Gus Blass Department Store
Gus Blass Department Store is a seven-story brick building on Main Street completed in 1912 and designed by architect George R. Mann. The structure features large windows on each floor, robust masonry construction, and architectural details from the Sullivanesque style of the early 20th century.
Gus Blass founded the store in 1871 near the riverfront landing and it grew into one of the state's largest department stores. After a fire destroyed the original location, the current seven-story building was constructed in 1912 and was among the first in Arkansas to have air conditioning starting in 1936.
The store represented a time when shopping was a social gathering place in Little Rock, where people came together and celebrated special occasions. Its grand window displays and festive events shaped how residents experienced commerce and made retail a central part of community life.
The building is located on Main Street in downtown Little Rock and is easily accessible on foot. Since it now serves as offices and apartments, visitors can view the historic facade and architecture from the street.
The building was among the first in the United States to use two-way concrete slab floors, a groundbreaking construction technique of its era. It was also the first department store in Arkansas to install escalators, which transformed shopping by guiding customers through the seven floors.
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