Mahler and Carolina Trust Buildings
Also known as: McLellan's Dime Store; McCrory's Dime Store
Why it's listed
Two neighboring buildings on Raleigh's Fayetteville Street Mall, one raised in 1876 and the other in 1902, together tell the story of the city's main commercial street. The three-story Mahler Building, with a Renaissance Revival facade, housed a jewelry store. The four-story Carolina Trust Building, in Classical Revival style, held banks on the ground floor and about thirty offices above. McLellan's dime store chain bought the Carolina Trust Building in 1928, added a rear wing, took over the Mahler Building in 1933, and built a Martin Street annex around 1952. McCrory's later ran the store. A 1971 metal screen hid the upper facades until 1999, and the upper floors have been unused since the 1950s but keep most of their original plans and finishes. The complex also reflects the 1960 lunch counter sit-ins in Raleigh and the later shift of retail to suburban malls.
Significance in brief: The buildings represent Raleigh's downtown commercial evolution from Reconstruction-era mercantile shops, through early twentieth-century banking and office development, to the Depression-era dime store. They are also architecturally notable for their Renaissance Revival and Classical Revival facades and largely intact upper-floor interiors. The site is also linked to the 1960 Civil Rights sit-ins at Raleigh lunch counters.
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 00000457, listed November 29, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 228-232 Fayetteville St. Mall, Raleigh |
|---|---|
| County | Wake County |
| Listed | November 29, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00000457 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1876-1950 |
| Architectural style | Renaissance Revival; Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Commerce, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Ground floor in use as a McCrory's dime store; upper floors deteriorated and unused since the 1950s, with rehabilitation planned. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Within district | Fayetteville Street Historic District |
| Coordinates | 35.77729, -78.63947 (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.
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 00000457.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q20679809
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.