1890 - Pomeroy Building 407 - 411 1st St

Called the Pomeroy Building or Moose Hall, this two-story building was erected in 1890 by Dr. Francis A. Pomeroy with partner and first tenant, George Gale Mobley, a general merchandise vendor. The timing was fortuitous, for when the Cheney Normal School was destroyed by fire in August 1891, the newly completed building had space on the second floor to accommodate some of its classes. 

General Building History

Dr. Pomeroy was not only a long-serving physician and surgeon in the community as well as for the Northern Pacific & SP&S railroad section, he was also a successful real estate investor and developer. His name has been mentioned before in this downtown series and there were a number of buildings that are no longer standing associated with the good doctor. Dr. Pomeroy also served as a city councilman as well as Cheney’s third and thirteenth mayor. 

The general framework of the building we see today is reminiscent of the original with two commercial spaces flanking a central entrance to the stairway to the second floor. However, the original triangular parapet that crowned the building was removed about 1990 and plastered over, a central awning structure on the front was also removed, and both ground floor commercial façades have been extensively remodeled.

The Cheney Loyal Order of Moose lodge purchased the building from Dr. Pomeroy in November 1929. They redeveloped the second-floor rooms for fraternal functions of the both the men’s lodge and Women of Mooseheart Legion. They continued to lease the two ground floor commercial spaces. The building became known as Moose Hall to a new generation of townspeople. In 1940, William Lee and Roy Stuhr who operated businesses on the ground floor, purchased the building from the lodge, who continued to use the second floor for meetings.

What was here before? Under part of this building’s footprint there was a harness shop in 1884 followed by Thomas Davaz’ saloon. Mr. Davz lost his business to the fire of February 18, 1890 despite the heroic efforts of the fire fighters. The lots remained empty until Dr. Pomeroy’s brick building was erected.

 Now we’ll take a look at the businesses that occupied the building.

407 1st St (western side ground floor)

The first tenant in the western ground floor space, numbered 407 1st, was G.G. Mobley & Son hardware and tin shop. George G. Mobley and his son, Frank had invested in Dr. Pomeroy’s building project. A photograph dated July 3, 1891, shows the Mobleys and others in front of their new business enterprise while the remainder of building was still vacant.

Mr. Mobley was a restless man and he sold out the Cheney business in 1893 and departed for Canada where his descendants live today. Hugh and W.L. Fulton opened the Fulton Bros. Hardware store in its place. 

Emory E. Garberg in partnership with F.W Rost, bought out Fulton Bros. in 1903. The Cheney Free Press of May 1904 recalled in a story about Mr. Garberg:

“…..the building he occupied became wholly inadequate to accommodate his trade. So, in partnership with F.W. Rost, he purchased the hardware and grocery business owned by Fulton Bros., to which place they moved their stock and goods. Mr. Rost continued in business with him for a year, when Mr. Garberg bought out his interest in the firm and is now the sole owner of one the largest and best country stores in the west. His business is steadily growing, and he is constantly adding to and increasing his stock of goods, giving his customers a fine assortment to select from.”

Garberg’s grocery and hardware store occupied the space until 1910, when he moved to larger quarters in the IOOF building at 321-327 1st.

The Cheney Free Press reported November 11, 1910:

“Dr. Pomeroy is making a general overhauling of the store building on First Street recently vacated by E.E. Garberg. A new iron ceiling is being put in and the walls will be calcimined. When the work is completed, the interior of the building will present a very attractive appearance. On the first of December the room will be occupied by Henry Kitta with a first class restaurant. About $600 worth of furnishings will be put in.”

The restaurant was called the Cheney Café. Mr. Kitta had formerly operated the Cheney Chop House restaurant behind this building facing Railroad Street, which now lies behind a railroad siding. By 1913, the café was being managed by Joe Oishi who advertised regular meals at 25 cents with the line, “our meals are well cooked from the best commodities obtainable in the market and served in a tasty manner.”

In December 1915, the Free Press lavished praise on another owner, Joe S. Kuda:

"The Cheney Café has of late come to be recognized as one of the substantial business concerns of the town. It is conducted by Joe S. Kuda, a native of Japan. It is located in the Pomeroy building. 

The dining room is large and roomy and fitted up in plain but tasty style. There are a number of private boxes for parties and where a number of friends wish to dine together, they find these give a privacy and convenience they much appreciate. 

