212 E. Main
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Address: 212 E. Main Date built: 1873 Builder: Sylvester Brower Owner: John Kopf 1st business: J. Kopf Furniture After 1873, furniture manufactured at J. Kopf & Co. Furniture Factory south of the Grand River (1867-1888) was sold at 212 E. Main. Windsor and cane seat chairs of cherry and walnut were their specialty. They also made stands, drop-leaf tables, desks, bedsteads and caskets. They turned out 20,000 chairs annually at their peak. John Kopf, proprietor of J. Kopf & Co. Furniture Factory, acquired the lot at 212 E. Main from E. J. Booth in 1873. This Main Street store was then built to showcase and sell the furniture that was made in the factory on the south side of the Grand River. Sales, both wholesale and retail, and shipping were handled here. The basement was used to store furniture; the first floor held first class furniture, clock repair, silverware and jewelry; the second floor held parlor furniture; the third floor had caskets and a painting room. In 1882, Kopf sold the store to Taylor & Wittrup who continued selling Kopf furniture. In 1888, the store became Taylor and Kopf Funeral Directors and Furniture. After John Kopf’s death in 1888, his nephews, John L. Kopf and Goodrich Kopf, Jr., formed a business known as “Kopf Bros. Furniture and Undertakers” which operated from 1889 to 1895. A. D. Oliver, a jeweler, worked in a corner of the Kopf Bros. building during the 1890s. Yeiter & Wadsworth Furniture and Undertaking moved here from 206 E. Main in 1896 and continued for 17 years, 1896 -1913. It was Yeiter & Shaw for one year and then became Yeiter and Co. when Orlo J. Yeiter, a young man and cousin, joined J. B. Yeiter. In 1922, J. B. retired and O. J. Yeiter continued the company at this location until 1927 when he moved to 202 W. Main. From 1931-1945, Mr. and Mrs. A. R. Smith sold used furniture and antiques. Their son, Carl L. Smith purchased the store in 1943. In 1948, Carl affiliated with Western Auto which began as a specialty retail chain of stores that supplied automobile parts and accessories. Later Western Auto added firearms, toys, household goods and a catalog department. In 1956, Carl and Louisa Smith moved their Western Auto home and auto supply store across the street to 229 and 219 E. Main and utilized both storefronts. Rittenger Insurance and Richmond Real Estate were here in the early 1960s. In 1965, the MOOSE Lodge expanded to the first floor of both 210 and 212 E. Main. In 2015, both buildings were gutted and remodeled. This double storefront became home to Main Street BBQ in 2016. Main Street BBQ offers “100% smoke and fire traditional Central Texas BBQ in the heart of Lowell, Michigan.” Images: Top: The Furniture sign behind the pole is attached to 212 E. Main, July 4, 1895 or 96. Bottom: The Kopf Factory The John and Mary Jane Kopf family home at 13515 Grand River Dr. still stands near the former location of the factory. John Kopf Kopf chair The MOOSE Lodge was located at 210-212 E. Main in 1996 when this photo was taken. 212 E. Main is the 4th building from the left. |
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