The Hub

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The Hub Building, Lytton Building
Life Span: 1883-1947
Location: Northwest corner State and Jackson
Architect:

Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1887

Hub (The)

Lakeside Business Directory of the City of Chicago, 1907
Hub (The) clothing 236 State

Lakeside Business Directory of the City of Chicago, 1911
Hub (The) Henry C Lytton pres; H C Wolfe sec; clothing 240 S State

Chicago Tribune, April 28, 1887

Grand Opening of “The Hub” Clothing House.
An event of considerable importance took place yesterday morning, when the new men’s general outfit store called “The Hub” opened its doors at 9 o’clock. The proprietor, Mr. Henry C. Lytton, is noted for his push and enterprise, and has over twenty years’ experience in his line of business. Four years ago he opened the largest store of the kind in the State of Indiana at Indianapolis. Mr. Lytton has also done business in St. Louis, New York City, and Rochester, Indiana. Two reasons induced him to open his store at the corner of State and Jackson streets in Chicago. He happened to get the store on a reasonably long lease and was enabled to purchase his goods at an enormously reduced price. This spring manufacturers are overstocked with goods and “The Hub,” celebrating its spring opening so late in the season, has been able to buy up a large stock 25 to 30 per cent below regular prices. This reduction, of course, enables it to sell goods this season at prices that other stores have to pay when purchaasing the goods.

The store at the corner of Jackson and State streets will be remembered as formerly having been occupied by a dry-goods store; and a dingy, dirty place it was. Such a marvelous change has been wrought by the decorator’s art, however, that visitors yesterday were amazed at the magnificence and splendor displayed. Floral decorations were numerous and huge bouquets filled the air with perfume. The thirty clerks, with boutonnieres in their coats, were kept busy, and, altogether, the store appeared to be what its name indicates—”The Hub.” The store contains an immerse variety of men’s and boys’ clothing, furnishing goods, hats and caps. One of the features will be a children’s department containing the best class of goods in kilt and knee-pants,suits from the finest houses in Rochester, Boston, and New York. Mr. Lytton, a stanch believer in advertising, said he would do business on the one-price plan and refund the money in all cases where purchases are not satisfactory. The firm received over fifty congratulatory telegrams in the course of the day, and numerous friends personally extended their felicitations to the managers.

Photo from 1892 shows the stores at the northwest corner of State Street and Jackson Boulevard, including the Henry C. Lytton and Sons Co., popularly known as “The Hub.” The store specialized in mens clothing, but also had a retail sales department for women and children, shoes and other accessories. The south half was six stories; the north half, formerly the Pelham Hotel, was five stories high.

Rand, McNally & Co.’s Bird’s-Eye Views of Chicago, 1893

⑤ The Hub Building
Fronts 100 feet on Jackson and 123 feet on State Street, at the northwest corner. It is a 5-story building, 70 feet high, with 2 passenger elevators. It is occupied by the Hub Clothing Company, which employs 100 salesmen. Erected in 1883. Cost, $200,000

Chicago Tribune, February 1, 1948

Construction Started on New 6 Story Bond Store in Loop
A contract has been awarded Sumner S. Sollitt compony, Chicago, and work has been started on the 2 million dollar six story store building at the northwest corner of State st. and Jackson blvd.. for Bond Clothing company, Barney Rubin, Bond president, said Barney Rubin yesterday. Completion is set for early in 1949, said R. N. Friedman, of Friedman, Alschuler & Sincere, Chicago architectural and engineering firm, who designed the building. Morris Lapidus of Now York planned much of the interior.

The State st. elevation of the new building will have a frontage of 124 feet.
The north 99 feet will be a windowless wall of rose colored granite reaching from the second floor to the roof.

Six Story Show Window.
One continuous show window will extend the entire 124 feet of frontage on the ground floor. At the corner it will turn upward and rise for six stories as one of the tallest show windows in the country. This vortical window will be 25 foot wide.

The Jackson blvd. facade will be of deep red granite with six large show windows on street level and long “ribbon” windows for each of the upper floors.

Plans For Merchandising
The store merchandising plans provide for low, priced women’s apparel in the basement, men’s and women’s accessories and furnishings on the street level, men’s clothing on the second floor, boys’ and students’ departments on tho third, women’s apparel shop on the fourth, girls shop, junior miss, and teen age shops on the fifth. The sixth floor will house offices, stockrooms, window display studio, and employes’ cafeteria and rest rooms.

The store will be air conditioned and illuminated with fluorescent lights. I. J. and Irving L. Borkson were attorneys for bond in the site acquirement negotiations.

New 2 million dollar building of Bond Clothing company under construction at the northwest corner of State st. and Jackson bld. from plans by Friedman, Alschuler & Sincero, Chicogo. Completton is scheduled for early next year. The Benson & Rixon company store building, designed by the same firm, is shown on the right of the Quincy st. corner.

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