🧱 Fargo Mercantile

Address:  321 North River Street, Hot Springs, SD 57747

Built:  1910

First Occupant:  Fargo Mercantile Company — J.L. Denman, Overseer and Sales Manager

Current Occupant  (2025): Golden Rock, LLC.

Sandstone Quarry:  Unknown

Architect:  Unknown

Contractor:  Grant Robinson and Fred Berrier

Architectural Style:  Early 20th-century commercial with corner entrance and ornate interior

📜 Historical Overview

The Fargo Mercantile Building, completed in 1910, was constructed by Grant Robinson and Fred Berrier as a striking addition to North River Street’s commercial core. Its corner entrance is flanked by pilasters, with a flared pediment crowning the second floor and the 1910 construction date carved into the tympanum. Modillions line the cornice, while a second-story door marks the site of a former balcony.

Pilasters divide the front façade, with upper stone windows fitted with correlated translucent tile or luma panes. On the north side, toward the rear, roundels (circular windows) — an unusual detail for this building type — break the stonework. Colored tiles still spell out "Fargo Mercantile" outside the entry way. Inside, the building boasts one of the best-preserved early 20th-century commercial interiors in South Dakota, with especially notable ornate stamped metal ceilings.

The structure is built from nearly two-foot-square sandstone blocks. Foundation stones were “picked” with a many-pointed tool, and coping and paper protect the façade from water runoff.

🏛 Timeline of Uses

• Dec. 8, 1910 — Fargo Mercantile opens, overseen by J.L. Denman
• Nov. 8, 1912 — Purchased by G.A. Murphy and A.R. Thompson; relocated to Brusa, Colorado in April 1913
• 1912–1969 — Killinger Furniture Store operates on the main level
• Mar. 16, 1925 — Harley and Mrs. Barnes purchase the Hagen Rooming House above Killinger’s store
• Jun. 9, 1931 — Mrs. E.L. “Doc” Englebert acquires the Ham Apartments above the furniture store
• Dec. 1950 — Upper level operates as the Western Hotel
• 1970s — Bessie’s Antiques occupies the first floor
• 2000s — Consignment store and upstairs guest suites owned by Dick and Liz Smith
• Nov. 2020 — Purchased by Jeff and Kimberly Alley; becomes home to Black Hills Book Store and 2nd Chances Recycle, Restore, Repurpose on the first floor, with apartments upstairs.

📍 Later Uses & Current Status

Today, the Fargo Mercantile continues to serve as a mixed-use commercial and residential property under Golden Rock, LLC. Its blend of historical architecture and well-preserved interior makes it a standout example of Hot Springs’ sandstone commercial heritage.

QR Code Info:  Built in 1910, Fargo Mercantile features a distinctive corner entrance, roundel windows, and ornate stamped metal ceilings. Originally home to Fargo Mercantile Company, the building has housed various businesses over the years and is now a mixed-use property, blending historical architecture with modern commercial and residential spaces.