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.
The King Building
103-105-107-109 W. Main
Frank T. King (1856-1934) was a Lowell businessman. He was a partner of King, Quick, King Sawmill, partner in formation of King Milling Co. and its President and a bank president. In 1905 he built a four-store front, two story building on the bridge.
The King building was under construction during the Flood of June 1905. It adjoined the Post Office on the west in the center of Lowell. The first occupants included: W. B. Rickert, confectioner; Klumpp & White meat market; M. T. Tyler, notion bazaar and Bradish & Son, harness shop. The Maccabees (a fraternal organization) were located on the second floor behind the bay window over the eastern storefront. Dr. Snyder, the dentist, was over the west store and Dr. Eaton’s office was over Rickerts.
This colorized picture shows Phin Smith Shoes at 109, Klump and White Meat Market at 107, Clark’s Confectionery at 105 and D. E. Rogers shoes at 103 W. Main.
In 1915, someone set a fire in the regalia room of the Maccabees perhaps entering from the outside window opening on the rear platform over the river. The fire resulted in smoke and water damage to the occupants including G. E. Martin, confectioner, U. B. Williams, jeweler, Willette & Hart store. There was smoke damage upstairs to the Woodmen lodge in rugs, the Maccabees and Mystic Workers in regalia, in the offices of Attorney Shivel, Dentist Smith, Dr. Malcolm and Bela Cowles.
In 1928, William Christiansen, known as Chris, came to Lowell and decided that the new M-21 just being completed would make Lowell’s Main Street a good place for a soda fountain and to make and sell his own ice cream, so he bought Lalley’s Candy Store which was the second door west of the Post Office (105 W. Main). His store name was Christiansen’s Candy Store and Soda Fountain.
In 1929, Kroger purchased the C. Thomas store. The Thomas store was at 107 W. Main – the 3rd storefront from the post office. Kroger leased the adjoining store to the west as well and installed an archway between the two. They remodeled in 1933, installing a new front, new sanitary meat cases, frigidvapor spray equipment for fresh fruits and vegetables, new show cases and display tables.
Some excitement happened in July 1955, when the Kroger stock room, just filled with a week’s supply of newly delivered groceries, dropped eight feet into the river. The following year Kroger built a new supermarket with parking lot at W. Main and Lincoln Lake Avenue (today the strip mall containing Little Caesars).
Eventually Chris also bought the store to the west of his. In 1962, Chris retired and sold the business to Dean Mangold and Mitchell Wieczorek. The name Christiansen’s Drug Store continued being used until 1971. Chuck Lippert purchased the store in 1968 and later changed the name to Lippert Pharmacy.
The King building was condemned and in 1997 demolished by Pitsch Wrecking Co. because it would have cost too much to fix it up.
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