920, 924 Main St History - Laserfiche WebLink

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In 2013, Lehman Properties II conveyed ownership of 920 Main and 924 Main to Louisville Main Street Partners LLC, which the same year conveyed ownership to Main Street Markets LTD, which is still the owner of record. 920 Main St. History Summary: This building was built onto the side yard of the house at 924 Main and opened as a store in about 1948. It was an Italian market for about 55 years and was the last surviving small grocery store in downtown Louisville. D'Amato Ownership, 1948-2003; Date of Construction Joe D'Amato worked as a miner in Louisville area coal mines in the 1930s and early 1940s. Starting in the mid-1940s, he had the "D'Amato Fruit Store" that was located at the current location of the Louisville City Hall at 749 Main. Joe D'Amato and Rose's brother, Pete Madonna, then started Joe's Fruit Store at 920 Main. They built it in 1948 on the south end of the yard that went with the Hutchinson/Clarkson/Hancock house at 924 Main. (The house became the home of Joe and Rose D'Amato and their children, as explained above.) According to the 2000 Architectural Inventory Form and former manager Pete Madonna, 920 Main was constructed in 1948. The Boulder County Assessor card for 920 Main had a notation, made in 1950, stating "new 1949", which is likely why the County website gives 1949 as the date of construction. The 1948 date of construction is believed to be correct, with 1949 having been characterized by the County as the start year for tax assessment purposes. The store at 920 Main and is remembered as having been an old-style Italian grocery store that catered to the families of Italian descent in Louisville. Joe D'Amato retired in 1978 and passed away in 1980, but the store continued for many more years. Joe Palumbo ran the store from around 1978 until about 1984, possibly with the help of Rose Madonna D'Amato. It is believed that the store may have also briefly closed for a time during this period. Rose's brother, Pete Madonna, stepped back in (after having been a partner for seven years at the beginning of the business) and ran the store from about 1984 until about 1996. Many current Louisville residents still remember the grocery store, the Italian bread and sausage that they bought there, and the presence of older Italian men playing cards in a back room. It is also remembered that Joe's distributed grapes from California to local Italian families who had ordered them for 8