Missing Along Main Street: 313 and 315 E. Main St., Part 2

The Lowell Area Historical Museum presents a new weekly online series. Missing Along Main explores the buildings that once occupied Main Street but are no longer there.

313 and 315 E. Main
Part 2: East half of building

This building was located where the empty space now exists between the Farm Bureau Insurance building and Rogers Neighborhood Realty. Built 1871-1873 it has been called the Music Hall, Masonic Hall, Johnson Block and the Reed Block over the years. The building was built for Fort’s Western Medicine Manufacturing Company.

Last week’s article explored the western half of the building. This week looks at the businesses in the east half.

In 1896, S. B. Avery installed first-class machinery for his Lowell Laundry in this, Lowell’s tallest building. He advertised “shirt waists as a specialty. All work called for and delivered.”

Harvey L. Godfrey occupied the store in 1912. He sold “Buggies, Harness and Farm Implements.” By Jan. 1913, his ad stated that he occupied both storefronts and the basement of this building. He sold feed cutters, corn shellers, tank heaters, buggies, harness, farm implements, cream separators, power washing machines, cultivators, feed grinders, garden drills, windmills, gasoline engines, poultry supplies and incubators.

In 1916 the Crosby Corset Company of Lowell was organized and moved from Grand Rapids into the East storefront. H.H. Reed, the building owner, had searched for and found the company. The Lowell Board of Trade’s New Business Committee helped to bring the corset company to Lowell, according to R. E. Springett, Secretary. Lowell people raised $8,000 in stock and organized the Crosby Corset Company of Lowell. The company manufactured the Crosby Flexo-Bone corset in sixteen models. It employed about forty people.

It is unknown the exact date the Corset Company left but by 1934 I. L. Moore’s Shoe Store was here. From 1947-1969, the Lowell Dry Cleaners was here. Zzano’s pizza shop was here when the roof collapsed in 1971. The building was torn down because the rear wall had collapsed and after inspection by a city engineer, the building’s owner, Sterling Moore of Baldwin was ordered to remove at least the top floor. He did not do it, so the city had Dohm Wrecking Co. demolish the building.