Ellison's The Fair Dept. Store

The first Fair Store was opened in Minot in 1902 on Main Street, in a location next to and south of what is now Western paint. It was like most stores of the time with a 25 foot frontage. In 1910 the Ellisons moved the store a block south into a new building known as The Fair Block, just south of the intersection of Main Street and 2^nd Avenue. In 1929 a newer building was added at the corner and adjacent to The Fair Block. The new building, a large 2 story building with a basement eventually incorporated The Fair Block in 1955 giving Ellisons a 100 foot store front on Main Street. During the Diamond Jubilee in 1961, Ellisons ran a contest to see who could bring in the oldest sales slip showing merchandise purchased at the store. The winner received a wool blanket…. Unfortunately I do not know who won or how old the receipt was. Pictured below: an early views of The Fair Store about 1910. The 2nd picture is the original concept for the Ellison Store. It was to be 5 stories with offices on the top floors. When construction began on the Valker-Christianson office complex, (which was never completed until 20+ years later when Clarence Parker bought it and it became the Clarence Parker Hotel), the top two floors were never added. The last picture shows Ellisons in the 50's.