| Historic Name: |
none |
Common Name: |
Nubia's |
| Style: |
Commercial |
Neighborhood: |
First Hill |
| Built By: |
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Year Built: |
1926 |
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| Significance |
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This small store is typical of those that were built along streetcar lines during the 1920s, although its design is distinctive. Madison Street is the only direct connection from downtown Seattle to Lake Washington, having been put through in 1865 by John McGilvra, who owned what is now Madison Park. After he built one of the city's first cable car lines, the shore became a popular place for outings, with a bandstand and promenade. In 1917, with construction of the Chittenden Locks in Ballard, the water level of the lake fell, leaving a broad beach behind. The park was turned over to the city Parks Department in 1922. Until the construction of the first Lake Washington floating bridge in the 1930s, this was also the major gateway from the Eastside to Seattle; the ferry from Kirkland ran until the early 1950s. With the park and ferry terminal, a thriving business district developed during the 1920s, when this structure was built.
This small building originally accommodated three businesses, primarily barbers and beauty shops over the years. In 1937 there was a grocery store and a shoe repair shop as well as the barber. In the 1940s the E&S Marmalade Company manufactured jams and marmalades here. In recent years it has had varied retail uses.
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| Appearance |
| This brick building has a distinctive profile, with the storefronts extending beyond the main mass of the building. The storefronts are covered by a narrow shed roof considerably below the stepped parapet. The main entry is marked by an arch in the center of the lower roof. The other two entries flank the projecting display windows, which are notable for their intact divided light transoms. The recessed entries have wood-and-glass doors. The building appears little changed from the 1937 Tax Assessor's photo, except that it is now painted white. |
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