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The B. Lemann & Bro. Building was built in 1877 to house the mercantile business started by Jacob Lemann in 1836. The building was designed be New Orleans architect James Freret, and represents the Italianate style, a popular Victorian revival style reflecting the Italian Renaissance. The ornate two-and-one-half story stuccoes brick structure overlooks the Mississippi River and contains almost sixty thousand square feet. A colonnade of fluted cast iron columns supports a gallery continuing along three facades of the building, covering the entire sidewalk. Once the oldest continuing department store in Louisiana, it has been described as “the finest Italianate commercial building in any river town north of New Orleans.” The store offered groceries, both retail and wholesale, men’s clothing, shoes, hats and lingerie for women, piece goods, notions and hardware. At Christmas time, the second floor became a Toyland. The gallery houses original artifacts which includes display cases, office furniture, and items overstocked and not sold from 1877-1940 .
