Kress Building

The Kress Building is a commercial structure from the 1930s with bright terra cotta tiles covering its exterior facade and geometric patterns in the Art Deco style. It was designed as a five-and-dime store to sell affordable everyday goods and serve a wide community.

The building opened in 1932 as a retail store for S.H. Kress & Co. and operated for nearly 45 years serving customers in the community. After closing in 1975, it changed hands several times before being recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.

This building shows how department stores once served as gathering places where people came to shop and spend time together. Such stores shaped the character of American downtowns for generations.

The building is located in downtown Lubbock on Broadway Street and is easy to reach on foot from other parts of the area. Visitors should explore it during daylight hours to fully appreciate the terra cotta details and decorative exterior.

The building was designed by architect Edward F. Sibbert and kept its original architectural details across nine decades despite multiple changes in ownership. This durability shows how well the 1930s construction withstood time and shifting purposes.