WMS14 - Platt Architecture and
The Roost

Weilt Building, briefly known as the Zachary-Weilt Building

A 1961 Transylvania Times article provided insights into the early days of downtown Brevard. The article was about the memories of Denny Nicholson, then 94 years old, who witnessed many of the town’s early developments. Among them, he is quoted as saying “Tom Gash and Waite Gash had a little store on about the site where Corn's taxi stand is now. Their stock was about the same as Hume's. You could carry all they had in both stores, at one time, in a two-horse wagon.”  Corn’s Taxi stand was in this building (WMS14)  at the time the article was written. 

Nicholson’s story about the Gash store pre-dates the 1911 Sanborn map that depicts two frame buildings on the site. The left side of the property (from the Main Street perspective, here referred to as WMS14a) held a large two-story building that housed a restaurant, while the right side had a separate, much smaller one-story building that contained a shoe shop.

William P. Weilt

In 1901, William and Sarah Weilt moved to Brevard from Alloona, PA. He was a retailer, selling everything from goods for the home to groceries and clothing. Focusing on clothing, he opened a gentleman’s clothing shop in a two-story wood frame building next door to the Aethelwold Hotel (EMS12), calling it Weilt’s One Price Cash Store. In those days, many vendors took trade items in exchange for their stock, but Weilt was somewhat unique in that he only sold for cash.

It didn’t take long for Weilt to begin a partnership with J.W. McMinn and T.H. Shipman. In 1913, the McMinn, Shipman & Weilt Company built what later became known as the Plummer building (WMN13).  

The property that held the two frame buildings (WMS14) in 1911 was sold by the G.P. Younginer (some references say his last name was Young) on December 18, 1912. He and his wife sold the property and buildings to Florence Young. Whether they were related or not is unknown. Weilt and C.C. Duckworth bought the property from L. Young and his wife Florence on August 16, 1913. The deed (book 32, page 298) mentions it had previously been owned by the heirs of G.W. Young. Obviously, there’s some ambiguity. G.W. Young may have been the original owner of the property and it was passed along to G.P. Younginer (Young?), who sold it to a relative who then sold it to Weilt and Duckworth. 

Weilt wanted to open a ladies clothing store to compliment the men’s store that he had on East Main street (EMS12). Although no specific records or descriptions of the building’s construction could be found, it would seem that he began construction of the building soon after buying it in August 1913. It was documented in a Sylvan Valley News article on April 3, 1914 that the Weilt Ready Pay Store, described as a “Dry Goods and Ladies’ Furnishing Store” was open. Ten days later, an advertisement in the same paper stated that its location was “opposite the Auditorium Building” (WMN13), which is directly opposite this building. The 1916 Sanborn Map confirms that the new brick structure was in place and that it was a dry goods store.

C.C. Duckworth owned half of the building and land, having bought it with Weilt in 1913. On September 27, 1917, he sold his half to G.W. Clayton.  Five months later, Clayton sold his half-interest to R.H. Zachary and his wife. At this point, it was often referred to as the Zachary-Weilt building. Dr. Zachary was a dentist and established his office on the second floor. By October 1919, Dr. C.W. Hunt moved into another office upstairs, sharing a reception room with Dr. Zachary.

It isn’t known when Weilt closed his store in the building, but it was certainly gone by the early 1920s. October 1920 mentioned the Standard Clothing Company was located in the Zachary-Welit building. Based on the things that happened in the coming months and years, the Weilt store that occupied the full width of the building was divided into two storefronts. The Standard Clothing Company was probably in the left storefront (WMS14a).  It closed by mid-1928.

A notice appeared in the newspaper in October 1926 announcing that Dr. Hardin was moving into the second floor “over the Standard Clothing Company.”

Garrett Electric started in a store in the News Alley, behind the Weilt building. Although no news articles were discovered about his move, Garrett placed an ad in the May 12, 1927 edition of the Brevard News that gave his location as “Main Street.”  Clarification that he had moved into this building was given later when (see below) it was revealed in a September 1928 article that Plummer’s Bargain Annex had moved into Garrett’s old location. Based on these clues, Garrett Electric moved into the left storefront (WMS14a) in May 1927.

Advertisements from the early 1920s confirm that Plummer-Coble had their store in the Auditorium building (WMN13), but moved into the Weilt building around this time. While they were there, they opened Plummer’s Bargain Annex “one door above” them in December 1927. Logic would dictate that Plummer’s had moved into WMS14b (the right side) and their new Bargain Annex was to their left in WMS14a). A Brevard News article on September 27, 1928 said that the Annex  had moved into the space formerly occupied by Garrett Electric.

