McClurg Block, Crown Building
Life Span: 1899-Present
Location: West side of Wabash Avenue, Between Jackson and Adams Streets
Architect: Holabird & Roche
- Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1904
McClurg A C & Co Frederick B Smith chairman board of directors; W F Zimmerman pres; John B Fay v pres; Richard Fairclough tres; Ogden Trevor McClurg sec; publishers, booksellers and stationers 215 to 221 Wabash
Lakeside Business Directory of the City of Chicago, 1907
McClurg A C & Co (incorp) booksellers, stationers and publishers 215 to 221 Wabash
Lakeside Annual Directory of the City of Chicago, 1911
McClurg A C & Co (incorp) Ogden Trevor McClurg pres; Richard Fairclough treas; W F Zimmerman v pres and sec; books, stationery and fancy goods. Retail 218 to 224 S Wabash av; whol 330-352 E Ohio and 329 to 339 E Ontario
Inter Ocean, March 23, 1899
The reorganized firm of A. C. McClurg & Co., now a corporation, is to take possession of the new Ayer bullding. Nos. 215 to 221 Wabash avenue, in a few days. The Ayer building is to be renamed the McClurg building, and is to be occupied by the publishing house under a lease for fifteen years, from May 1, 1899. The firm declines to announce the terms of the lease further than to say that the whole of the building probably will be taken for that length of time.
The Ayer building is not quite ready for terancy yet, and will not be until next week, as the plastering is not all finished. As soon, however, as it can be turned over for business purposes the MeClurg company will begin to make the change, since the temporary headquarters now occupled in the Edson Keith building are overcrowded with the new stock, which is increasing in volume every day as orders from the East are filled.
All of the first floor of the new quarters, and perhaps a part of the second, will probably be occupied with the retail department of the McClurg establishment. The question of space is a detail not yet fully determined upon, as all departments of the house are so busy keeping the business going that it has been found impossible to determine the exact needs of the various branches. It is announced, however, that the facilities of the business are to be enlarged to double their former capacity.
Bullding Most Suitable.
There are nine stories in the Ayer building, and its prospective lessees say that it hardly could have been built in better shape for use by a publishing house had that been in view in its construction. The building is the one that was erected on the site of the old Ayer building, which was burned last year, with great loss of life. The front, facing eastward on Wabash avenue, is of white-tile construction, with large windows of prismatic glass. The building was planned with especial care for its lighting facilities. The windows on the alley are also large, and a “light space” was allowed in building the west wall, which is thirty feet from that of the buildings across the alley.
Until last week it had been the desire of General McClurg to go back to the old stand at the northwest corner of Wabash avenue and Madison street. The firm had so long conducted its business there that he thought it would be a sacrifice of commercial advantage to remove from that corner if a satisfactory arrangement with the owners of the ground could be made.
Offer Not Suitable.
When the time came at which the Rutter heir, who own the site of the old store, could submit a proposition for a new tenancy in a new building it was determined by the publishing firm that better arrangements could be made elsewhere. As business was moving southward, a proposition on the part of the Ayer estate was entertained, with the result that the new quarters were secured.
In the reorganization of A. C. McClurg & Co. a corporation with $600,000 in capital stock was formed, with Alexander C. McClurg, Frederick B. Smith, and John A. Ryerson as incorporators. The stock is all subscribed for by the people engaged in the house’s business. Of the 6,000 shares, of a value of $100 each, General McClurg and Mr, Smith hold a controlling number, and the remainder are held by employes in lots of from one share upward. General McClurg is the president of the corporation, Mr. Smith is the vice president, Mr. Ryerson is the secretary, and R. Fair-clough is the treasurer.
1908 Chicago Central Business and Office Directory.
- The original first editions of Tarzan of the Apes (1914) and A Princess of Mars (1917), as published by the A. C. McClurg Company in Chicago and printed by W. F. Hall Co.
- McClurg Building
Sanborn Fire Insurance Map
1906
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