Bryant Hardware/Feagin-Thomas Drug

100-102 South Summit Street

The former Bryant Hardware store’s origins date back at least to 1870, the year the town was founded. Pioneer businessman C.R. Sipes owned the property and built a hardware store at the southeast corner of Summit Street and Central Avenue. The Gilbert-Sturtz store also was located there and later the Al G. Wright hardware store.

In a photo book, “Arkansas City Illustrated,” that includes many early-day photos of Ark City taken by noted Western photographer George Cornish, there appears a photo of the Sipes store. The caption notes that Sipes began his business in a very small way in 1870. He hauled his first goods by wagon from Emporia and his store was one of the first in Ark City.

It grew to become one of the best hardware stores in Cowley County. Sipes died in 1898, but a series of successors continued to operate a hardware business at 102 S. Summit St. until 1931. Other businesses operated out of part of the building. In 1925, Feagin’s Drug Store and W.C. Stoner’s barber shop operated at 100 S. Summit St. By 1952, Ruth’s Ready Wear was in this space.

Scott Terrel CPA, LLC, currently operates out of 100 S. Summit St., taking over for Riggs Tax Service, which previously occupied the location.

Lew Bryant, who moved to Arkansas City with his family in 1926, began in the hardware business as a partner in the firm Gambrill-Bryant Hardware. The company originally operated at 106 S. Summit St. Eight years later, Bryant moved his own company a few doors north to the former Sipes hardware store site at 102 S. Summit St. He purchased the two-story brick building, which has a 25-foot front and is 132 feet long, from Guy Ormiston in 1934.

Lew’s son, Vic Bryant, took over the store after his father’s death. He was succeeded in the business by his son, Alan; Alan’s brother, John; and John’s son, Zach. The Bryant family continued to operate Bryant Hardware until 2009, when the store went out of business.

102 S. Summit St. was subsequently home to D&R Scrapbook and currently Make It Yours, while 104 S. Summit St. has been the home of Double Eagle Firearms & Pawn since Bryant Hardware closed.

This late 19th/20th Century Classical Revival building with Neoclassical stylistic elements is a four-bay by seven-bay structure that features cast stone trim with columns and corbeling.