Hendrix

Over 140 years of rich Main Street history. The 1600 block of Main Street, 1967. Image courtesy of Russell Maxey Collection, Richland Library. The first known visual record of the building is an 1872 illustration by C. Drie, drawn when Main Street was called Richardson Street. Drie depicts the building as the largest structure on the block, standing three stories tall with a flat roof and a large warehouse in the back, similar to other commercial spaces in that district at the time. Originally home to a grocery, 1649 Main has gone through many changes in face and ownership since its original construction in the mid to late 19th century. The most complete description of its historic appearance is from a 1928 article in The State that announced the opening of Ruff Hardware Company. Significant renovation that year accommodated the shift from a grocery to a retail store the 1928 renovation represented a $60,000 investment at the time, which would be nearly $900,000 in todays dollars. Ruff HardwareThe 1928 newspaper article described it as a three-story building with 26 feet fronting on Main Street and 150 feet fronting on Blanding Street. It was 11,000 square feet total with fireproof construction throughout. The Main Street side included the buildings most attractive entrance with three tastefully finished display windows that allowed the abundant natural light the National Retail Hardware Association recommended for store interiors. Photographs in the article depict a tall rectangular tile entablature topped by a stepped cornice, resembling a mantle. The buildings interior included a large wooden staircase in the center, pressed tin ceiling tiles, and display shelves lining the long walls. By 1941, Tapps Department store, across the street, had become an icon for the new Columbia in the 20th century; its modern design pressured other retailers to stay visually relevant. Another renovation of 1649 Main began in 1941, and the building began to more closely resemble wha