The kitchen is well equipped with the facilities for handling a large custom, and the entire establishment is maintained in an orderly and cleanly fashion, facts that readily attract patronage."

The café continued into the 1920s, possibly as late as 1928. Another owner who appeared in advertisements was Yutaka Kondo.

As a historical note, restaurants and laundries were two businesses that people of Japanese or Chinese ancestry were accepted as owner/proprietors.

About 1930, after the end of prohibition, Leroy N. Stuhr and Robert Barnhart opened Barnhart & Stuhr, a tavern. They were partners until 1942, when Mr. Stuhr bought out the partnership and the place became known as Stuhr’s Tavern or Stuhr’s Pool Room. Stuhr sold the tavern to Bill Geschke in 1945 continuing under the Stuhr name.

In 1950, W.J. Miller bought the tavern and appears to be the person who changed the name to Pastime. This is the second Pastime Tavern in Cheney. Next door, Bill’s Tavern had once also been known as Pastime. Other owners have included Ben Meyer, Clarence Brown, Al Steen, C.L. McBride, and Pat Hansen.

In 1969, a new era began with Goofy’s Tavern. It was well known to a generation as a funky place for college age patrons. They recall the beer mugs on ceiling hooks behind the bar, 10 cent spaghetti night, 25 cent beer night, rodeo days water fights that carried on into the tavern, Halloween parties, and many, many more memorable nights.

Goofy’s was followed by the Asylum Tavern in 2015, then Section 13 in 2016, and today’s Red Zone Tavern which opened in 2018.

409 1st St. (eastern side ground floor)

The eastern ground floor commercial space of the Pomeroy building was originally numbered 411 1st. The first tenant we find referenced is O.B. Royce’s meat market which was here at least by 1897.

After Mr. Royce moved across the street, the space was used as storage for Garberg’s store in the other half of the building. 

By 1904 the space had become a private dining room for the Normal school faculty “hotel” upstairs. The term hotel was used for boarding, rooming, or lodging facilities that weren’t houses. More on the upstairs lodging in another article.

The Free Press announced in 1907 that Albert Madsen of Farmington had bought a half interest in Dr. Pomeroy’s drug store and they would soon move into the brick building adjoining Garberg’s store. The Cheney Drug Company held its grand opening in September of that year.

April 17, 1908, the Free Press reported,

“A.C. Madsen, manager of the Cheney Drug Company, has recently put in another one of those modern show cases. Mr. Madsen believes in being up-to-date in all respects.”

Madsen opened his own drug store in 1909 on College Avenue, but the Cheney Drug Company continued with pharmacist, R.E. Kelly in charge. That summer, Dr. Pomeroy invested in extensive remodeling of the store which was described by the Free Press in their September 10, 1909 edition:

“Cheney Drug Co. Makes Notable Improvement. Now Has One of the Most Modern Buildings Found Anywhere. One of the most notable improvements that has ever been made on business property in Cheney is that of the Cheney Drug Company, owned by Dr. F.A. Pomeroy. The work has been in progress for a couple of months and is now practically completed. 

A cement walk 75 feet long and 12 feet wide has been laid in front, including adjoining property owned by Dr. Pomeroy. The walk was laid by Mr. Monning of Spokane, who is one of the most highly skilled men in the west in laying cement walk. The material used was the best that could be obtained and as a result the walk is superior in every way. From the walk leading into the store is a vestibule laid with tile, with the words "Cheney Drug Co." laid in colored tile to distinguish the words from the white. 

The interior of the building has been improved in such a manner that it is hard to realize that it is the same room. The partition between the hall and the stairway has been moved over five feet, giving that much additional room, and permitting an entrance to the store to be made directly in front. The old front of the building has been removed and a modern glass plate one has taken its place. The lights are joined by metal corners, which gives the whole a very attractive appearance. The vestibule extends back considerably, thus allowing for plenty of room in the windows for the display of goods. The entrance door is of heavy glass and is three and one-half feet in width. 

The show windows will be backed with mirrors, making one of the most handsome display windows that can be found even in large cities. 

A metal ceiling, with cut-out borders on the walls sets off the interior in a very pretty and striking manner. The walls have been calcimined in an attractive color. All the show cases in the building are of the latest improved heavy glass kind, and are designed to show the goods to the best advantage. The floor will be covered with linoleum. 

