Zollinger-Harned Company Building facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Zollinger-Harned Company Building
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Zollinger-Harned Department Store, shown in 1945
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 Location in Pennsylvania
Location in the United States
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| Location | 605-613 West Hamilton Street and 14-16 North 6th Street, Allentown, Pennsylvania |
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| Area | 0.4 acres (0.16 ha) |
| Built | 1925-1926 |
| Architect | Hardner, George H.; Jacoby & Everetat |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 79002288 |
| Added to NRHP | December 17, 1979 |
The Zollinger-Harned Company Building, now called The Sovereign Building, is a very old and important building in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It used to be a big department store, which is a large shop that sells many different kinds of products. This building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places because of its history.
Contents
How the Store Began: Lawfer & Steckel
The story of Zollinger-Harned started in 1866. Two men, William R. Lawfer and W. R. Steckel, opened a store called Lawfer & Steckel in Allentown. They sold "dry goods," which included things like fabric, clothing, and other household items. They also sold groceries.
In 1874, Mr. Steckel left the business. George W. Hartzell joined for a short time. By 1876, the store became known as W.R. Lawfer & Company.
Growing Bigger: W.R. Lawfer & Company Expands
William R. Lawfer wanted his store to grow. He bought more buildings on Hamilton Street and combined them into one large store in 1882. At first, they mostly sold women's clothes.
As the store became more popular, it started selling many other things. You could find books, toys, jewelry, kitchen items, and carpets there. They also added clothes for men and children. To fit all these new products, Lawfer bought even more buildings. The store eventually took on a "T" shape, connecting buildings on Hamilton Street and North Sixth Street. The building still has this shape today.
A Special Christmas: Toyland and Santa Claus
William Lawfer was friends with John Wanamaker, who owned a famous department store in Philadelphia. Lawfer learned a lot from Wanamaker. Lawfer's store was one of the first in Allentown to decorate for Christmas.
In 1904, Lawfer's store created a special "Toyland" section just for toys. That Christmas, they had a huge, 24-foot-tall figure called "Santa Claus' Father." The next year, in December 1905, Lawfer's was the first local store to have a live Santa Claus! Kids could visit Santa in his "cave" in Toyland and drop their letters into a special mailbox.
New Owners and a New Name: Zollinger-Harned
William R. Lawfer passed away in 1900. His sons took over the business. Over the next few years, the ownership changed several times. In 1906, the store was renamed Lawfer-Early.
Then, in 1907, William C. Harned joined, and the store became Harned-Early. Finally, in 1909, William R. Zollinger bought out Early's share. The store was renamed the Zollinger-Harned Company. William Zollinger had experience running his own department store in Ohio.
The new owners decided to rebuild the store. They tore down the old, separate buildings and built one large, modern three-story building. This new building, completed in 1926, had a grand look with Classical Revival architecture style. It featured beautiful terra cotta panels and fancy bronze window frames.
Expanding and Facing Challenges
Zollinger-Harned was a very successful store for many years. In 1966, it was the first Allentown department store to open a branch in a shopping mall, the Whitehall Mall. They even opened more stores in other cities like York and Wilkes-Barre.
However, in the 1970s, many large department stores in city centers started to struggle. More people were shopping at new malls in the suburbs. Zollinger's began to lose money in 1976. Despite efforts to save the company, it eventually had to close its doors for good on January 30, 1978.
The Sovereign Building Today
After Zollinger-Harned closed, the main store in Allentown was empty for several years. In 1979, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places, recognizing its historical importance.
In 1982, a company called Sovereign Realty and Development bought the building. They renovated it and reopened it in May 1984 as the Sovereign Building. The renovations were impressive! They added a glass-arched entrance and a beautiful lobby with a "grapefruit-domed" ceiling, antique brass, and mirrors.
The main floor and basement became retail spaces again, while the upper floors were turned into 42 office suites. Today, the building is still used as an office building.
Images for kids
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Zollinger-Harned Department Store, shown in 1945
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W. R. Lawfer & Company Trade Card, 1905
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The Sovereign Building in 2011
