Brick Building, 2706 - 2708 Minnesota Avenue

The original wood frame buildings were damaged by fire in the late 1880s. Between 1903-1912, a new building was erected at 2708 Minnesota and remains as the west half of the building on this site today. The east half of the building, although it appears contemporaneous, was added between 1923-27. The buildings held a succession of businesses between 1917 and 1932 including restaurant, barbershops, tailor, soft drink shop and two cigar businesses.

Historic Name:
Unknown
Current Name:
Vacant

Builder:
Unknown

Original Use:
Barber & Saloon
Current Use:
Vacant

Physical Description:
The building at 2706-08 Minnesota Avenue was built in two phases. The west half of the building was constructed by 1912, the east half was added and designed to match between 1923-27. It is a single story building, with a store space in each half. The massing is rectangular, and fronts onto Minnesota Avenue to the north. It is faced with red, common-bonded brick on the north elevation. The design for each half of the front is identical and features corbeled brick banding across the parapet. The entrance is a central recessed doorway. Glass in the storefronts is boarded over, and in the east storefront, newer windows replace the original large glass panels. A transom band caps the storefront fenestration on each.

The east and west sides abut adjacent buildings. On the south, the rear of the building opens onto an alley. A new cinderblock garage has been added in recent years behind the original red brick rear wall.

Historical Associations:
The building at 2706-08 occupies two city lots, each of which housed a building during the early years. In earliest records, the Sanborn maps for 1884, Lot 9 (2706) was occupied by a two story frame building, lot 10 (2708) by a small wood-frame office building. The building on lot 9 held a hardware business on the first floor, lodgings on the second and a tin shop at the rear. These buildings were damaged by fire during the latter 1880s, but remained on site for a number of years. The building on lot 9 was repaired and purchased by W.J. Bennett in 1892. He ran a saloon at the front through the mid-1900s with rooms to let upstairs. A variety theater opened in the rear half for a few years in the mid-1890s. Between 1900-1903, Yee Ching's Chinese restaurant was listed at 2708 Minnesota.

After the century's turn, between 1903-1912, a new building was erected at 2708 Minnesota and remains as the west half of the building on this site today. Marie's Café in 1917 was followed by a series of barbers at 2708 from 1919 through 1927, including R.C. Brookenberg (1919-1923) and L.D. Walker (1925-27). 2708½ Minnesota listed a tailor in 1912. E.S. Davis soft drinks was listed at 2708½ in 1927, and in 1932, Harry Griffin cigars.

The east half of the building, 2706 Minnesota, although it appears contemporaneous, was added between 1923-1927. During the late 1920s, A.J. Sturm, and later John Rasich operated a cigar business at 2706.

Historical and Architectural Significance:
The commercial building at 2706-08 Minnesota is typical of a small business establishment of the turn-of-the-20th-century, reflecting patterns of history in the Minnesota business corridor. The small businesses that operated here - saloon, barbershop, cigar businesses - were typical in the turn-of-the-century commercial area south of the railroad tracks. Minnesota Avenue in particular was the center of small cigar manufacturing businesses during the early 1900s.

The building was also associated with Billings' Chinese quarter, and is significant for associations with that community. Restaurants were among the small businesses that Chinese immigrants commonly operated in the neighborhood.

Architecturally, the building is a typical single-story commercial building. Of interest is the way the east portion of the building was matched to the west portion during the latter 1920s, unifying the design and doubling the space.

Photo Courtesy of Paul Whiting