A well known building is listed for sale in Downtown Rochester, MN

Newly listed for sale in the heart of Downtown Rochester, Minnesota is a building that has been known for the Downtown Intimates/ Downtown Book & Video store since the early 90's. Within the listing advertisement it reads "The main-floor retail space is occupied by a successful business that wishes to lease back, making it a turn-key opportunity for investors." The second floor of this 1917 built building is home to Offices at China Hall an office space rental suite for business's to rent at affordable prices. This property sits in the heart of the Historic Preservation District Initiative where funds have recently become available to apply for to help renovate or improve historic buildings in the Destination Medical Center district.

This property has had multiple life's including the ties to a Minnesota Legislature dating back to the early 1900's. Alonzo Thomas Stebbins known as "A.T." name is embedded into the top of the building as the datestone visible from 1st Ave SW. 19 STEBBINS 17 is how it reads at the top of the brick facade. According to the Minnesota Legislature website A.T. occupation was a Hardware Merchant with the business Stebbins & Co. Originally born in Mansfield, Massachusetts in 1847 he moved to Rochester, Minnesota in 1871 at the age of 23 years old. This was after living in Winona from 18665 to 1867 where he was a clerk in a hardware store. He then became a bookkeeper for a prominent grain firm in Winona from 1868 to 1871.

His move to Rochester, Minnesota in 1871 was a big year for A.T. as he and his father purchased the hardware store H.A. Brown and. renamed it Stebbins & Co., and they grew it in the years to come. In this same year September 26th 1871 A.T. married his wife Adeliade L. Stebbins. They had two children Mabelle and George. The Stebbins & Co. also purchased the hardware store of A.Ozmun estate in 1892.

At the age of 35 Years old From 1883 to 1885 A.T. commenced on his political career serving as a city council member in the City of Rochester. He was elected into the House District 14 and served from 1/7/1889 to 1/4/1891. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Minnesota Senate in 1890. This didn't stop his perseverance as he ended up serving in the senate two terms from 1/7/1895 to 1/1/1899 and 1/2/1911 to 1/3/1915. The total amount of days he served was 3,647 Days. His last term ended in 1915 when he was 67 years old.

SOURCE: Shutter, Marion Daniel. "Alonzo Thomas Stebbins." Progressive Men of Minnesota, Minneapolis: The Minneapolis Journal, 1897, p. 490-491. LINK

Minnesota Legislature Website

With the building having a 1917 datestamp this would have meant he built the building when he was 69 years old. More research is to be done to confirm the story of A.T. and the connection to the building. In 1930 it is reported by the Post Bulletin that China Hall moved into the Stebbins building.