Plummers move from across the street didn’t last long. They went back to the Auditorium building in January 1929. When that happened, the Bargain Annex moved into the space they vacated (WMS14b). The Bargain Annex closed on September 22, 1930.

Weilt’s first store, the frame building on East Main street (EMS12) had been condemned for some time, and it was torn down in December 1924.

In the spring of 1931, the Brevard Chamber of Commerce had “rooms” in the Joines building (WMN19), but they were small. Wanting more space, they begin looking  at the Weilt Building as a new place for their headquarters. However, that didn’t happen - until about 45 years later.

The Canteen Cafe

According to newspaper articles and the 1931 Sanborn Map, “Doc” Galloway had apparently operated the Canteen Cafe since 1928 in a small building that was located on what today is part of the parking lot and street through Times alley (WMS15). From sometime after 1911, when it was demolished, until the period between 1925 and 1931, nothing was there. The building it was in is something of a mystery, having appeared only once on any Sanborn Map - in 1931. By 1945, the property was again vacant. 

Originally opened in the summer of 1928 by W.E. Shipman, he sold it to Earl O. Shields in October of that same year. By 1931, it had been sold to Doc Galloway.

Postal addresses throughout Brevard have always been confusing and difficult to correlate between the Sanborn Maps and newspaper advertisements and articles. In this case, the 1931 map indicates that the street address of this small building was 41 West Main. In the October 2, 1931 edition of the Transylvania Times, the article Canteen Cafe to Have New Home stated “Doc Galloway, who has been operating the Canteen cafe at 41 West Main street, has made arrangements to move the first of next week into the Wilt<sic> building, one door from his present stand.”  It goes on to mention that the new location is “twice the size of the one he has been occupying”. 

If the Canteen was moving into the Weilt building and the old location was “one door” away, then the restaurant must have previously been in either WMS15 or WMS13. The Sanborn maps for WMS13, WMS14 and WMS15 all indicate that they were “stores” - no mention of a restaurant. Perhaps the surveyors didn’t make that distinction in 1931. It’s possible, though, that the Canteen was in the King building (WMS13b), to the left of this building. The City Market had just moved into the left storefront of that building, replacing the Johnson Grocery Store. 

The building that was only in WMS15 for a short period of time was known locally as the “Tin-Story” building, because it had an exterior “shell” made of tin. An article in the August 14, 1941 edition of the Transylvania Times said that it was being razed, that it was owned by the heirs of P.S. King, and that it had also been known as the Fleetwood Vegetable Mart - no mention of the Canteen at all.

The Canteen was such a prominent gathering place that it seems unlikely that an article about the building’s demise wouldn’t mention it. Therefore, of the two locations where it was possible that the Canteen occupied, it seems logical that it was in WMS13a - the right side of the present-day Gravy store.

Looking back at the previous newspaper mention that they were moving into a space that had been “twice the size of the one he has been occupying”, it  suggests that the Canteen, having occupied only half of WMS13 was now moving into all of the first floor of this building (WMS14).

The Canteen Cafe often advertised in the local newspaper. After the building was remodeled for its use, they had four booths and one large booth that would hold a party of 12 people. It was also reported that, at dusk on May 8, 1933, a pheasant crashed into the large plate glass window in front of the cafe, “breaking the class and causing instant death to the pheasant.”

Over the next several years, the cafe would be sold to several different buyers.  In 1935, Galloway sold it to Lucien English, who sold it five months later to V. Kari Twigg. A year later, Twigg sold it to Clyde Hamilton and Patterson. Thirteen months after that, Hamilton bought out Patterson. A few months later, around April 1938, Hamilton remodeled a bowling alley he was running in the Plummer building (WMN13b) and moved the Canteen across the street into the space presently occupied by Smokey Sunrise.

The Canteen Cafe moved to a space they renovated in the Bagwell building in May, 1945. The Bagwell building was a frame building behind the Transylvania Trust Company (WMS19). This was their last location before closing, most likely in late 1991 because the last mention of the business was in an August edition of the newspaper that year.

Normally, the research behind the conclusion wouldn’t be detailed as much in a synopsis of a business history, but it was included here for future historians to consider. It’s also an insight into how difficult it can be to determine the location of historical businesses, even if they were popular hangouts.

Rose’s 5-10-25 cent store and Corn’s Taxi

Rose’s 5-10-25c store was a chain of 109 dime stores that operated in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee and Georgia. It was announced in July 1939 that they had leased the Weilt Building.  Deeds in the registrar’s office show that it was leased for three years and nine months.

