Market Square (High Point, North Carolina) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Tomlinson Chair Manufacturing Company Complex
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Distant view from the north
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 Location in North Carolina
Location in the United States
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| Location | 305 W. High St., High Point, North Carolina |
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| Area | 4 acres (1.6 ha) |
| Built | 1902 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 83001888 |
| Added to NRHP | March 17, 1983 |
Market Square is a huge building in High Point, North Carolina. It's a place where furniture companies show off their latest designs. This building used to be a factory called Tomlinson Chair Manufacturing Company Complex.
It's a very important building! It's the largest one in North Carolina listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It's even the sixth largest in the entire United States. The change from a factory to a showroom helped High Point become a famous center for furniture.
Contents
The Story of Tomlinson Chair
The Tomlinson Chair Manufacturing Company started in October 1900. It was founded by Sidney Halstead Tomlinson Sr. in High Point, North Carolina. The company began with just 12 employees.
In 1901, they had 18,000 square feet of space. Sidney's brother, Charles F. Tomlinson, joined the company in 1904. Both brothers were very active in their community. They helped start the city's YMCA, chamber of commerce, library, and a country club.
Tomlinson Chair was one of the first companies to make matching dining room furniture sets. They created furniture in styles from the 19th Century, including French, English, and American designs.
New Ways to Show Furniture
Tomlinson was also a leader in how furniture was displayed. They started showing furniture in "gallery style." This meant arranging furniture like art in a gallery. This new way of showing furniture became very popular. It changed how the whole furniture industry displayed its products.
The company was known for its "Tomlinson Quality." It became one of the biggest and most successful furniture factories in the nation. Many people believe Tomlinson Chair played a big part in High Point becoming a successful furniture city.
Tomlinson's Later Years
Over the years, Tomlinson Chair became part of a larger furniture group. In 1987, Rod Lambeth bought Tomlinson Chair. Later, in 2001, Tomlinson/Erwin-Lambeth bought another company called Directional Furniture. These companies were known for their high-quality, traditional furniture.
Before 2005, Tomlinson/Erwin-Lambeth had its showroom in the same complex where Tomlinson once made furniture. Today, Tomlinson/Erwin-Lambeth still makes upholstered furniture and other pieces.
From Factory to Furniture Hub
The Tomlinson Chair Manufacturing Company Complex was built over many years, from 1900 to 1946. It includes the oldest factory building still standing in High Point. This building was constructed between 1902 and 1906.
Some parts of the complex are five-story buildings. They were built between 1902 and 1911. These buildings have a special look with large arched doors and windows. A five-story building from 1924-1927 was used for offices and showrooms. It was later updated to be only showrooms and a restaurant. The complex also had a tall smokestack and a water tower. The older buildings were used for making furniture until the 1970s.
Market Square is Born
In July 1981, a group of business people bought the huge complex. They wanted to turn the 650,000-square-foot factory into a furniture showroom building. Their plan worked! Market Square opened for the Spring 1982 Furniture Market.
Jake Froelich was one of the owners. He hoped furniture makers would move their showrooms to High Point. When he passed away in 2003, people said his idea to change the old factory into Market Square "forever changed the face of the Furniture City."
A Historic Landmark
The Tomlinson Chair Manufacturing Company Complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. It was recognized because it shows how furniture factories grew in North Carolina in the early 1900s. The building still has its original windows, arched entrances, and metal water tower. Its steel and wooden support beams are also still there.
The change of the Tomlinson complex into Market Square is a big reason why High Point is so successful today. It's a major center for furniture exhibitions.
Growing Bigger
In 1990, a new 16-story addition opened at Market Square. This $16 million addition had showrooms on the first five floors. It also had offices in the middle and 19 apartments on the top four floors. This addition made Market Square one of the city's tallest buildings.
In 1998, a company called Merchandise Mart Properties bought Market Square for $100 million. At that time, Market Square was already High Point's second-largest showroom complex. It had over 1 million square feet of space. It also had restaurants and walkways connecting to other showrooms.
New Look and New Owners
In 2000, a new section called "The Suites at Market Square" opened. As part of this expansion, a "nonworking replica" of the old Tomlinson water tower was added. It looked just like the original, but it said "The Suites at Market Square."
In 2010, Merchandise Mart Properties announced $1.5 million in updates. These updates helped keep the complex's history alive. Later that year, the High Point properties were sold. In 2011, a new company called International Market Centers (IMC) bought Market Square. IMC also bought other large showroom facilities in High Point. This brought together about two-thirds of the city's huge showroom space under one owner.
