The Lowell Area Historical Museum is taking us on a stroll along Main Street and sharing the history of buildings in Lowell’s historic downtown. To learn more about Lowell history, visit the museum website to explore its collection of local artifacts and records.
Address: 203 E. Main
Built: 1905
Owner/Builder: Loveland & Hinyan
Building name: Negonce
1st business: M. N. Henry Drugstore
The first frame house in Lowell was built on this site by Cyprian Hooker and his son John in 1846. The lumber for it was floated down the Flat River with the help of the Odawa. The house was moved away in 1872 so a brick 2 ½ story block could be built. The drugstores of J. C. West, Will M. Clark, L. H. Hunt and A. D. Sturgis operated here from 1872 to 1905. Fire leveled this store and five adjoining ones in 1905.
Loveland and Hinyan bought the lot from J. C. West and built the current Negonce Building which contains four storefronts, 203-209 E. Main. Notice the name “Negonce” at the top center of the building. John Hooker chose to honor Negonce, his Odawa childhood friend and former employee, by naming the new building for her.
M. Norton Henry operated Henry’s Modern Drug and Book Store in this building. It including a soda fountain, 1905-1945. Henry’s son, Myron Henry, followed, 1945-1950. Next it was Lawrence Watson’s Drugs, 1950-1963.
The second floor was occupied by S. P. Hicks, Attorney, Loans, Collections, Real Estate and Insurance, 1884 – 1916. Hicks became a lawyer, after serving as Superintendent of Lowell Public Schools for seven years. Myrtle A. Taylor of Standard Savings and Loan Association (1937-40) and Wm. H. Large, Chiropractor (1946-49), were upstairs at a later date.
In 1967, Lowell Raceways, a slot car racing enterprise, was at this address. Slot cars were popular toys in the 1960s. Boys could bring their own from home to race against their friend’s cars.
Elva Topp moved Vanity Hair Fashions here in 1968-1987. It was Showboat Classic Cuts (1989), New Creations Salon (1991-96), Riverbend East Hair Salon (1999-2004) and Century Post Pub (2005-2020). This store was recently purchased by Greg Gilmore and renovated to become Tributary East, a part of the Flat River Grill restaurant which is next door on the west.
Below is what 203 E. Main Street looked like in the 1930s. The sign on the sidewalk reads “Bus Stop”. Riders waited at M.N. Henry Drugstore to take the bus to Grand Rapids, Lansing or Detroit. If you look closely, you can see the sidewalk deterioration where the bus wheels hit the curb.
And here is what 203 E. Main Street looks like today:
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