Photo Record
Images
Metadata
Title |
Construction |
Object Name |
Print, Photographic |
Collection |
S.H. Kress & Company |
Catalog Number |
1989.13.1.841 |
Description |
Print, Photographic; B&W; photo of building under construction taken from opposite corner of the street; wooden lift tower is located alongside building on side street; the greater part of the sides of the building are covered with wooden planking forms suggesting that the exterior wall is poured concrete; some of these forms have been removed on the lowest part; some window openings are visible as is a large open part wrapping around front corner up to awning level; construction shed topped by sign announcing the coming of a Kress store is located in front of the building; photographically inscribed legend on front of print "S.H. KRESS & CO. STORE\BERKELEY\EDWARD F. SIBBERT\ARCHITECT\DINWIDDIE CONSTRUCTION CO.\GENERAL CONTRACTORS\DATE SEP 15, 1933 No 13"; written notation on back "S.H.K. & CO ARCH.DIV.\CHECK NO.\\9-25-33-7"; RECEIVED\IN ARCH. DIV\SEP 25 1933" and "GABRIEL MOULIN\PHOTO\SEP 18 1933\153 KEARNEY ST.\S. F. CALIF." Copy print; 8x10 B&W identical to original Negative film; cut film (4x5) negative of original used to produce copy print |
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. |
Credit Line |
Courtesy of National Building Museum, gift of Genesco, Inc. |
Place |
Berkeley, California |
Additional Notes |
Genesco Store Number: 807 Address: 2036 Shattuck Avenue Facade Material: Unknown Style: Art Deco Primary Building Architect: Edward F. Sibbert Contractors: |
Date |
15-Sep-33 |
Photographer |
Gabriel Moulin |
Orig/Copy |
Original Print |
Medium |
Photographic paper |
Object Category |
8: Communication Artifact |
Donor |
Genesco Inc. |
Notes on Related Objects |
Related Units: 80 photographs, 28 plans, and 8 inches of documents Book Description: "In 1932 Edward F. Sibbert began this store's design, drafting several different facades and floor plans. The Art Deco exterior decorations includes floral motifs forming capitals above vertical columns of windows and zigzag patterns across the building's cap. The building, owned by McCrory Stores, currently operates as a J.J. Newberry variety store." |
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. |
Caption |
Black and white photograph of construction |
Search Terms |
Edward F. Sibbert brick terra cotta terracotta metal marquise art deco mercantile area attached corner location steel frame reinforced concrete walls facing Store 807 Berkeley California 2036 Shattuck Avenue Shattuck Avenue S.H. Kress & Co façade exterior decoration floral motif capitals vertical columns windows zigzag patterns building cap McCrory Stores owned purchased operates J.J. Newberry variety store photograph |