Eshelman, J., and Company Store
Also known as: The Square Deal Store
Why it's listed
Standing at the corner of Goodrich Road and Clarence Center Road, this three-story red brick store was built in 1872 by John and Andrew Eshelman, members of a large German community that had migrated from Pennsylvania. The Italianate building has round-arched windows with limestone keystones, a projecting wooden cornice on modillions, and a ground floor of slender cast-iron Corinthian piers. Inside, a long retail room still holds much of its original cabinetry and a brick vault with a nineteenth-century safe. The third floor contains an auditorium with a stage and a working hoist, and a ground-floor room was used as a courtroom. The store served as a place for cultural, political and judicial events as well as commerce, and it appeared in atlases as the chief landmark of its village. Few buildings of this type survive so untouched, especially in a village setting, which accounts for its recognition. Restoration to its original appearance was under way.
Significance in brief: In the late nineteenth century it was perhaps the most important retail commercial building in Erie County outside Buffalo. It remains remarkably well preserved as an example of the brick and cast-iron commercial buildings common to western New York from the 1850s to the 1880s. It also served as store, auditorium and courtroom, and so became a centre of community life.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 82003356, listed May 6, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 6000 Goodrich Rd., Clarence Center |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | May 6, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82003356 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Italianate |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Unoccupied, with restoration work in progress; the second-floor apartment was being modernized. The retail room was damaged by fire in 1978. The store was in constant use until the 1960s. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 43.01070, -78.63737 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For an income-producing building, listing (individually or as a contributing building in a district) is the gateway to the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit on qualified rehabilitation costs, often stackable with state credits. Work claiming the credit must follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and be approved in advance.
Listing does not restrict a private owner acting without federal money or permits; where federal funding or licensing is involved, Section 106 review applies.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 82003356.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6105622
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.