S. H. Kress and Co. Building, Historic department store building in Tampa, Florida.
The S. H. Kress and Co. Building is a five-and-dime retail structure designed in Renaissance Revival style with two decorated facades and abundant terra-cotta detailing. The structure features a suspended bronze marquee and was once part of a row of major commercial buildings in downtown Tampa.
Built in 1928 as a five-and-dime store, the building represented one of Tampa's last major commercial projects before the Great Depression. The store operated for five decades until closing in 1981, ending its retail chapter in the downtown district.
The building once served as a gathering place during the civil rights era, when demonstrations took place in the surrounding commercial block. Today it stands as a reminder of that activism and the community's role in social change.
The building stands at the corner of Franklin Street and Florida Avenue in downtown Tampa but is currently not open to the public. You can appreciate the architectural details from the street, particularly the decorated facades and bronze marquee that remain visible.
The structure combined retail space with professional offices in a single design, a practical approach common in 1920s commercial buildings but rarely seen today. This blend of functions allowed the building to serve multiple business needs under one roof.
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