‍ Circa 1874–1898: Construction and Early Commercial Use

• 116 West Main was built around 1874 by William Snipes and partners. By 1886, its ground floor housed a grocery and hardware store, while the second floor served as the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) Hall until at least 1898.

• 118 West Main was constructed circa 1878, also by the Snipes (William and John), initially as a grocery store. It was sold to William Townsend by 1892, as he in tun sold it to R.W. Blair that year.

Early 20th Century: Smith’s Café at 116 West Main

• In 1903, Sanders “Doc” Smith purchased 116 West Main and opened Smith’s Café, featuring homemade ice cream, a soda fountain, coffee, candy, and Olive Smith’s popular spice cakes. It became a local gathering spot.

1923–1926: Gates Family Café and Tragedy

• In May 1923, an Indianapolis resident Emma Gates and her sons Carl and Joseph bought Smith’s café at 116 West Main.

• In November 1923, the café caught fire when the heater exploded, sending flames up to the wall and the ceiling. The neighboring grocer W.R. Elliott managed to fight the fire until the fire department arrived and finished putting it out.

• Gates family had to fully remodeled the café and then installed the county’s largest soda fountain, followed by an electric sandwich machine, which was the most attracting item in 1925.

• In 1926, a confrontation with debt collector Newton Bonham led to his death, Carl was fined for assault and battery, but Joseph was convicted of manslaughter, and Emma faced a $2,500 lawsuit ($2,500 in 1926 is worth approximately $47,000 in 2026). She sold the property and moved to Indianapolis.

1909–1954: Elliott Grocery and Beecham’s Era

• In 1909, when Ralph Elliott bought 118 West Main from his partner R.W. Blair, it was the beginning of one of Plainfield’s longest-running businesses. The W.R. Elliott Grocery Store (often referred to simply as “Elliott’s”) would remain at this location until the owner’s death. Although at one time Elliott owned stores in Bridgeport, Ben Davis, Monrovia, and Greencastle as well, it was Plainfield that he made his home.

• W.R. “Ralph” Elliott operated a long-running grocery here from 1909. Not to be outdone by Emma Gates’ sandwich machine next door, in 1929 Elliott installed a donut machine in his front window. It at a rate of 480 donuts an hour, which drew crowds.

• Ralph Elliott operated his grocery through the Great Depression, extending credit as needed and helping “countless worthy families through times of stress.” He dealt with the rationing of WW II, joining other local grocers as shortages continued in 1946.

• After forty-four years of running Elliott’s at 118 West Main Street, he arrived home from work on the evening of February 26, 1947, and died of a heart attack. The store was sold to Robert Pavy, a grocer from Indianapolis. Pavy and his wife Letha moved to Plainfield and opened the shop until closing in 1954.

• Meanwhile, in 1929, Marvin and Esta Beecham bought 116 West Main for their dry goods business, adding a new brick façade and recessed windows.

• Beecham expanded his inventory, becoming a fixture in Plainfield commercial life. Eighteen years later, in 1947, they bought the neighboring building, 118 West Main.

1957- 1980s: Beecham’s Department Store

• In 1957, the two buildings were physically merged with archways, a new Bedford stone (limestone) façade in a mid-century modern style with large display windows and aluminum elements, creating Beecham’s Department Store.

• Marvin died in 1969, after forty-one years of running his Plainfield business. When Esta died in 1974, the building and the store within passed to their daughter, Betty, and her husband Robert Hinshaw. They kept the store going for two more years, but closed in 1976.

1980s–2000s: Diversification

• Post-Beecham, tenants included Yogi’s Place, an arcade/pool hall in the 1980s, followed by a gym, then the printer, Freedom Press.

• In 2001, Roger and Nancy Hoffman remodeled the building and opened the Comfort Zone, a Christian Coffeehouse.

• In 2005, the coffeehouse was replaced by the combination of Mission Control Gaming Center and the Plainfield Computer Shop. Later, Contender’s Wrestling called the address home, followed by Rock Bottom Treasures, a vintage music and goods shop.

2019–Present: Modern Revitalization

• In 2019, the building entered its next chapter when it was beautifully renovated and became home to CrestPoint Real Estate, led by Patrick Keller, a successful real estate broker and Discover Downtown Plainfield board member. The building retains its historic character within Plainfield’s vibrant Main Street district, continuing the site’s role in downtown commerce.

A very special thank you to Discover Downtown Plainfield Board Member, Feng Xue, for researching, collecting and writing the 116-118 West Main St historic timeline.

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