11 East Main - Currently Union Bank

Originally built in 1927, this prominent corner once housed the Paris Hotel on its upper floor and a bustling variety of businesses below—including Dilly Beckel’s Café, Peter’s Photo Studio, and Bryan’s Department Store. The building was a lively hub of downtown activity and community connection.

In July of 1960, tragedy struck when the original structure was destroyed in a fire. But just a few years later, in August of 1964, First National Bank of Paris rebuilt on the same site, moving from its previous location across the street. The bank has remained here ever since, serving as a financial anchor for downtown Paris.

In 2024, the bank rebranded as Union Bank, continuing its longstanding tradition of service and stability in the heart of our town.

No mention of this corner would be complete without a nod to Miss Dilly Beckel, one of Paris’s most colorful and beloved residents. Known for her warm meals and even warmer personality, she inspired legendary local sayings like, “That’s a Dilly Beckel Special!” (used when something was especially good) or “Knee high to Dilly Beckel” to describe someone small or young. Her legacy lives on through the stories shared, the photos preserved, and the fond memories of generations of Parisians.

Pictured from the east side to include Union Bank Community Center

Pictured in the background at the Dedication of Hwy 309

Newspaper clipping from the time of the fire. Pictured from the North. The closest building is now the drive-through area of Union Bank

Mrs. Dilly Beckel's cafe

11 W Main St - Currently Guns Galore

Built in the early 1900s, this building began its life as Roady and Silvey’s Café, a popular local spot where you could get a full meal for just 15 cents. Over the next two decades, it housed a variety of general stores, serving as a vital piece of downtown commerce.

By 1926, the building entered a new chapter as a financial institution, eventually becoming home to First National Bank at Paris. The bank remained here until 1964, when it moved across the street to its current location.

From the 1960s through the '90s, the building served the community as a USDA Service Center, before sitting vacant for much of the early 2000s. In 2022, the building found new life once again with the opening of Guns Galore & More, continuing its long tradition of serving the people of Paris.

35 W Main St - Currently Castle Graphics

Dating back to 1879, this building began as J.A. Ingle Drugs and School Books, providing both medicine and learning materials to the people of Paris. In 1939, it was modernized by Raney’s Rexall Drugs, which updated the storefront with large picture windows and a sleek stucco façade.

In 1969, Cooper Drug Store took over—and with it came a milestone: Mr. Cooper was the first Doctor of Pharmacy to serve the Paris community, bringing a new level of professional care to downtown. His pharmacy became a trusted local fixture for decades.

After more than a century of pharmaceutical service, the building entered a new era in 2002, becoming Castle Graphics—a creative business that continues the tradition of serving the community in a whole new way.

102 W Walnut St - Currently 22 Brew

This site was originally home to the Bank of Paris, founded in 1891, and later reorganized as the First National Bank at Paris. It also housed offices for local attorney and civic leader Anthony Hall, making it a cornerstone of early downtown Paris.

Although the original 1891 building no longer stands, the site remained active through the decades. By the 1950s–70s, a DX Service Station operated here, later sharing space with a Radio Shack in the 1990s. The property continued as a gas station for many years, though exact dates of closure are unclear.

In 2018, the space shifted from fuel to fudge as the Paris Candy Shoppe moved in. A full renovation in 2022 gave the building new life as 22 Brew—a gathering place that blends community and coffee in the heart of Paris.

10 W Walnut St - Currently Warren’s Shoes

Built in 1908, this building first housed L.P. Jacobs Hardware, a true jack-of-all-trades business that offered hardware, furniture, and even undertaker’s goods. In fact, there’s still a large freight elevator in the back of the building—originally built to transport caskets to the second floor.

L.P. Jacobs Hardware was also ahead of its time, becoming one of the first locations in Paris to have a gas pump, installed right out front. The store served the community for decades before closing in the early 1960s.

In 1976, the Warren family purchased the building and leased it to Meyer’s Clothing. Nearly two decades later, in 1995, they moved their own family business—Warren’s Shoes—into the space, where it remains a downtown staple.

This building helped complete the iconic brick block of storefronts that gives Paris’s downtown square its historic charm.

LP Jacobs

Jacobs and his wife posing next to the new filling station pumps

12 E Walnut St - Currently True Grit Grounds

Built between 1908 and 1913, this two-story structure was originally home to the Commercial Hotel. With storefronts on the ground floor and guest rooms above, it welcomed travelers, townsfolk, and visitors passing through the heart of Paris for decades.

The hotel operated into the early 1970s, while the downstairs businesses shifted with the times—hosting a variety of banks, feed stores, offices, and even Warren’s Shoes at one point. Each chapter added a new layer to this building’s long downtown legacy.

Today, the first floor is home to True Grit Grounds, a cozy gathering spot for coffee and conversation. Though the upper level no longer hosts overnight guests, the space still holds the potential to return to its hotel roots someday—a reminder that in Paris, history is never far from the future.

27 North Elm- Union Bank Park

This site has served downtown Paris for over a century—first as a place for banking, now as a place for belonging.

Built in 1904, it originally housed the German-American Bank, a reflection of the town’s early immigrant influence. Amid rising postwar sentiment, the name was changed to American Bank & Trust in the 1950s. In the years that followed, the space became home to local businesses including Crossno Barber Shop and Dennis Freeman’s Appliance Store.

After years of vacancy and structural decline, the building was eventually demolished, leaving behind only memories and potential.

In 2024, Main Street Paris acquired the lot using a generous donation by local community champion Union Bank with a bold new vision: to transform it into Union Bank Park—a welcoming, accessible green space designed for events, gatherings, and downtown connection. While the original building is gone, the spirit of service, commerce, and community remains—reimagined in the heart of a growing town.