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The Schwabacher Brothers, Louis, Abraham and Sigmund, operated businesses in San Francisco, CA, and The Dalles, OR, before beginning what became a very successful outfitting enterprise in Walla Walla, WA, in 1860. They opened their first Seattle wholesale merchandise business on 10/11/1869. Construction on this, Schwabacher Brothers and Company Store #2, began just after 03/1872. This second store in Seattle, done in the Italianate Style, was considered one of the finest commercial buildings of its day; the first brick building in the city, (erected by brick mason J.T. Jordan), it was three-stories tall, and had ironwork brought from San Francisco. Bailey Gatzert (1829-1893), a brother-in-law of the Schwabacher Brothers, managed the Seattle store and became an important man in civic affairs; he served as Mayor of Seattle in 1875, the first Jewish man to do so. Contractors Atkins and Cheney set the foundation by 06/1872. The store's first day of operation was 10/24/1872. By 1900, the family had diversified its business interests in Seattle, operating real estate and milling companies in addition to their hardware and general merchandise operations.

The firm of Lord and Hall moved the 3 previous buildings on the site of Commercial Street and Mill Street, what is now the intersection of 1st Avenue South and Yesler Way. The buildings previously here were the Railroad House Hotel, Westerminus Hotel, and the Pioneer Bathing Saloon.

Demolished.

PCAD id: 11634