Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Title |
Plans for Exterior of Kress Building |
Object Name |
Drawing, Architectural |
Collection |
S.H. Kress & Company Collection |
Description |
Blueprint diagram of front exterior of Kress building including details regarding dimensions and materials such as brick, metal for decoration elements |
Context |
The S.H. Kress & Company, founded by Samuel H. Kress, opened over 300 5-10-25 cent stores in thirty states from New Jersey to Florida and across to California, Oregon, Washington, and Hawaii. The first Kress store opened in Memphis, Tennessee in 1896. Many of the early Kress stores started out in rented spaces. By 1909, the Company began to open its stores in new structures created by S.H. Kress & Company architects like Edward F. Sibbert and Seymour Burrell, or built for it by contractors and held under lease. The Kress stores particularly thrived during the Great Depression, as they sold inexpensive products in luxurious spaces. Kress stores ranged in architectural styles, from Neoclassical to Art Deco to Modern and International. Towards the end of the S.H. Kress & Company life, shopping centers and malls overtook free-standing commercial buildings as the preferred retail locations, and new Kress stores were placed in large multistore structure. In 1964, the S.H. Kress & Company was purchased by Genesco, Incorporated, and the company was liquidated in 1980 and 1981. Some of the buildings have been demolished, while others have been renovated and adapted. The documents, plans, photographs, and objects that were gifted to the National Building Museum by numerous donors provide a rich array of information relevant to business, social, architectural, land use, race relations, and commercial history in the United States. |
Catalog Number |
1990.9.8 |
Credit Line |
Gift of Boise City Building Department, Boise, Idaho |
Area / Region |
Boise, Idaho |
Building Information |
Genesco Store Number: Unknown Address: 906 Idaho Street Facade Material: Brick Style: Unknown Drawing Number: B-9 |
Creator |
W.H.C. |
Other Creators |
V.B.D. Additional Craftsmen: E.J.T. Hoffmann (Architect) |
Year |
20th C |
Donor |
Boise City Building Department |
Scale |
1/2 in = 1 ft |
Dimension |
39 1/2" x 19 1/4" |
Lexicon category |
8: Communication Objects |
Related Publications |
Wilkerson, Susan, and Hank Griffith. A Guide to the Building Records of S.H. Kress & Co. 5-10-25 Cent Stores at the National Building Museum. Edited by Joyce Eliiot. Washington, DC: National Building Museum Publication Office, 1993. |
Search Terms |
E.J.T. Hoffmann E.J.T. Hoffman three-story brick archetypical bracket cornice double entrance company logo parapet horizontal sign demolished Boise Idaho 906 Idaho Street S.H. Kress & Co drawing |