Lafayette Hardware Building

The Lafayette Hardware Building is located in the heart of the downtown Lafayette. It’s the one of the oldest and beautifully preserved, commercial historic buildings in Lafayette. Property tax records indicate that it was built by the Hopkins family just prior to 1890. Over the years, several businesses of notoriety have operated within the building: R. B. Hopkins Pharmacy, Levy Brothers General Merchandise, A. J. Coburn Plumber, the local telephone exchange until 1928, and from 1915 to the mid-1980s, the Lafayette Hardware Company. The building’s historic significance is related to the fact that the building retains all of its original pressed metal ornamentation and a completely unaltered shop front. Most of the building’s interior also remains original. Historically, ornamental façades like the one on this building, were associated with successful business ventures. Commercial buildings like Lafayette Hardware, once used such ornamentation to compete with one another for esteem. Long-term owners, the family of Dr. Daniel W. Voorhies, are to be commended for their exceptional care of this building over the years.