WMN11 - Number 7 Arts, White Squirrel Shoppe, Lilly T’s Clothing Company

McMinn Building

Early History

At the beginning of the 20th century, Nathan Van Buren McMinn had already become a well-known businessman in Brevard. During his life, he was the County Sheriff, the owner of a business that manufactured saddles and harnesses, and the proprietor of the Central Hotel. In the early 1880s, he built a large white frame home on the north side of Main Street, where the Plummer Building (WMN13) would eventually be constructed.

On March 20, 1898, he wrote a letter to his son, John W. McMinn, to tell him about the new building he was planning to construct between his house and the corner of Broadway Street. He wrote, "I think I will put a Good Brick on the Corner this fall and Save Rent."

McMinn forged ahead with his plans, offering John a 50% interest in the building in 1899. John accepted the offer and became his father's partner and co-owner of the McMinn Building. They planned the building for retail and office use, with three storefronts at street level and 18 offices on the second floor. A staircase to the upper floor was to be located between the second and third storefronts.

That same year, 1899, Brevard's first commercial brick building was completed. The builder's name is unknown, but historians have speculated that it was probably C.C. Kilpatrick because he later constructed other buildings for McMinn.

Nathan McMinn founded Brevard Banking in 1898, so it was natural that it would be one of the first businesses on the first floor. T.B. Allison's drug store was to occupy the corner space. By the early 1900s, the Transylvania Railroad Company had offices on the second floor.

Expansion

McMinn wanted to expand the building, so in 1901, he hired C.C. Kilpatrick to construct an extension. The new building (WMN12), attached to the west side of the original structure, was similar in architecture to the original except for two tall iron supports on either side of its West Main Street entrance.

Although Nathan McMinn passed away one year after the extension was built, the McMinn family has continued to own and operate the building over the years.  Many different businesses have been located in the McMinn Building.  The list below certainly doesn't include everything, but it is a good representative of businesses in the building from its inception until approximately 1997.  As of 2025, digital (searchable) Transylvania telephone directories weren't available for subsequent years. 

Tenants and Activity

For over a century, the McMinn Building has hosted a wide range of tenants—pharmacies, cafes, law offices, real estate firms, and civic organizations. Below is a timeline of known occupants based on newspaper advertisements, city directories, telephone books and architectural surveys. While not exhaustive, it provides insight into how the building’s usage has shifted over time.

Circa 1900 -- T.H. Allison's Drug Store occupied the store at the corner. IIn 1905, Allison had bought “the entire stock of the Brevard Drug company.” Brevard Banking likely occupied one of the other street-level spaces.  The Transylvania Railroad Company was in offices on the second floor.

1909 -- Allison announced a partnership with a new druggist, Spencer Montgomery Macfie, in a Sylvan Valley News advertisement on February 12, 1909.  On the 26th of that month, the first ad appeared calling the business Allison & Macfie.

1910 -- Macfie's Drug Store replaced T.B. Allison's Drug Store in the corner position of the first floor. Macfie later opened a bus company in the building, with a terminal outside on Broad Street. It eventually moved to Caldwell Street. 

1911 -- Spurgeon Osborne opens the Royal Lunch Room

1912 -- H.C. Aiken and J.H. Pickelsimer opened the Royal Cafe in the old Pickelsimer Drug Storeroom. While a few history articles have speculated that the Royal Cafe was located on the Broad Street side of the Aethelwold Hotel, other sources suggest it might be in this building. If you examine one of the only photographs of the Royal Cafe (above), comparing it to the first storefront of the McGinn Building (WMN11a), it looks certain that the Cafe was in that location. A newspaper article on September 24, 1990 captioned the above photo noting that this “early cafe” was located “where Jack Williams now has his shoe repair shop.” Local resident Jake Nessley, who owned the building next door (WMN12) for many years, confirmed that Jack William’s Shoe repair store was there in the 1990’s.

1913 - R.L. Gash entered a partnership with R.E. Woodbridge for a business focusing on insurance, investments and real estate.  Gash & Woodbridge were in rooms 11 to 17 on the second floor.

1923 -- The Central Cafe opened on November 20th after $4,000 of remodeling

1925 -- Brevard Realty Company opens rooms on the second floor.

1926 -- Panther Mountain Estates, a large real estate developer, had its headquarters here. McIntosh Variety Store opens the same year.

1930 -- Republican Headquarters opens in a suite of offices formerly occupied by Austin's Studio.

1931 -- The Chamber of Commerce moved into the first storefront (leftmost), next to the Farmer's Supply Company (in WMN12). The space was donated by the owners, Beulah Zachary and T.H. Galloway, and the McMinn heirs.

1932 -- The Chamber of Commerce didn't stay long. By sometime in 1932, they had vacated, and United Variety Stores had taken their place. United Variety Store later (April 1936) renovated the interior and exterior of the store.

1933 -- Dr. Newland moved to the second floor from the Lawrence Building (WJN14) on Jordan Street. Also on the second floor at this time were Ralph H. Ramsey, Judge D.L. English, and the State Highway Commission.

1937 -- J.H. Tinsley announced the opening of Tinsley Real Estate and Rental's office in the building

1939 -- R.F. Thomas opens a law office

1941 -- Down Towner restaurant opens

1942 -- An aircraft observation station was completed on the roof in March. This was during the Second World War, and aircraft observers were recruited to man the station every hour of the day and night. Second World War, and aircraft observers were recruited to man the station every hour of the day and night.