Plevna General Store facts for kids
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Plevna General Store
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Formerly listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
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The Plevna General Store, circa 1977
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 Location in Kansas
Location in the United States
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| Location | 3rd and Main, Plevna, Kansas |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1913 |
| Architect | Caldwell, John |
| NRHP reference No. | 88002968 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 22, 1988 |
| Removed from NRHP | February 25, 2004 |
The Plevna General Store was a special old shop in Plevna, Kansas, USA. It was built in 1913 and sold all sorts of things, like a modern-day supermarket but much smaller and older! This historic building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1988 because it was so important. It stayed open for 83 years, but sadly, a fire destroyed it in 1997. Because of the fire, it was removed from the National Register in 2004.
Contents
Store History
In 1897, two brothers, Emmett and Jeremiah Hinshaw, started a business in Plevna, Kansas. They called their store "Hinshaw and Hinshaw General Merchandising."
Building the New Store (1910s)
In September 1913, the Hinshaw brothers began building a brand new, bigger store. It was located at the corner of 3rd Avenue and Main Street in Plevna. The new "Hinshaw and Hinshaw General Store" officially opened its doors in November 1913.
A few years later, in 1917, Emmett Hinshaw's son, N.H. "Jack" Hinshaw, bought a part of the business. The next year, in 1918, Jeremiah Hinshaw left the company.
Jack Hinshaw Takes Over (1920s-1970s)
After Emmett Hinshaw passed away in 1928, his son Jack became the owner of the store. Jack ran the store for a very long time, 47 years! He finally sold the business in 1975.
New Owners and New Name (1970s-1980s)
Mr. and Mrs. Darrell Lee Holmes bought the store from Jack Hinshaw in 1975. They ran it until 1987. During this time, they changed the store's name to the "Plevna General Store."
Restoration and Fame (1980s-1990s)
In 1987, Charles and Shirley Kern bought the Plevna General Store. The Kern family operated the store for 10 years. Charles Kern worked hard to make the store look just like it did when it first opened in 1913.
After he finished the restoration, people said the store was "one of the most architecturally elaborate examples of an early 20th century detached commercial building remaining in Kansas." This means it was a really special and well-designed old building. It still had its original 14-foot tall ceilings made of pressed tin and beautiful hardwood floors. It also had the original scale, cash register, display cases, and cool arched windows.
Under the building, there was a root cellar. Charles Kern even used an old hand-operated elevator to get things from it! He found many old items in the root cellar and displayed them in the main store. These antique items included old soap, root beer flavor, and animal tonic. The store became famous, attracting visitors from all over the world, including Japan, England, New Zealand, and Germany!
The Fire
On Friday, January 3, 1997, at about 7:50 PM, the historic building caught fire. It was completely destroyed. Firefighters worked for many hours to put out the huge blaze. Even though they never found the exact reason for the fire, they thought it might have been caused by an electrical problem. The owner, Charles Kern, told a local newspaper, "When I arrived, the power line between the building and the pole was burning, and the building started burning on that side."
Why It Was Special
The Plevna General Store was added to the Register of Historic Kansas Places and the National Register of Historic Places on December 22, 1988. This meant it was recognized as an important historical building. However, after the fire destroyed it, the store was removed from these lists on February 25, 2004.
Images for kids
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An early 20th-century view of the store.
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An advertisement for the original Hinshaw & Hinshaw General Merchandising business from 1910.
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An exterior view of the store, c. 1977.
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An interior view of the store, c. 1916.
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The store as it looked in 1989. Notice the pressed metal ceiling and semicircular window openings.
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