The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-22
POWERS TO BUILD
ON YERXA CORNER
Powers Mercantile Company
Leases Property at Fifth
and Nicollet.
EXPANDED STORE TO
REPRESENT A MILLION
Important Deal in the Heart Of
the Minneapolis Retail
District.

The Powers Mercantile company has
leased the Yerxa corner at Fifth street
and Nicollet avenue from Yerxa Bros.
y Co. The Yerxas have begun the erec-
ton OF fve-story freproof building
on the corner, which will be occupied
entirely by the Powers Mercantile COM
pany in connection with it's present es-
Establishments at First avenue S and
Fifth street The expanded structure,
extending from First avenue to Nicol-
let avenue, will be occupied by the
Powers company as one mammoth es-
Enlistment for the operation of its
business. The deal, which was COM
pleted today, will give the Powers Mer-
camille company frontage Of five lots
on Nlcollet avenue, frontage Of 335
feet on Fifth street and one Of 165 feet
on First avenue. The first floor of the
new building is to be in use Dec. l, and
the remaining space as fast as it Is
completed by @. F. Haglin, the con-
tractor who has the construction in
charge. .-
The transaction which the Powers
company has closed is one Of great
significance to Nicollet avenue and to
M1nneapoEs. It establishes the per.
manency OF the much-discussed proper
ty as retail corner, and the fact that
the managers Of the business have un-
dertaken such large contract is not
one Of the least bits Of the fast az
cumulating evidence that Minneapolis
is a rapidly growing city. The total
Investment Of the Powers Mercantile
company, exclusive Of it's stock, will
be near 100000.
Fireproof Construction.
In compliance with the best expert.
en06 nF tho ht,cinoee
building will be freproof. The new
part will be OF steel and concrete con.
struction, well equipped with the new
pattern OF sprinkler system. At the
time OF the fire in the retail district
two years ago, the original structure
demonstrated it's fre-resisting Qualities.
and it has since been improved with
metal ceilings and other means Of fire
protection. The stairways will be Of
f1reproof material inclosed in wire glass.
as will the battery of six passenger and
two freight elevators Of an electric pat
tern.
An idea Of the magnitude of the
estimates that have been made of the
floor space. There will be more than
an acre OF space on each floor, or over
slx acres in all, exclusive of the SUBJ
basement.
Greatest Show Windows.
While Minneapolis has become IA.
nous because Of its extensive and
ELABORATE window displays in the re-
tail district, the Powers MERCANTILE
company will break the record with its
continuous show window space of 625
feet. Not store in the world has such
an extensive continuous space devoted
to display of goods - !.za5. s4tsEs s
Mahogany, nickel and plate glass
will be the materials used in the fix-
lures Of the new building. The base
m1ent will be finished for the MOST
handsome grocery in the city. and Is
1s the purpose Of the Powers to have a
cloak and suit salesroom on the second
hoor which shall not. have its peer.
Outside the building will have The
same general style Of architecture an
the original building and plans in the
office OF the Keith company, architects
OF the building, show handsome homo.
geneous structure extending across tha
half block from Nicollet avenue "A
First avenue S.
The Powers Mercantile company an.
tered the Minneapolis retail field n
1909, succeeding s. E. Olson s. CO. Its
officers are: President, A. J. Powers,
vice president, Fred E. Powers Of Min.
nme9apol1s and Pittsburg; treasurer.
Thomas Armstrong.