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The first business building in San Dimas was built about 1889 on the northwest corner of Bonita and Depot Street (later Monte Vista). This was built for E. M. Marshall, agent for the San Jose Land Company, for his hardware store and fourth-class Post Office. When he left town a year or two later, the building was moved to the southeast corner and occupied by Mrs. Brownlee as a small grocery store. She also ran the Post Office there and had the first telephone in town.
In 1904, a two-story brick building was erected on the northwest corner by the Sipple Brothers of Azusa. In addition to hardware, they sold wagons, carts, plows and harness. The second floor was the San Dimas Rooming House, divided into eight small apartments. The first floor of the building was divided into four different shops, two facing Bonita Avenue, and two facing Depot Street. From 1904 to 1914, a number of businesses occupied the building. Among them were Brooks Dry Goods, Goetz Brothers Vegetable and Grocery Store, Floyd Godfrey’s Variety Store, Barney Piesinger’s Candy Store and Soda Fountain, and a butcher shop. In 1914, the San Dimas Post Office moved into the corner store, and this was the first time the Post Office had operated independently, not occupying part of a grocery or hardware store. It stayed in this location until 1932, being served by two postmasters, Floyd Godfrey and Ollos Way. |
In 1919, the San Dimas Press moved into the northern store on Depot Street, with C. L. Compton as editor and owner.
In 1932, the Post Office moved to its new location on Bonita Avenue next to the Chevron Service Station, and the store reverted to hardware. First owned by Mr. Holzer, then by Mr. Cushman, then Mr. Andersen, and finally purchased by Bill Masters, whose son Larry now owns the San Dimas Hardware Store. A couple of near-catastrophes have passed into local lore. The first was in 1926 when the rooming house upstairs had to be fumigated to rid it of lice and bedbugs. Lacy Cox, doing the work, was overcome by the cyanide gas and had to be rescued by town constable R. P. Pettis and Postmaster Ollos Way. They, too, were also affected and all had to be treated by the local doctor, S. D. Thomason. The second accident was in 1928 when the local Chinese vegetable man, Sing Lee, backed his new truck into Bays’ Jewelry store, pinning Mr. Bays back into a corner. In his agitation, all Sing Lee could do was yell "Whoa, Whoa" as if he were still driving his horses. Now, with the City’s Redevelopment assistance, the building has been completely rebuilt, with the original brick facing. There are twelve apartments upstairs for seniors, and San Dimas is delighted to have its home-town Hardware Store back in business. |
