Capitol, The
Also known as: The Capitol Department Store
Why it's listed
Located on Hay Street in downtown Fayetteville, the Capitol is a two-story brick department store that grew from a small store acquired in 1921 into a building of about 50,000 square feet by 1955. The Stein family developed it through purchases of neighboring buildings, a rear addition of 1949 that extended the store to Old Street, and a new storefront in 1955. That storefront is a mid-century Modernist design with marble facing, a recessed foyer on marble columns, a curved window of twelve sheets of glass, and yellow mosaic tile flecked with gold leaf. The 1949 interior has an open sales floor under steel beams, a mezzanine reached by two wooden and glass stairways, and a luncheonette called the Bird Cage. The store was the principal shopping destination in downtown Fayetteville through the 1980s, and the building is valued for its architecture and its commercial history. It closed in 1990.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is the most significant historic department store in Fayetteville and one of the most significant in southeast North Carolina, chiefly for its 1955 Modernist storefront of marble and mosaic with a large convex window. It also cites the 1949 interior and rear addition, and the store's role as the principal shopping destination in the downtown commercial district from 1949 to 1955.
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 05000376, listed May 4, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 126 Hay St., Fayetteville |
|---|---|
| County | Cumberland County |
| Listed | May 4, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05000376 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1949-1955 |
| Architect / builder | Herman C. Litwack (architect); Peter Copeland Associates (architect); Edward Loewenstein (architect); E. W. Reinecke (contractor) |
| Architectural style | Modern Movement |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture, Commerce |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Mothballed since 1995 after the store closed in 1990; water damage from a leaking roof removed flooring and fixtures. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Fayetteville Downtown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 35.05515, -78.87886 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 05000376.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q18205802
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.