S. H. Kress & Co. was the name of a chain of “five and dime” retail department stores in the United State which operated from 1896 to 1981. The Kress chain was known for the fine architecture of its buildings. A number of former Kress stores are recognized as architectural landmarks and many are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Kress building at Selma was built in 1931. This is a decorative Art Deco style structure that prominently features the Kress name accented by four-color terra cotta tiles. In the 1960s, the Kress store moved from this building to the Selma Mall. The Kress building now serves as the home of Butler-Truax Jewelry. This building is a contributing property to Selma’s “Old Town Historic District” that’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is located at 121 Broad Street in Selma (GPS coordinates 32.408398, -87.020441).

Sources: 1) Selma’s Architecture and History Tour (A Self-Guided Driving Tour); 3) NRHP “Old Town Historic District” Registration Form.

Photographs courtesy of RuralSWAlabama.