The building which stands at 222 Howard Street in Greenwood, Mississippi was originally constructed
in July 1901 by Samuel J. Stein as The Greenwood (Hotel and Restaurant), a 2½ story 14 room hotel
which was operated “on the European plan” by Joe Stein. The first floor contained the lobby and two
dining rooms and had a “ladies’ entrance” on Washington Street.

The building has a special place in the history of the local Elks Lodge No. 854, in that for the first ten
years after the Lodge was organized in 1903 but before its own magnificent building was constructed,
the Lodge met on the top floor of the Greenwood Hotel on Howard Street. In November 1907,
J.B. Guthrie bought Hotel Greenwood, renovated it and operated it thenceforth, offering free sample
rooms for traveling salesmen and a cottage annex for ladies.

October 4, 1913, saw the opening of a Department Store in the premises rented by S. Barack and
managed by Frank Abrams, both of St. Louis. Sometime around the time of World War I,
The Favar Dancing Academy was located on the second floor at 222 Howard Street. It advertised
“Modern and Fancy Dancing Taught, Class or Private Lessons” and the 1918 Sanborn Fire Map
indicates that a Grocery was doing business at 222 Howard St.

The 1926 Greenwood telephone book lists Whittington Dry Goods as occupying the premises. Within the following year or two however,
Palace Billiards made the location its home.

During the Great Depression the building was purchased by the Bryan Family in whose hands it remained for 70 years.

By 1930, Patrick B. Thomas and his wife Sallie operated a paint and glass store on the premises of 222 Howard Street and Dr. Samuel H. Guess
had his dentistry office on the second floor at 222½ Howard Street.

In 1935, the premises was a pool hall named The Smoke House and remained so until sometime during World War II.  In 1939, the second
floor was occupied by P.K. and F.C. Ewing’s Radio Station WGRM (which had initiated operations in Grenada, Mississippi in 1938). It was
from 222½ Howard Street, however, that B.B. King made his first live radio broadcast – playing guitar accompaniment for the St. John’s
Gospel Singers - in the 1940s. He has often recalled the event, incorrectly remembering the call letters as “WJRM”. F. C. Ewing’s son Clay,
later operated the station in the company of his wife, known on the radio as “Miss Rose”. They epitomized hometown radio and everyone
remembers their broadcasts with great affection. Clay Ewing was later mayor of Greenwood from 1973 to 1977. WGRM-AM is now
Greenwood’s best blues & r’n’b station, while its FM counterpart is a fine contemporary black gospel outlet.

By 1946, with the coming of Leon & Beatrice Davis’ women’s clothing store, 222 Howard Street made a long, slow bow into the retail rag
trade. Operating simply as Davis, they occupied the premises until the mid-1960’s.  The 1950’s saw a change in the radio station that occupied
the second floor. Radio Station WABG also began its life at 222½ Howard Street, but it had found more spacious accommodations by the end
of the decade.

By 1966, the main floor of 222 Howard Street had become Delta Jewelry and remained so for a number of years. Vic’s Mom & Tot Shoppe
was the tenant by 1971. The business specialized in maternity and children’s clothing, as did Ann Young who opened and for nearly 30 years
operated a similar business on the premises under the name of Anyoung’s around 1982.

Dennis’ Shoe Shop was the last in a long line of retail apparel merchants that were domiciled at 222 Howard Street. They began business on
the premises around 1998 and remained there for about four years.

including

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Custom Bakery

This historic building with it’s Mississippi Blues Trail marker is presently offered for sale by Dubard Realty.