Main Street Stories: DeBaene Building

The building at 419-423 S. Main Street was completed in late 1926 by local businessman Camille J. DeBaene on a lot that for half a century before had been the location of the offices of Doctors Jesse and Jerry Wilson. A native of Belgium who came to the U.S. with his family as a child, DeBaene settled in Rochester after his marriage in 1905. In 1926, the Clarion announced that a new, one story stone and brick building was going up on the Wilson site and would house the A&P grocery store when complete. The DeBaene building was part of a mini building boom on Main Street that was sparked in anticipation of the construction of the South Hill bridge, scheduled for the summer of 1927.

Over the years, the DeBaene building has house two or three businesses at a time in its three sections. Among the tenants have been the A&P, DeBaene Lunch Room, DeBaene Tax Service, The Thimble Shop, Martin's Men's Wear, Cap' Tele-Tec TV Service, Avon Printing, Avon Recreation, Shepard's Bar, Birmingham Camera, Boulevard Bridal, and most recently, Mr. B's Food and Spirits, and the Spy Shop.

The DeBaene building celebrates its 85th birthday in 2011.

This 1940s postcard view of the DeBaene building is from the collection of Rod and Susan Wilson.