Oh Kress, how sad you look standing in the decay of lower Dexter. S. H. Kress was founder of one of the early dime-store chains that dominated our country 50 years ago. Most of them are now gone. Kress, different from all the others, believed that his stores should incorporate distinctive architecture and contribute to the cityscape. His 1898 Montgomery store was one of his earliest (3rd out of hundreds), but it burned and was replaced by the pictured design in December of 1929, by architect George E. Mackay. Kress wanted his store open in time for the Christmas season shopping and finished rebuilding in only 6 months. This store was modeled after the Temple of Hera in Italy, because the King of Italy had knighted Kress for helping preserve ancient monuments. The Kress chain was liquidated in 1980. Mike Watson purchased the empty building in 2011 for $225,000 from the city, and has since been repurchased by ELSAJA Properties in 2014. ELSAJA plans to remodel the building to include residential units and retail space.

-Charles Humphries