Boston Store (Erie, Pennsylvania)

The Boston Store is a former department store located at and State Street in downtown Erie in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The store itself was founded in 1885, with the building being constructed in 1929. At its peak, two other Boston Stores were opened, in addition to the downtown store. The Boston Store was closed in 1979. The building remained abandoned until 1988, when it was renovated into a combination apartment and commercial building, and was renamed Boston Store Place. The Boston Store was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996.DesignThe Boston Store is located between 7th and 8th Streets on State Street in downtown Erie. The six-story tall, buff brick building is predominantly cubical with a frontage of along State Street. The facade is divided into eight bays by brick piers.; the bays are further subdivided by secondary piers. The top of the building is capped with parapet, with piers extending above it and topped with stone coping. Vertical panels containing blue and tan terracotta are inset in the parapets of each bay. The bay containing the main entrance is off-centered and wider than the others; instead of a parapet, it is capped with a balcony-like structure inlaid with terracotta.