May 1, 1895 – The Iowa City Daily Republican announces that Martin G. Koser – successful businessman from North Liberty – is joining with Thomas E. Marshall to form Marshall & Koser – Hardware, Buggies and Bicycles – in the Crescent Block Building on East College Street.
In 1878, Chauncey F. Lovelace designed and built Iowa City’s first architect-driven commercial building. Located on unpaved East College Street, just east of Frank Dooley’s new 4-bay building, the decorative College Block Building soon attracted shoppers’ attention, and over the next century, became the cornerstone of the East College Retail Business Triad which included Sears-Roebuck, Montgomery Wards, and much more. By 1895, Lovelace had added The Crescent Block Building to his retail empire.
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