Main Street Square (Johnson City, Tennessee)

 building, International Style (architecture) (Bauhaus), 1945_construction, 1946_construction, commercial building, 20th century construction, International style architecture, 1940s construction

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Original two-story building constructed around early 1900's as the Burrow Building, the first half of that building's first floor (242 E Main St.) used to house physician and surgeon's office W.J. Matthews, M.D./Wm. J. Matthews, M.D./Dr. W.J Matthews ([part of Drs. Matthews & Gillespie offices] c. August 16, 1906 [originally located at the Carlisle Hotel at 353-354 E Main St. {building demolished around September 1970, currently I-26 and interchange/exit for Main and Market Sts.}]-c. late-August 1908 [relocated to 255 E Main St.]), book, office, and stationery store Kemble-Cochran Co. (November 1909-September 1912), tram waiting station/office Johnson City Traction Co./Johnson City Traction Corp. (October 17, 1912-1913 [merged with Tennessee Eastern Electric Co.]), utility company/tram waiting station Tennessee Eastern Electric Co. ([space shared with Johnson City Traction Co., later merged in 1913] November 15, 1912-c. 1918), and Watson's Salvage Store/Watson Salvage Store/Watson's All Bargain Store/Watson's (1919 [later expanded into the second half of the building at 240 E Main St. on November 7, 1924]-late-December 1928 [relocated to the Crouch Building at 112-114 W Market St. and reopened on January 11, 1929]); the second half of that building's first floor (240 E Main St.) used to house a lawyer's office Thad. A. Cox (December 4, 1902 [originally located at the Eagle Building at 204 W Main St.]-c. mid-October 1903 [relocated to the Harr-Burrow Building at Main and Spring Sts., rooms 6 and 7]), taxpayer's (or recorder's) office S.H. Pouder (c. November 1903 [originally located at Jobe's Opera House {building demolished around 1920's} at E Main and Spring Sts.]-c. Spring 1904), heating, tinwork, roofing, guttering, and repairing services Jno. H. Pierce (c. late 1904-c. November 1905), physician and surgeon's office S.B. Gillespie/Dr. S.B. Gillespie (c. early-January 1906 [became part of Drs. Matthews & Gillespie offices after Dr. W.J. Matthews occupied the first half of the building at 242 E Main St. around August 16, 1906]-1908), physician's office Dr. E.A. Long/E.A. Long/Dr. Edwin A. Long/Edwin A. Long (1908-c. early 1910's), utility company office Washington Gas Co. (c. early 1915-c. mid-October 1923 [relocated to 331 E Main St. {building demolished around Summer 1978, currently Select Seven Credit Union bank building}]), grocery store Piggly Wiggly (October 27, 1923-November 7, 1924), bakery Johnson City Baking Co. ([space shared with Piggly Wiggly] October 27, 1923-November 7, 1924), and Watson's Salvage Store/Watson Salvage Store/Watson's All Bargain Store/Watson's (November 7, 1924 [expanded into this building space after Piggly Wiggly closed its doors]-late-December 1928 [relocated to the Crouch Building at 112-114 W Market St. and reopened on January 11, 1929]); the second floor of that building (240½ E Main St.) used to house shorthand reporting, stenography, and typewriting services Hoss & Hoss (c. early 1910's?-c. early 1920's?), dressmaking and millinery services Miss Anne Patton (mid-August 1924-c. 1925 [relocated to Borwood Terrace]), and radio repair shop Radio Hospital (c. mid 1928-late 1928).

After that salvage/bargain store and radio repair shop both moved out of that building, a department store chain JCPenney (called J.C. Penney Co. or Penney's during that time) occupied that whole building from March 27, 1929 (originally located at 319-321 E Main St. [building now part of The Henry On Main apartment]) until December 9, 1944 when it was devastated by fire in the morning hours. It was believed the blaze originated in the building's basement (some say it's the second floor) around 7am but it wasn't discovered until before 8am. The cost of damages from the fire is about $125,000 (roughly $2.24 million in today's money), plus water damages to adjoining buildings is about $2,000 (roughly $35,830 in today's money). It was Johnson City's largest fire in the 1940's. As a result, JCPenney had to temporarily relocate and divide into two groups – the Main Store was located at the Avalon Building (building demolished around 1980's, currently a Northeast State Community College building) at 113-115 E Market St. and opened on February 22, 1945 and the Ready-To-Wear Main Street Store was located 234 W Main St. and opened on March 16, 1945. While its store office was temporarily located at the second floor of the John Sevier Garage after the fire.

This current building was rebuilt and restored for nearly a year (1945-1946) after the disastrous fire. It is a 13,000 ft², two-story, two-part commercial brick building with International influence architecture and it includes such features as asphalt flat roof, rectangular plan, 1st story fixed display windows, and 2nd story fixed and 1:1 windows. Businesses returned to this building in September 1946, beginning with women's clothing shop Lorraine Shop, housed on the second half of the building's first floor at 240 E Main St.

It was also called the Nettie Lee Building due to the women's clothing store Nettie Lee Shop/Nettie Lee Shops being housed on the first floor, occupying two building spaces for 27 years. After the store left, Ramon Sanchez-Vinas, a project coordinator for Ed Street Development Co. in Johnson City, purchased and remodeled this building in March 1983 as part of the Main Street Square renovation project. It also became the name of this building. The first floor of the building was once again divided into two retail spaces, while the basement and second floor remained the same.

Today, this building currently contains a metaphysical supply store and a herb shop on the first floor; the second floor currently contains a hobby and craft shop.

External links
www.johnsoncitypress.com/living/today-in-johnson-city-h... (former Nettie Lee Shop[s])
www.johnsoncitypress.com/living/today-in-johnson-city-h... (former Nettie Lee Shop[s])
www.newspapers.com/image/590355938/?clipping_id=4191188... (former Nettie Lee Shop[s])
www.johnsoncitypress.com/living/today-in-johnson-city-h... (former JCPenney that was devastated by fire on December 9, 1944)
www.newspapers.com/image/586683361/?fcfToken=eyJhbGciOi... (former JCPenney that was devastated by fire on December 9, 1944 - top middle)
www.newspapers.com/image/586682096/?fcfToken=eyJhbGciOi... (former JCPenney that was devastated by fire on December 9, 1944 - bottom right)
www.newspapers.com/image/585316298/?fcfToken=eyJhbGciOi... (former JCPenney that was devastated by fire on December 9, 1944 - middle page)
bcyesteryear.com/jc-penney-co-opened-new-store-in-downt... (former JCPenney)
web.archive.org/web/20080509035746/bcyesteryear.com/ful... (former JCPenney)
www.johnsoncitypress.com/living/features/jcpenney-co-op... (former JCPenney)
www.johnsoncitypress.com/living/features/wednesday-june... (former JCPenney)
genealogytrails.com/tenn/washington/1908businessdir.htm... (former Burrow Building, W.J. Matthews, M.D. and E.A. Long)
www.newspapers.com/image/161553054/ (former W.J. Matthews, M.D. and Drs. Matthews & Gillespie offices)