Thurston Building
Also known as: Hock Pharmacy
Why it's listed
Built in 1897 on Front Street in Grand Rapids, Ohio, this two-story brick building reflects Richardsonian-Romanesque influence. It rests on a stone foundation and has three bays, with a large central arch holding a display window and smaller arched end bays leading to the store and an upstairs apartment. Four banded arches with single windows mark the second floor, and an oriel window on the northeast corner once had a conical roof. Contrasting brick trims the arches, lintels and parapet, where THURSTON is spelled out in raised letters. Azor Thurston, a respected writer on pharmacology, built it and made Thurston's Pills and Thurston's Sarsaparilla there. The building also held his real estate firm and was the birthplace of the Grand Rapids Banking Company, where he served as first cashier. It survived the 1898 fire that destroyed eighteen neighboring buildings and has always housed a pharmacy, with its original soda fountain still in place.
Significance in brief: The building is tied to Azor Thurston, a druggist and writer on pharmacology who made Thurston's Pills and Thurston's Sarsaparilla, giving insight into early patent medicine. It also housed his real estate firm and the first Grand Rapids Banking Company. It is one of few nineteenth century buildings left in Grand Rapids and a late nineteenth century commercial example.
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 75001555, listed May 29, 1975. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Front St., Grand Rapids |
|---|---|
| County | Wood County |
| Listed | May 29, 1975 |
| Reference number | 75001555 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1897 |
| Architect / builder | Azor Thurston (builder) |
| Architectural style | Richardsonian-Romanesque influence |
| Areas of significance | Science, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as good and altered; the building has always housed a pharmacy, which remains in use, and the original soda fountain survives along the west wall. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.41213, -83.86754 (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 75001555.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138766269
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.