Ricket and Brooks Bldg.
1911
The first building on this site was a wooden structure located at 22 N. San Francisco Street dating from the early 1890s. It was the home of a saloon with a cute name, The Office. (“Honey I can’t come home just yet, I’m still at The Office.”)
In 1905 T.A. Rickel bought the property. F.E. Brooks bought a half interest from Rickel in 1910 and the pair added a slogan to The Office name, “A Resort for Gentlemen.”
In March 1911 Rickel and Brooks bought the lot to the south at 20 N. San Francisco Street, which also contained a wooden building. Rickel and Brooks removed both frame buildings and on July 17, 1911, broke ground for the building that is here today, which spans both lots. It is made of brick, with a tuff (native volcanic stone) facing.
The new Office was a success, but all Arizona saloons were shut down when the state adopted Prohibition effective January 15, 1915. Over the years since then the building has been home to a variety of businesses including cafes, dry cleaning establishments and clothing stores.
Many residents remember the north half as Etter’s Milk Depot from 1928 until 1945. In 1945 I.E. and Louise Bushey purchased it and ran Bushey’s Fountain Cafe here until 1955.
Marker is on North San Francisco Street, on the right when traveling north.
Courtesy hmdb.org
