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End of an era with former Saig building razed

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Developers tear down one of city’s most well known buildings

news@theeveningtimes.com While condemnation declarations went to a handful of East Broadway building owners last week, a private developer employed a demolition crew and razed another landmark West Memphis property in the city's Main Street district.

What local man of a bygone era didn't buy a suit at Saig? The family clothing business started before West Memphis was a city and ended just a few years back with the retirement of the last family member in the business. Last week, a giant orange backhoe began razing the old shop.

City council had granted a special use permit for the property on the corner of Seventh Street and East Broadway back in November. The city planning and development office had preliminary discussions with developers about a new gas station. No formal building plans had been before the city design review commission but planners indicated a wide sidewalk setback for a new building similar to the rest of the block had been discussed. The site at 710 East Broadway marked the location for only the second gas station and convenience store in the city's preservation district. The Main Street District ran down Broadway from Rhodes, where Sonic has stood to 15th Street. The historic stretch had been marked with landscaping, angled street parking and green posted gas lamp styled street lights.

Citizens reacted to the news of upcoming changes on Broadway with five buildings being condemned and some had feared a convenience store would follow. The train depot at 501 East Broadway along with four abandoned retail business buildings in the 800 block were marked out for demolition by city council.

Angela Henry fondly reminisced about old city businesses and expressed disdain over convenience stores replacing business fronts in the city.

'The Avon Theater should have been renovated, Spott's Soda Fountain, the Texaco on the corner of Broadway and Missouri — everything that had meaning of West Memphis is gone,' said Henry.

'Watkins Café, think about it, why didn't the city save real history. I guess we need more hotels, car lots and fast-n-go stores. Hate it.'

Main Street West Memphis Director Deborah Abernathy director fought to the end preserve the Saig store and noted a total of three buildings fenced off as part of the project for the new filling station.

'We will continue to fight to save that building and the ones next to it,' said Abernathy the day before the backhoe ripped down the walls at Saig.

Will the new gas station design elements hold any nostalgic architectural aspects that go with the rest of the Main Street District, or will its form follow function like the only other convenience store and gas station in the Main Street District on Broadway at South Woods Streets?

'We've had experts from the state Main Street visit the city and offer their design services,' said Abernathy. 'We know of no building plans at this point.'

Photos by John Rech

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