William Taylor & Son facts for kids

Six Six Eight
Former names	William Taylor & Son Company
General information
Type	Residential
Location	668 Euclid Avenue Cleveland, Ohio 44115 United States
Construction started	1907
Completed	1913
Height
Roof	44.50 m (146 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	9
Design and construction
Architect	J. Milton Dyer

The Six Six Eight building, also known as the William Taylor & Son Company building, is a tall, 9-story building in downtown Cleveland, Ohio. It stands about 146 feet (44.5 meters) high. Today, it's a modern apartment building, but it used to be a very important department store. The person who designed this building was J. Milton Dyer, who also designed other famous buildings in Cleveland like the Cleveland City Hall.

A Famous Department Store: Taylor's

The store that once filled this building was called Taylor's. It started way back in 1870 as Taylor, Kilpatrick, and Company. Taylor's was one of the six biggest department stores in Cleveland at that time. Other big stores included Halle's, May's, and Higbee's. All these stores are now part of Cleveland's history.

Taylor's was known for its fancy style and architecture. It was even compared to famous stores in London, England, like Harrod's and Selfridge's. Taylor's also sold many British goods. On October 24, 1941, the store celebrated its 26th birthday. This party was held at the Hollenden Hotel, which is no longer there.

Over the years, different members of the Taylor family ran the store. William Taylor started it, and then his son John took over. After John passed away, Sophia Strong Taylor became the president. She managed the store until 1935. Later, the store changed hands again.

Eventually, Taylor's started to serve customers who were looking for more affordable items. This fit well with the plans of the May Company, which owned part of Taylor's. The May Company wanted to reach more customers. In 1945, the May Company invested a lot of money to expand Taylor's. However, even with these changes, the store closed its doors in 1961.

The Building's New Life: 668 Euclid

Many years later, in 2009, the building got a brand new start. A company called the K & D Group began to turn the old department store into apartments. The building was renamed Six Six Eight Euclid Avenue.

For this project, the inside of the building was completely redone. It was given a fresh new look with modern features. These updates included things like granite countertops, stainless steel appliances, and new flooring. The goal was to make the apartments comfortable and up-to-date for people living downtown.

This project is part of a bigger trend in Cleveland. Many old buildings that were empty or unused are being renovated. They are being turned into new homes and businesses. This helps to bring new life to downtown areas. Other examples of this trend in Cleveland include The 9 Cleveland and the Statler Arms Apartments.