south and east sides - 1884

In this early photograph, it is difficult to separate 200 and 202 South Commercial Avenue.  200 is the 2 story building to the right (north) - 202 is the smaller building on the left.  This is the same building shown in the 1888 map below.

south side - 1888 In 1888, only a small building was located at what was to become 200 South Commercial Avenue.	south side - 1893
south side - 1898 map	By 1893 J. C. Dibrell had built a large rock building that occupied what would become 200 and 202 South Commercial Avenue, and was in the process of building an additional larger building to the south at 204 - 206 - 208 South Commercial Avenue.  This business was a general store, with the north part of the store containing dry goods and the south part, groceries.

east and north sides - 1900

south side - August 1904

J. C. Dibrell's hardware store had been located at 200 and 202 South Commercial Avenue before 1900 and their sign was still on the building in the above photograph.  But also about this time (before 1900), 204 South Commercial Avenue appears to have been occupied by the R. J. Ross Grocery Store, and a boot and shoe shop ("B&S") to the north, with at 204 South Commercial Avenue or 200 South Commercial Avenue.  At this time the building was only one story tall, with 18 foot walls.

south side - 1909 map

Between 1904 and 1909, a second story was added to the first floor and the building renovated by T. E. Garrett, who opened his drug store in this building between 1904 and 1909.  The first story wall was made of stone, but the added second  story was of brick.  The building was then 30 feet tall.  The entrance to the drug store was through a door on the northeast corner.  The south part housed boots, shoes and hats ("B & S"), and groceries.  The center wall was only on the first floor, and a stairway, which opened on the street, accessed the second floor businesses.  The businesses on the second floor had an address of 200 1/2 South Commercial Avenue.  (Note:  At this time of this map, numbers were used that differ from current street addresses.)

from 1908 - 1910 colored postcards Garrett's Drug Store Building east and north sides - about 1908 - 1910

south side - 1916 map

There were few changes in the building between 1909 and 1923.  Sometime between 1909 and 1929, the drug store changed hands, and became Mays Drug Store.   The south half of the building was occupied by a grocery store, which would become 202 South Commercial Avenue.

south side - 1923 map

"In 1929, Mayes Drug Store was located at 200 South Commercial Avenue.  It was owned by J. L. Mayes, J. B. Atkinson, and C. A. Gordon.  Their telephone numbers were 14 and 114.  James Blacknell was working at Mayes Drug Store, but no residence address is given for him."  (Coleman City Directory, 1929 - Hudspeth.)  (NOTE:  the second floor of Mayes Drug Store was addressed as 200 1/2 South Commercial Avenue.  Marshall Transfer Company was located in the rear of this building, with access through the door on the north side of the building, being addressed as 103 West Pecan Street.)

south side - 1930

Before 1930 part of the second floor was occupied by Martin's Photographic Studio.  Several other businesses also were located on the second floor.  The second floor address was 200 1/2 South Commercial Avenue.  200 and 202 South Commercial Avenue were in use at this time.  Mayes Drug occupied only the north side (200 South Commercial), and the American Cafe occupied 202 South Commercial Avenue.

south side - 1948

By 1948, the J. C. Penney Company had moved into this building, occupying 200 and 202 South Commercial, being on both the first and second floors.  It closed after 1962.

"J. C. Penney Company was located at 200 South Commercial Avenue.  Erman L. Miller was the manager.  Their telephone number was 625-2836." (Polk's - Coleman City Directory, 1962.)

Later Perry Brothers (or Perry's), whose store was located at 204 - 206 - 208 South Commercial Avenue, began to use the old J. C. Penney's Building, making doors between the two buildings.  After Perry's closed, the Family Dollar Stores moved their business into the old Perry's buildings at 200 - 202 - 204 - 206 - 208 South Commercial Avenue.

east side - about 1990

Perrys about 1990

east side - January 2003

east and north sides - December 2002

In late 2002, Kay and Eric Joffrion purchased the building at 200 - 202 South Commercial Avenue, followed by the purchase of the building at 204 - 206 - 208 South Commercial Avenue.  They opened the Commercial Avenue Antique Mall in these buildings in February 2003, and the address used for what is actually 200, 202, 204, 206 and 208 South Commercial Avenue is 200 South Commercial Avenue.  In early 2004, the Joffrion's purchased the building located at 210 - 212 South Commercial Avenue, known as 210 South Commercial Avenue, formerly occupied by B. Altman's and Bealls Clothing Stores, making 200 South Commercial Avenue include the former addresses of 200, 202, 204, 206, 208, 210 and 212 South Commercial Avenue.