Pittsburgh Mercantile Company Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Pittsburgh Mercantile Company Building
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February 2015, looking east on East Carson St
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 Location in Pittsburgh
Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2600 East Carson Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | December 29, 2014 |
| Built | 1907 to 1908 |
| Architect | Rutan & Russell |
| Architectural style | Beaux Arts and Commercial Style |
| NRHP reference No. | 14001099 |
| Added to NRHP | May 8, 2013 |
The Pittsburgh Mercantile Company Building is a historic building in the South Side Flats neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. It was built between 1907 and 1908.
This large building first served as the company store for the nearby Jones and Laughlin Steel Company. A company store was a shop where workers could buy food, clothes, and other items. Today, the building has been changed into apartments. In 2014, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's recognized as an important historical site.
Building Design and Changes
The main part of the Pittsburgh Mercantile Company Building was finished in 1908. It stands six stories tall and is made of buff-colored (light yellow-brown) brick with a strong steel frame. It also has concrete floors and roof.
The building faces East Carson Street, which is a main road in the South Side Flats. It is about 108 feet wide and 116 feet deep. The first floor has fancy terra cotta decorations, which are like decorative clay tiles.
Over the years, the building grew and changed:
- In 1936, a three-story addition was built on the east side. This part was about 36 feet wide and 116 feet deep.
- In 1950, a small one-story addition was added to the back.
The building has also been updated many times. From 1967 to 1968, Goodwill Industries of Pittsburgh bought it. They used it as their main office, a store, and a workshop. Later, in 2012, the building was completely renovated and turned into apartments.
What Was a Company Store?
The Pittsburgh Mercantile Company Building was famous for being a "company store." These stores were owned by large companies, like the Jones and Laughlin Steel Company in this case.
Even though Pennsylvania had laws against companies owning stores directly, companies found ways around this. They would create a separate company, like the Pittsburgh Mercantile Company, to own the store. The people in charge of the store company were often the same people who ran the main steel company.
Paying with Scrip
One big issue with company stores was how workers were paid. Sometimes, instead of regular money, workers received "scrip." Scrip was like special money that could only be used at the company's own store or facilities.
There were arguments against using scrip:
- It could be unfair because workers had to spend their wages at the company store.
- The company could charge higher prices since workers had no other choice.
However, some people argued that company stores helped immigrant workers. These workers might be new to the country and not know the language or customs. Company stores and housing could make it easier for them to get what they needed.
The Pittsburgh Mercantile Company store sold many different things. It was a general store with groceries, dry goods (like fabric and clothing), hardware, and home furnishings. The company also opened at least seven other stores in places like Aliquippa and California, Pennsylvania.
Discussions and laws to stop the scrip system continued for many years, even through the Great Depression. The use of scrip finally ended around 1950. The Pittsburgh Mercantile Company remained a successful business for about ten more years after that.
