The Inter-State Grocer Company Building at 1027-1035 South Main Street in Joplin, Jasper County, Missouri is a five-story fireproof wholesale distribution and food processing building constructed of reinforced concrete with brick cladding... Built in 1915, the 123,000-square-foot building is located at the south edge of the Joplin downtown business district and adjacent to the Missouri Pacific Railroad tracks.
The Inter-State Grocer Company Building is a physical reminder of the rapid growth and diversification of the wholesale industry during the early years of the twentieth century in Joplin. Its location on the south edge of the Joplin central business district, adjacent to the Missouri Pacific and St. Louis and San Francisco Railroad tracks and with a spur directly accessing the building, reflects a strategic siting linking the business with the vast transportation network connecting through Joplin at the time. As one of the largest wholesale grocery companies in Joplin during the early to mid-twentieth century, the Inter-State Grocer Company Building communicates important information about Joplin's commercial past.
The Inter-State Grocer Company Building reflects the progressive technologies of steel and concrete construction that emerged in the first decade of the twentieth century. The use of state-of-the-art construction technology and patterned brickwork and contrasting terra cotta treatments reflect a transitional period in the design and construction of commercial buildings that occurred in the United States beginning in 1890s and continuing into the first decades of the twentieth century. The building is among a select number of buildings in Joplin erected in the early twentieth century that utilized new technological advancements in reinforced concrete technology and it is significant for its engineering and structural design. Furthermore, the design and construction of the Inter-State Grocer Company Building illustrate the layout and spatial arrangement that successfully integrated diverse functional spaces. Its fenestration patterns, massing, scale, and fireproof materials clearly distinguish it.
After remaining vacant for many years the building has recently been renovated and converted to offices and other commercial spaces. It appears to be in excellent condition.