Record #:

23695

Author(s):

Kammerer, Roger

Abstract:

The remarkable three-story Montgomery-Ward-Belk Tyler building is located on Fifth Street and once held some of the most prestigious chain stores to ever come to Greenville. This unique building had the only polychrome terra cotta façade erected in Greenville. The first buildings on the site were livery stables owned by Glascow Evans and George King. In 1902, W. E. Hooker built a three story brick stable on the site. In 1928, Hooker tore down the stables and built the tall four-story building for the Montgomery-Ward Company. They opened on Aug. 31, 1929 with 80 clerks and 11,000 patrons. Montgomery-Ward closed in 1932 and then Quinn-Miller moved into the store building. Belk Tyler then leased the building and opened on Aug. 25, 1938 with 143 salespeople. Belk Tyler remained in this store until 1979, when it moved to Carolina East Mall. The building changed hands. In 1984, Don Edwards moved his bookstore, The Book Barn, into the building. The Book Barn closed in 1985. The building was renovated and was readapted for apartments and restaurant space. The first restaurant was Granddaddy Rosser’s; then Paul Gianino opened 5th Street Pasta Works; followed by Fillabuster’s and in 1994 by BW III’s; and in 2008 by The Armadillo Grill.

Source:

Greenville Times / Pitt's Past (NC Microforms), Vol. 29 Issue 6, May 4-Jun 1 2011, p5

Subject(s):

Greenville--History--Buildings