The building at 1401 Powell Street was constructed in 1913 by contractors Stewart & McMullin for the Silverman Dry Goods Co., owned and operated by Maurice (Morris) Silverman (1867-1938) who had operated a store at this same location since at least 1907. In 1917, Silverman sold the store to Philip Fine, of Evansville, IN, who renamed the business Philip Fine Dry Goods Company. The Philip Fine Dry Goods Company went out of business in 1921, and it appears to have been purchased back by Morris Silverman before being sold to S. H. Grusin in 1922 who opened Grusin Department Store. Grusin’s later sold to J. H. Witt. Grusin’s operated until 1935 when it went out of business and the building was occupied by Bob’s Market, Owner R. D. Burdon, and Goebel Miller Ball (grocer). Grusin’s department store reopened here in 1941 under the management of Paul Witt. After Grusin’s department store, it later became Chapman Furniture Company and the Dance Hall.
Despite all the different businesses to occupy this building over the years, the name Silverman Dry Goods Co is still slightly visible as a ghost sign on the building and gives tribute to its first tenant.
References:
The Gleaner • Fri, Oct 18, 1907
The Gleaner • Fri, Aug 08, 1913
The Gleaner • Fri, Jun 29, 1917
The Gleaner • Thur, Jan 1, 1920
The Gleaner • Wed, Apr 20, 1921
The Gleaner • Sat, Jun 11, 1921
The Gleaner • Fri, Jan 13, 1922
The Gleaner • Fri, Jan 20, 1922
The Gleaner • Sun, Jan 29, 1922
The Gleaner • Fri, Jul 19, 1935
The Gleaner • Fri, Dec 16, 1938
The Gleaner • Fri, Mar 01, 1940
The Gleaner • Fri, May 16, 1941
1923 Sanborn Maps
Morris Silverman’s Find a Grave
