William H. and Roy A. Hopkins began their grocery business next door in a one storey sandstone building constructed in 1900 by their father Archibald Hopkins, attaining a reputation for quality of both produce and service. Plans were completed for a new building in May of 1909, with construction beginning shortly thereafter.
To increase the building's income, the Hopkins Brothers built a second floor on their second grocery store, opening the
Modern Rooming House there. Newspaper articles of the day indicated that the parlor of the rooming house was often used to perform marriages, apparently young ladies living in the rooming house getting hitched there.
Unlike the 1900 sandstone building the 1909 Hopkins Block was faced with brick and a small amount of stone trim, most notably in the second story window frames, sills and lintels. A tiny brick parapet, centered in the roofline, bears the year of construction, 1909, done with iron or steel lettering. The ground floor store front is finished in wood, with pilasters carved to emulate cast iron pilasters. A really interesting feature is on the right (west) side of the building, where it appears to overlap the sandstone building, with a section of sandstone below and brick above, making it appear that the buildings have been melded into one.
Three short news articles which follow the progress of construction of the Hopkins Block have been found and are reproduced below.
HOPKINS BROTHERS,
Pure Food Grocers
Fergus County Democrat| May 25, 1909 Page 10
In order to keep abreast of the times plans have already been completed from which a magnificent new store building will be erected in the very near future on the site adjoining their present location. When completed the new building will have a floor space aggregating upwards of 10,000 square feet and will be an edifice which from point of architectural beauty will do credit to the city. Being far-sighted and progressive, both Messrs. W. H. and Roy Hopkins are business men of judgment and unqualified commercial capacity and what is more they belong to the class of merchants to whom it is absolutely safe to tie and with whom a child could trade as safely as could a grown person.
From the Fergus County Democrat
NEW FIXTURES
Hopkins Bros., Grocers of This City. Enlarging Their Business.
Hopkins Brothers last week put in an order of about two thousand dollars worth of fine new fixtures for their new grocery store which is now nearing completion on lower Main street. The fixtures are of the best manufactured for the purpose and, when installed in the new store building, will make this popular grocery one of the best equipped in the state.
From the Fergus County Democrat
In New Home.
The Hopkins Bros. Company, cash grocers, are now in their new building just below their old stand on Main street and are better than ever prepared to cater to their growing trade. The new building which is constructed of brick, expressly for their store, is two stories high and contains a full basement. The grocery store occupies the first and basement floors, or two rooms each 50x90 feet in size. In addition, they have a big stone warehouse 60x60 feet in size and with three floors. The new store building is heated by steam and has been fitted up with all of the latest equipment in shelving, bins, show cases, etc. The members of this progressive firm are to be congratulated upon their enterprise and manifest belief in the future of Lewistown.
From the Fergus County Democrat