Dr. Pomeroy deserves great commendation for undertaking and accomplishing this work, which meant an outlay of over $1,200. It gives that part of the city a highly modern and thrifty appearance and can not help but to make a favorable impression on visitors who come here. If all the business buildings on First street were altered in this manner, especially the fronts, it could be said with truth that Cheney is a model town as far as the appearance of its main business thoroughfare is concerned. “

The Cheney Drug Company continued until about 1926 at this location. They were followed by Addington and Davis Barber Shop. It is around this time that the address changed from 411 to 409 1st Street. Lee’s Food Shop, owned by William Lee appears to have been a tenant for a few years before he bought the Pastime Tavern at 405 1st.

Charles Campbell moved Jimmie's Café into these larger quarters from 406 1st in the summer of 1944. In 1949, the front of the café and its interior were refurbished and remodeled. Jimmie’s served plenty of malts, sodas, milkshakes, burgers, fries, and sandwiches during its fourteen year run.

Maddux Dry Cleaner & Tailor shop moved from College Avenue to this location in March 1959. Reese and Mary Maddux operated the dry cleaning business through 1977.

Fire and smoke damage during remodeling of the space in January 1979, delayed the opening of Ted and Karen Larsen’s Country Life Natural Foods Grocery. The health food shop was replaced by Soup Plantation Restaurant & Natural Foods in 1983 and a year later by The Good Earth Restaurant. The Country Store Restaurant followed in 1987.

A shift back to retail businesses came in 1989 with Manthe's Trailtown Saddlery. First Street Books operated here from 1992 through 1997. It was followed by The Lemon Tree in 1999 and Rose Peddlers in 2000.

Allan and Trish Gainer’s Tree of Knowledge Bookstore packed the ground floor and basement with books, textbooks, stationery, school, and art supplies from 2003 to 2012.

Debbie Anderson and her daughter, Aly opened Against the Grain gift shop March 15, 2013. They operated for five years before a new owner re-imagined the business.

Debra Neilson opened Ree Creations in 2017, providing Cheney with a vintage, home décor, gift, and fabric shop at 409 1st.

411 1st St. (Second Floor)

The upstairs rooms of the Pomeroy building were originally numbered 409, but now 411 1st Street. When the building was completed in 1890, the first tenants on the second floor were Dr. Pomeroy and dentist, Dr. J.B. Wells.

After a fire destroyed the original Normal school August 27, 1891, Pomeroy and Wells moved quarters to allow classes to be held in the upstairs rooms when school opened in September. Students continued to use the space for the next two years. The original training school was organized here in January 1892 to give the Normal’s student teachers real classroom experiences. Normal classes moved to the new Cheney Public School building in September 1893, located where the former Cheney High School, now Schoolhouse Lofts, is today.

In 1904, the Interurban Hotel opened as Normal school faculty lodging, run by Mrs. Cora Mitchell who also had a faculty boarding house on 4th Street across from Schoolhouse Lofts. Their dining room was downstairs, students also could rent lodging at the Interurban.

A newspaper article on January 21, 1915, announced,

“Mrs. Majors of Spokane has taken a lease of the upper floors of the Pomeroy building and intends opening a new hotel in this city. She intends to renovate the rooms, of which there are 10, and will install an entire outfit of new furniture.”

By 1920, Dr. Pomeroy, again had his office on the second floor along with new physician, Dr. Mell West. In a 1927 advertisement, attorney, J.S. McDonald listed his office as above Cheney Drug Company.

When the Moose lodge purchased the building in 1929, they converted the upstairs rooms to suit their organization’s needs for a hall. The lodge hall was used by several other organizations as well.

On August 22, 1940, Bob Watson opened a 4-alley duck-pin bowling alley upstairs in the Moose Hall.

The upstairs rooms were later converted into small apartments. Part of the upstairs space continues that use today.

• Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps 1884, 1888, 1890, 1891, 1897, 1905, 1908, 1916, 1939.\
• Cheney Historical Preservation Commission Reports
• Southwest Spokane County Historical Society image collection
• Cheney Free Press, various dates
• Cheney phone books 1955 - 2010
• Mobley, Robert Henry Conrad. The History If George Gale Mobley; The Washington Era 1880-1893. Vol. Part 7. 9 vols. Self-Published, 2016. Pages 69-71
• H & W.L. Fulton listed in [AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF SPOKANE COUNTY, STATE OF WASHINGTON by Rev. Jonathan Edwards, W.H. Lever, Publisher 1900]