501-505-507 Elm Street

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Evaluation:

This is a contributing Elm Street building within the historic district. This multi-storefront single-story building represents the commercial importance of Elm Street.

District Characteristic	Yes	No	Findings/Recommendations
Two-story brick with narrow mass		X
Larger, broader massing	X
Other key façade features		X
Architectural style		X
Prominent location		X
Original façade materials	X
Upper fenestration pattern		X
Sympathetic Storefront Infill		X
Brick corbelled parapet		X
Cornice/coping (not metal)		X

Physical Description:

This is an early single-story multiple storefront brick building that long formed the downtown's north end, the building fronting south on Elm Street. The plan measures 42 feet by 75 feet. The facade brickwork lacks any ornamentation apart from a corbelled brick coping. There were four storefronts for much of its history, the 503-05 entry having paired entries. Entrances are centered, recessed and angled and the kick plate angles are a rare district example of open gap brickwork. The storefront infill was present as of 1968. Transom areas were then covered and awnings now cover those areas. A particular point of interest is the back or north wall with four elevated coal chutes. A narrow alley provides access.

Documented Alterations:

No permits have been found.

Commercial History:

501 Elm Street

Business	Owner	Start	Stop	Notes of Interest
Nan’s Nummies	Nan Herman	1992	current	In business since 1998
Gift Baskets & More		1995
Heart of Iowa Market Place		1986	1991
Village Outfitters #2	Jeanne Rooney	1985
Milady’s Bed & Bath Shoppe/Chamber & Lingerie	Jan Owens	1970	1983	Bed and bath-the lingerie store is separate but in shared space (Nancy King)
Town & Country Improvements		1967	1968	Siding
			1967	Vacant January-February, “best location in town.”
AC Ice Cream		1946	1966	A chain-Second War Polling place spring 1944 as 505 Elm. See at 209 (as 207) Elm in June 1946
Rhiner Plumbing Heating		1937	1952	Second ward polling place for December 1937 to rename the city
George's Shoes	George Vlassis	1930	1932	From Greece 1921, in DM 10 years, lost right leg to infection, hosted Greek American Christmas party here (Tribune, December 26, 1930)
Montgomery Clothing		1929
Construction	Albert H. Minnis	1924

503 Elm Street

Business	Owner	Start	Stop	Notes of Interest
				No directory listings 1985 and after
Sport Cards, Etc.		1983
Dagmar’s Ladies Apparel		1970	1975	Moves two doors west, November 1975
Cliff’s Shoe Repair		1955	1968+
Truman’s Shoe Repair #2	William E. Jones Jr.	1960		Gets SBA minority group loan to expand, was at 3615 Ingersoll for 10 years
Pickus Barber Shop	Joe Pickus	1950		Disabled WWII vet trained under GI program, opens July
WDM Beauty Shop	Helen Cerenak, Shirley Fry	1948		New management in November
		1947		Two operator beauty shop, extensive business, November 1947
Modern[e] Beauty	Ellen Morris	1939	1945
Joyland Inn Restaurant		1932
Phillips Chiropractic		1922	1929

505 Elm Street

Business	Owner	Start	Stop	Notes of Interest
				No directory listings after 1970
Golden Thimble		1979		Custom needlework designs
Rabern's Barbershop		1965	1975+
Cliffs barbershop		1955	1960
Green & Thompson's barbershop		1945	1950
Gavin or Gavin/Meadows barbershop		1927	1937
Falk Photo Studio	Edwin A. Falk	1925

507 Elm Street

Business	Owner	Start	Stop	Notes of Interest

Eclectic Gourd	Ed and Sheri LaZella	2007	2009	To 226 Fifth
D’Vine Shoes	Matt Hunter		2008	Shoes and purses
That Irish Shoppe	Charlene Connelly-Sheridan	2003	2006	Art and antiques, to 136 Fifth June 2006
Dagmar’s	Dagmar Esbensen	1970	2008	From two doors east 1975, distinctive ladies apparel
Vanita’s Touch	Vanita Fair	1983	1985	Shares space with Dagmar’s, December 1983
Winnie’s Toy Orphanage		1990	2000
Galaria Krustev		1986	1986
Daniel’s on Elm		1985	1986
New Style Beauty		1968	1973	Employee gets shot by estranged husband in the store, September 1971
Valley Florist	Hazel Grill	1955	1965	Formerly Griffin’s Flower Shop, to 328 Grand
Griffin’s Flower Shop
Cornwell Insurance	Clarence M. Cornwell	1939	1952	“Every known type of Insurance” and real estate
Valley Pentecostal Church	Nelson Sisters	1934	1937	Open Bible Evangelical Association
[furniture auction]			1926