MAGENDIE BUILDING.

(AKA: French Grocery Store, High Society Saloon, Brunet Store, Columbia Mercantile.)

1855 to present



© OAC.
The Magendie Building - 1929
(South/east corner of Main & Jackson Streets)


1852 August - Alexis Maitre sold to Victor E. Magendie.

1854 July - The building burned, Magendie rebuilt of wood.

1855 The brick building was constructed. Victor E. Magendie had a large grocery and provisions store. "In the heart of the French quarter"

1856 Victor E. Magendie sold to his brother, Jean Baptiste Magendie.

1856 Henrietta Schulz advertised a "fire proof vault" (in the basement of the Magendie Building) as a saloon.

1857 August 25 - The fire partially destroyed the building. The building was improved.

1858? Henrietta Schulz advertised the "High Society Saloon" in the basement.

1860 Louis Brunet, a Frenchman from Lyon, who came to the USA in 1818, is listed in the 1860 Columbia census as a tailor.

1861 Magendie sold to Pedro Beronio and Pierre Bocquerraz. They sold groceries, wine and liquor.

1866 P. Gagliardi owned the building.

1868 Louis Brunet owned the building. Charles Smith ran a grocery and clothing store.

1871 August - A. Brunet owns Block 9, Lot 156.

1880s Louis Brunet builds a house between the two brick buildings (east on Jackson Street).

1888 Louis Brunet dies. The store is bequeathed to his daughter Louise Brunet (Price) and step-daughter Rose Smith (Baier). (Louise Brunet was born in Columbia October 12, 1874.)

1928 Clara Solari bought the building from Louis Brunet's daughter, Mrs. Louise (Brunet) Price.


© Columbia State Historic Park.
Brunet's Building - 1934.

1948 State purchased the building from Clara Solari for $3200.


© OAC.
Brunet's Building - 1952.

1960 April - Roy and Mary Raney moved the mercantile into the empty building. They had been located in the McChesney Mills building (North building of the Candy Kitchen).


©from post card.
Roy Raney stands outside his store c1960s.

1972 31 December - Roy and Mary Raney are given a five year contract for the concession. (Park & Concessionaire report 1974-75)

1975 18 February - Jack R. and Marilyn Hodgeman buy the contract from the Raneys and are concessionaires. They have until Dec 1977 left of contract. (Park & Concessionaire report 1974-75)


© Paul & Mary Gjerde.
The Gjerdes: concessionaires at the Columbia Mercantile - 1977.

1977 30 September - Harry, Leslie & David Wright get a one year contract to open the Fandango Hall ("High Society Saloon") in the basement. (Park & Concessionaire report 1975-756)

1977 August 23 - Paul and Mary Gjerde buy the contract from the Hodgeman's and are concessionaires.


© Columbia State Historic park.
Mercantile - 2004

2010 July 1 - Paul and Mary Gjerde sell their contract to Claudia Carlson & Lisa Taylor.

2014 December 28 - Claudia Carlson & Lisa Taylor close down the store.

2015 March - Repairs are started to improve the building interior.

2018 January - The concession has started under new concessionaires (Teresa Torbett) to bring back the Mercantile with an old town flavor.

2018 May 5 - Teresa Torbett opens the new 1855 concept of an old store.



Columbia Mercantile 1855

11245 Jackson Street
(corner of Jackson & Main)


ColumbiaMercantile1855.gmail.com




This page is created for the benefit of the public by
Floyd D. P. Øydegaard.

Email contact:
fdpoyde3 (at) yahoo (dot) com
A WORK IN PROGRESS,
created for the visitors to the Columbia State Historic park.
© Columbia State Historic Park & Floyd D. P. Øydegaard.