Vintage Hull Street Thalhimers Photo Found News by Michael C. Hild - February 28, 2018February 28, 201814 We have written extensively about the renovation of The Baldwin Building at 1209 Hull Street that is currently underway. The building is being converted into Dogtown Brewing Co as I write this. The old Baldwin Building was once an independent dry goods store, but was sold in the late 1950s in order to become a Thalhimers department store. The Hull Street store was the Thalhimers’ second location as they expanded from Broad Street, and their first foray into new stores which later spread like wildfire. While we have been able to find evidence in books that made mention of the Hull Street Thalhimers store, we never were able to secure an actual photograph. Well all that changed this week when the Thalhimer family was nice enough to reach out to us with what they found in their family archives. We are happy to announce that the one and only photograph of the old Thalhimers store on Hull Street that is known to exist has been found! You can click on the image below to see a high resolution version. In the 1950s the massive Thalhimers store was comprised of two different buildings on Hull Street: the two story building to the right at 1201 Hull Street and the three story 1209 Hull Street building to the left (The original Baldwin Building). We are told by the Thalhimer family that the old store operated before the days of air conditioning. So naturally they had showers installed inside so shoppers who rode into town could wash up before trying on new clothes. A lot has changed in Manchester since the days of Thalhimers. But what hasn’t changed is a desire to have a vibrant Hull Street-Manchester’s downtown business corridor-that we can all be proud of once again. We absolutely cannot wait to see life fully restored to this awesome neighborhood! Credit: Thalhimer Family 1960
I remember going there as a child with my mom. Took the elevator all the way up to the second floor. Reply
The building at 1209 Hull St. was originally called Hutzler’s Department Store. Baldwin’s was on the corner. I dont know if Baldwin bought the other building before succumbing to Thalheimers. When I say originally I mean it was that already called Hutzler’s when I was a child. Reply
This is a great picture. Liberation Veteran Services is located in this awesome Thalhimers building and it is really cool to see how it looked decades ago. Reply
The Store on the corner was Hutzler’s, building was owned by the Burke family. ( Irene & Nellie ). They lived @ 2607 Semmes Ave. Their dad had a restaurant / bar further east on Hull St and had purchased it way back when as an investment for his daughters. During WW ll, I believe that Wade McCargo ran Baldwins. Memory is fuzzy as to the exact details. Thalhimer’s was indeed the high point in the evolving Hull Street retail scene. investing considerable capital to serve South Richmond’s post war growth. 1201 & 1209 Hull Street, the Hutzler’s & Baldwin’s stores were extensively remodeled. It was indeed beautiful to behold, Always superior merchants, Thalhimer’s presence meant that those shoppers in South Richmond had a greater selection of goods without having to cross the river. Growth with its congestion, traffic, narrow streets, parking, truck unloading, etc, were some if the issues made the corner location a fleeting memory. Hull Street @ the Traffic Circle with Belt Blvd; Circle Shopping Center & Southside Plaza Centers became the next retail mecca for our folks… Excellent buildings, quite a neighborhood. Reply
Thank you for posting this picture and some of the history! I was reminiscing of being on the elevator at this Thalhimers with my mom and dad in the early 60’s as a little child. I decided to look up Thalhimers (on Hull Street) online to see if there were any photos or any information available, and found this! Thank you for this! -M Reply
