early morning of June 20, 1943, a fire caused damage estimated at $62,000 to the store building.[5] In 1945, the company announced plans to construct a new building at 413 Main Street, then the site of Bloch Furniture Co.[6] The new store ultimately opened on November 11, 1948.[7]

An S & L department store, the 37th location in the chain, opened in the building on March 25, 1949.[8] The building was owned by the Buffham family until 1952, when it was sold to Edward Shovers.[1] S & L closed on January 17, 1953, the day after Walgreen Drug Company announced that it would begin leasing the space.[9]

A Racine Journal Times photo taken shortly before the Walgreens store opened in 1953.[10]

Walgreens moved into the building's ground floor from its existing Racine location at 201 6th Street, opening the new store on August 31, 1953, and holding a grand opening on September 3.[10][11] The same year, the Eitel Apparel Shop at the neighboring 401 Main Street announced it would expand its second floor above the new Walgreens.[12]

The Walgreens store closed with the opening of the nearby Walgreens #3022 at State Street and Memorial Drive on March 7, 1994.[13] Norman Seeger, the owner of the Seeger Map Company business at 401 Main Street,[14] purchased the building in June 1995[1] to expand his business into the building. He also removed the building's Walgreens facade to reveal its brick front once again.[15]

The Children UpFront program, administered by Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin and Metropolitan Chicago, moved into the building in 1999.[16] Copacetic, a store featuring "Life is good" This is a link to a Wikipedia article T-shirts, opened in the building on July 1, 2004.[17]

Seams Unlimited, a costume design business which had moved to 401 Main Street in 2003, occupied the space for several years before shutting down in October 2020 due to the COVID–19 pandemic This is a link to a Wikipedia article.[18] The business reopened in March 2021 at 1509 Rapids Drive.[19]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Property Details: 403 MAIN ST, cityofracine.org
  2. ↑ Advertisement, Racine Daily Journal, March 20, 1893, front page.
  3. ↑ "Penney Co. Will Open Store Here", Racine Journal-News, June 27, 1925, front page.
  4. ↑ "Penney Store Opens Doors to Public", Racine Journal-News, November 7, 1925, page 4.
  5. ↑ "Penney Loss Set at $62,000", Racine Journal-Times, June 24, 1943, page 4.
  6. ↑ "Penney Plans New Building On Main St.", Racine Journal Times, August 2, 1945, front page.
  7. ↑ "Penney's Store Ready to Open", Racine Journal Times, November 10, 1948, section 3, front page.
  8. ↑ "S & L Company's 37th Store To Open in Racine Friday", Racine Journal Times, March 24, 1949, page 10.
  9. ↑ "Walgreen Drug Co. Leases Building Occupied by S & L", Racine Journal Times, January 16, 1953, page 4.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Walgreen's Features Self Service In Its New Racine Drug Store", Racine Journal Times, September 1, 1953, page 18.
  11. ↑ Full-page advertisement, Racine Journal Times, September 3, 1953, page 11.
  12. ↑ "Eitel to Expand Present Store", Racine Journal-Times, May 20, 1953, page 28.
  13. ↑ "Out with old, in with new", Racine Journal Times, March 8, 1994, page 4A.
  14. ↑ Buttweiler, Joe. "Racine's Big Change: There's progress in plan to revive heart of Downtown", Racine Journal Times, May 23, 1993, front page.
  15. ↑ Blaustein, Elizabeth. "City's sleeping beauty: Step by step, Main Street comes back to life", Racine Journal Times, January 28, 1996, page 6A.
  16. ↑ "In Brief: UpFront Program moves to new offices", Racine Journal Times, June 9, 1999, page 5C.
  17. ↑ Garbo, Jean. "Possibilities abound Downtown: Plenty of fun for all comers", Racine Journal Times, June 3, 2004, page 4B.
  18. ↑ Johnson, Eric. "Breaking up 'The Band:' After 25 years, Seams Unlimited to shut down due to COVID", Racine Journal Times, September 30, 2020.
  19. ↑ Williams, Scott. "Business owners hope to rebound after COVID-19 forced them to call it quits", Racine Journal Times, March 28, 2021.
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