Lead Photo: Texas Historical Commission[Historic Property, Photograph THC_14-1362], photograph, Date Unknown; University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History; crediting Texas Historical Commission.

Then

From the National Register of Historic Places Inventory Nomination Form

The Strand Historic District (Period of Significance Amendment), Galveston, Galveston County, Texas.

Section 7 Page 25

57. Ball, Hutchings, and Co. Building 1878 (Clayton and Lynch)
Alias George Schneider and Co. Building
2101 Strand Lots 6-7 Block 621
Contributing building High Victorian Gothic

This two-story building stands at the southwest corner of the Strand and 21st Street. The 12-bay north façade retains its ground-story arcade, unusual in the district for its Gothic features including pointed arches and elongated windows. Only two of the bays retain their double-leaf doors; the others have modern, single-pane window infills. The ground story of the east façade has been heavily modified. The tall second-story windows, located on both facades, have Gothic-style moldings. The cornice has projected and recessed brick panels. The roof is flat. Ball, Hutchings, and Company constructed the building as an investment following the 1877 fire.

Section 8 Page 45

Victorian Gothic and Nathaniel W. Tobey, Jr. (1875-77)

When construction slowed with the Panic of 1873, Comegys and other architects of the post-war period left the city. When financial conditions improved, a new group of architects rose to prominence. Initially, the most successful was Nathaniel W. Tobey, Jr., whose design for the 1875 and 1877 Heidenheimer & Company Building (303 21st Street) is the district’s most outstanding Victorian Gothic example. The building features stucco embellishments applied to the facades, providing “a particularly good example of how stucco surfaces can be manipulated to produce rich light-and shadow effects in Galveston’s strong sunlight,” in the words of Beasley and Fox. Gothic influences are asserted by the building’s full-length ogee arcade. The district has two other Victorian Gothic examples with ogee arcades, the Wallis, Landes and Company Building (2411 Strand) and the Ball, Hutchings and Company Building (2101 Strand). Both date to 1877-78, demonstrating a trend in the district. The other two Gothic buildings, designed by Nicholas J. Clayton and altered during the twentieth century, lack the elegance of Tobey’s work on the Heidenheimer building. Tobey’s 1876 work on behalf of wealthy merchant Henry Rosenberg (2005 Strand), which is a less ornate Victorian edifice, demonstrates his ascendency within the city’s architectural profession during the late 1870s.

Now

Bunch’a Cool Stuff

Bunch'a Cool Stuff has a variety of gifts to make your friends jealous of the time you spent in Galveston. Walking in, you'll immediately notice a group of lifelike dummies (sorry, not for sale!) greeting you. And then let the fun begin!

Bunch'a Cool Stuff has some of the most interesting products available in the Strand District. They have 3D movie posters, clock with photos of pop culture icons, and even celebrity cardboard cut-outs.

As you walk through, you'll notice many home decorations that range from college themed wall hangings, to beachy signs and cast iron stars. They even have Asian style paper lanterns.

They also carry a healthy collection of typical souvenirs, such as shirts and keychains, for your more traditional gifts. Don't forget to pick up a pair of sunglasses on the way back out into that bright Galveston sun!

Year photo was taken: ca 1965

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