Newman Brothers Building
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The Newman Brothers Building is a former commercial building in Joplin,
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. The building was the home of
Newman's Newman's was an American department store chain based out of Joplin, Missouri. Newman Mercantile Company was started by Jewish entrepreneur Joseph Newman, a German immigrant, in the mid 19th century. Joseph Newman's son Albert and son in law Gabe ...
Department Store from 1910 to 1972. In 1990, the building was entered into the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...
.National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination for the Newman Brothers Building, #90001101
National Park Service, 1990
After going through several owners, the building is now occupied by Joplin city offices.Newman Brothers Building: style and strength
Joplin Business Journal
It is located in the Joplin Downtown Historic District.


History

Newman Mercantile Company was founded by Jewish merchant Joseph Newman, who emigrated from Germany in the mid-19th century. He founded his first store in 1850 in Pennsylvania, before relocating to
Pierce City, Missouri Pierce City, formerly Peirce City, is a city in southwest Lawrence and northwest Barry counties, in southwest Missouri, United States. The population was 1,251 at the 2020 census. According to the 2024 census population estimate, the town is ho ...
, where he founded Newman Mercantile in 1871. Joseph Newman's son Albert and son-in-law, Gabe Newburger, opened the first Newman's in Joplin in 1898. With the encouragement of his sons, Albert and Sol Newman, Joseph Newman purchased the property at 6th and Main streets in Joplin in 1907 in order to expand the Joplin store into a high-rise department store. Local architect Austin Allen was hired to design the building which spans the entire block. The new high-rise opened on November 16, 1910, and was the first building in Joplin to have elevators and electricity.Woodin, Debbie
Proud lady standing watch over downtown Joplin ready for 100th birthday
''The Joplin Globe'', November 6, 2010
In 1922, Newman Mercantile purchased the Kennedy Dry Goods Company in
Enid, Oklahoma Enid ( ) is the ninth-largest city in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is the county seat of Garfield County, Oklahoma, Garfield County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 51,308. Enid was founded during the openin ...
which was operated by Milton Newman until his death in 1943.Evergates, Theodore (ed.) and Constable, Giles, (ed.), "William Mendel Newman (1902-1977)",
The Cartulary and Charters of Notre-Dame of Homblieres
'', by William Mendel Newman, Medieval Academy Books, No. 97, 1990
In 1928, the company bought the Denneky Dry Goods Company in
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. After World War II, the company again expanded with additional stores in
Springfield, Missouri Springfield is the List of cities in Missouri, third most populous city in the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Greene County, Missouri, Greene County. The city's population was 169,176 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 censu ...
,
Hutchinson, Kansas Hutchinson is the largest city in and the county seat of Reno County, Kansas, Reno County, Kansas, United States. The city is located on the Arkansas River. It has been home to salt mines since 1887 (thus its nickname of "Salt City") but locals ...
, and
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. The Newman Brothers moved into the newly built Northpark Mall in 1972. The building then housed the Messenger Book Store of the Pentecostal Church.Church finances apartment complex
, ''The Southeast Missourian'', Aug 22, 1974
In 1989, owner Kenny Cox ran a teen club called the Boulevard in the building, and fought the city who wanted to demolish the building. The building was restored and renovated in 1995 at a cost of 5 million dollars, by Martin Smith and Greg Fears. The City of Joplin purchased the building in 2003 and did renovations costing 3 million dollars. Newman Mercantile closed its Enid, Hutchinson and Midwest City stores in 1987,Newmans to Close 3 Operations
, ''The Southeast Missourian'', Oct 25, 1987
and filed Chapter 11 and liquidated its other stores in 1988."Newman Mercantile closes six stores, is liquidating", ''Daily News Record'', August 25, 1988 The Pierce City storefront was destroyed by tornado in 2003.


References

{{National Register of Historic Places in Missouri Individually listed contributing properties to historic districts on the National Register in Missouri Commercial buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Missouri Commercial buildings completed in 1910 Buildings and structures in Joplin, Missouri Department stores on the National Register of Historic Places National Register of Historic Places in Jasper County, Missouri Chicago school architecture in Missouri