In 1930, Sioux City furrier August Williges wanted a retail space that screamed luxury. He hired architect William L. Steele. Steele had studied directly under Louis Sullivan, the legendary father of modern skyscrapers. This lineage explains the explosion of colorful, Sullivanesque terra cotta on the facade at 813 Pierce Street. It isn't just plain red brick. The storefront features brilliant blues, greens, and golds, all baked into clay by the Midland Terra Cotta Company of Chicago. Look closely at the delicate leaf patterns and geometric bands. They practically pop off the wall. It stands as a wild, late-gasp hybrid of Prairie School and Art Deco design. Quite a bold, expensive choice during the onset of the Great Depression.
Williges didn't just sell coats. He stored them, too. The interior housed a massive, three-story cold storage vault designed to keep thousands of expensive mink and fox pelts from spoiling in the humid Iowa summers. Affluent locals visited the posh showroom, which boasted walnut paneling and ornate plaster work. A temple of Midwest fashion. But trends changed. The fur trade dried up, leaving the structure to sit quiet and empty for decades. Preservationists stepped in just in time. They secured its National Register status in 2007, paving the way for developers to convert the upper floors into sleek apartments while keeping those vibrant exterior tiles safe.
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