I. H. Pearson Dry Goods Company and Rosenbaum Bros. Dry Goods Company, ca. 1885—the fourth Recipient of the 2024 Notable Building Award from the Fayette Historic Preservation Commission—is a contributing building in the Fayette Courthouse Square National Register District.  It is located at 105–107 North Main Street and is divided into two commercial spaces. The south half is owned by Gene and Li Lee Gerlt and the north half is owned by Jill Sunderland of TJ’s Diner & Bar. 

This whimsical high Victorian building is a two-story brick structure with pressed metal of Italianate style. The second story of this building has maintained a high degree of integrity as it is little altered. The 12 narrow two-sash double hung windows with one over one original glass panes are original windows. The roof line is punctuated with a highly decorative sheet metal cornice featuring multiple paired brackets, modillions, dentils and consols which crown a molded stringcourse. A very interesting architectural feature is the set of panels below the dentils with cast decorations which appear to be outspread wings. Additional floral decorations are cast in the pilasters and case metal lugsills are beneath each window.

The first floor of this building has been modified—drastically so on the south half. The original transom windows on the north half are intact while the transom windows on the south half have been removed and the area covered with metal sheeting. The original cast iron pilasters have been exposed from the parapet to the ground. While the left half appears to be the original store front configuration, the right half has been completely altered in the entrance area.

Isaac Pearson, a pioneer who became a prominent merchant in Fayette, was born in England and came to Boone’s Lick country before 1820. At the time of the Civil War he had a large and successful mercantile house in Glasgow. His building and stock were destroyed at the time of the Battle of Glasgow, losses amounting to over $50,000. Isaac married Julia Huntington in 1837 and their son, Isaac Huntington Pearson, was born in 1839. Their home is known as Huntington Hall on Lucky Street, another contributing building in the Fayette Residential National Register District. Isaac Junior married Kate Terry of Gilliam, Mo., and they had 10 children.

The construction of this building appears to be a joint project between the Pearson family and the Rosenbaum family. Charles Rosenbaum, born in Germany in 1837, emigrated to America when he was 14, and came to Missouri at the close of the Civil War.

Other occupants of this building, in no particular order, have been Loebs Dry Goods; Hayes and Norris; Frayes, Norris & Smith; Guy Halley Furniture and Funeral Home (later joined by Ralph Carr); Ayres Dry Goods; Western Auto; The Grand Theater; Miller’s IGA Foodliner; Colonial Mercantile; Miknan’s; and TJ’s Diner and Bar.