S.H. Kress and Co. Building

Located in downtown St. Petersburg, the S.H. Kress and Co. Building was one of numerous "five-and-dime" variety stores found around the nation in the 20th century. It is named after its founder, Samuel H. Kress, who established the company in Memphis, Tennessee in 1896. The building was erected in 1927 and became a symbol of economic development and progress. It remains an important landmark in the city. A fine example of Beaux-Arts architecture, notable features include a terra cotta exterior, multi-light transom windows, decorative terra cotta ornamentation, and urns along the edge of the roof. Various businesses and firms occupy the building today. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2001.

Florida experienced significant growth in the early 1900s, particularly between 1921-1925 during the Florida Land Boom. After World War I, the United States prospered and Americans were able to travel more easily thanks to personal automobiles. Businessmen shrewdly promoted Florida as a "tropical paradise" and as a result, it became a major tourist destination. Roads were built throughout Florida as well to encourage travel and development in the state. This was the context in which Samuel Kress decided to build the store in St. Petersburg.

Frank W. Woolworth opened the first five-and-dime store, Woolworth, in 1879 in Utica, New York (five-and-dime stores were given that name because they sold many items for five or ten cents). Located on prominent main streets to attract customers to downtown areas, five-and-dime stores were not simply a place to buy items, they became a destination as they also offered food and spaces for people to socialize. Other five-and-dime department store chains were established not long after Woolworth was founded. Samuel Kress opened the first Kress store in Memphis, Tennessee in 1896. He opened ten more during the next four years.

Kress built a number of stores in Florida. Of these the St. Petersburg store was considered the finest architecturally, and some called it "The Pride of Florida." Interestingly, Kress built it despite the land boom having ended. By then he was wealthy and financially secure and could take on such a risk. Consumer demand remained high as well. The store was an immediate success and remained profitable for many years. In the late 1940s, the company bought the adjacent drug store and expanded into it. It appears another company, Genesco Inc., acquired the Kress company in the 1960s and began liquidating most of the Kress stores. However, the St. Petersburg store operated until 1980 or 1981. The city acquired it in 1982 and housed its Municipal Services offices there. The city moved these offices elsewhere in 1996 and sold it to the next owner, who proceeded to renovate the building.

Bryan, Penelope T. "S.H. Kress and Co. Building." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. October 1, 2001. October 1, 2001. https://npgallery.nps.gov/AssetDetail/NRIS/01001057.

"Our Founder." Kress Foundation. Accessed November 2, 2023. https://www.kressfoundation.org/About/Our-Founder.

Thomas, Bernice L. (1997). America's 5 & 10 Cent Stores: The Kress Legacy. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.