On July 29, 1939, Rose’s 5-10-25 cents store opened a 9am. They occupied the entire first floor of the building.

The first ad for the Corn Taxi Service appeared in the November 14, 1946 edition of the Transylvania Times. The ad stated that they were “Next to Roses 5, 10, and 25c Store.”  Telephone books gave Corn’s address as 33 West Main, the main address for the Weilt Building. Taxi’s were obviously outside, with some early photos showing them in the alley next to the building. Perhaps they had an office or a check-in station inside of Rose’s? Today, 33 West Main is the offices of the Platt architecture firm on the second floor. It seems doubtful that the taxi service would have operated on the second floor, though. 

Corn’s first got radio service for their cabs in September 1962. Telephone books show that he was at this location through 1963. In 1964, Brevard Cab Service was here - but there is no mention of it after 1964.

Some of Rose’s storefront was replaced in February 1947 because of “faulty brick.” It was estimated that it would take two weeks to complete the work. 

About daylight on the morning of January 14, 1948, a fire completely destroyed Rose’s. Later articles said that the origin of the fire was never discovered, although a Times article on January 15 indicated that it started somewhere in the rear of the building. It took firefighters two hours to get it under control.  Rose’s reopened in mid-August, 1948.

Weilt gains full ownership; Rose’s closes

John M. Zachary, who had co-owned the building with Weilt since early 1918, sold his interest to Weilt on February 25, 1953. This gave Weilt full ownership of the building, including some spaces immediately behind it. The deed also conveyed interest in the Rose’s lease. 

Rose’s closed their doors on the last day of December 1957.  After they left, a business called Greatest Deals was in the space. It’s not known how long they were there, but it wasn’t long.

Pat’s Cancellation Shoes 

To sum it up, and some of this is admittedly speculation because of confusing news reports, Pat’s started in 1958 with a lease of Rose’s space, moved a month later one door to the left to occupy the right side of WMS13 (next to Patterson’s), then turned around again in 1959 and returned here to the Weilt Building.

In 1962, Pat Patterson needed to relocate his store again because of higher rental rates. He moved it to the College Shopping Center.  Figuring that a new store should have a new name, he renamed the business to “Pat’s Shoe Mart.”  After the closing of the store in the Weilt building, all of the shoes were donated to charity.

1970s

A newspaper announcement in September 1972 stated that the Walter A. Weilt Building was for sale. It specifically mentioned that the building was a two-story brick building with a partial basement. 

In 1976, a store called Bargains Inc. Opened “Next to Patterson’s”.  The 1977 telephone book showed the business at 35 West Main. No other stores at this address appeared in any phone books around this time. Bargain Inc may also have been known as The Bargain Center.

Chamber of Commerce

The Brevard Chamber of Commerce voted on January 11, 1977 to by a new “home for itself for the first time in its 54-year history.”  The Board decided to buy the Walter Weilt building next to Patterson’s for $33,750.

The deed from Walter A. Weilt to the Brevard Chamber of Commerce, Inc. was signed on January 26, 1977.  

With Alfred F. Platt and Robert I Daniels “collaborating on the design and supervision” of the project, remodeling work was underway by February. Only the exterior and first floor were to be altered, with a new reception area, sitting area, and new, brightly colored canvas awnings. Brickwork was also being cleaned. The Builder was Bryant Construction Company.

The first article about the Chamber in the new building appeared in late May, 1978.  It told a meeting to be held there on May 24th.

The Chamber sold the building in December 2004 to Platt Holding Group, LLC.  They remained as tenants until October 2008, when they moved into the former Wachovia Bank Building on East Main street, having bought it for $866,500 and making extensive renovations.

2009-Present

In March 2009, John Taylor (owner of O.P. Taylor’s and several other local businesses) opened Continental Divide.  The store sold high end furniture and things for a den. Typical “man cave” items included artwork, pinball machines, one-armed bandits, juke boxes, pool tables, and a great line of hand-made cherry furniture.

In 2014, John’s lease expired and Al Platt had someone else interested in the space.  Roost Interiors and Gifts opened.  Still open today, they specialize in “unique items such as jute tassel baskets and charming sculptures.”

Platt Architecture is on the second floor, accessed by a long stairway leading from West Main street at the left side of the building. When they took it over (and the second floor of the Platt-owned building next door (WMS13), their firm did extensive remodeling. Today, it is a beautiful, modern office space with many historical features preserved and appreciated in the design.