The Street Seen: Craig's Market
2924 Main Street @ Kinney
In 1913, a 2-story brick building is constructed between Ashland and Pier Ave at 2924 Main St. To allow for the 1926 widening of Main St, the building is moved 40 feet west and the ground floor occupied by Craig’s Market.
Before Main St Widening
G.D. Hughes builds the 2-story, residential over retail, 25-ft by 60-ft plan, brick building in 1913.1 Hughes occupies the building2 until 1922 when it is bought by Ocean Park resident E.B. Leepy.3
After Main St Widening
In 1926, to allow for the widening of Main St, the building is moved 40 feet west by Santa Monica contractor J.L. Schimmer & Son. In 1927, a 25-ft by 17-ft plan, 1-story extension is added to the rear. L.B. Craig4 opens Craig’s Market (Meats Fruits Vegetables) in May 1927.
In 1932, two vacant Main St lots to the north of 2924 Main St are taken for the extension of Kinney St from Neilson through to Main St. The building is no longer mid-block Main St - but is now on the South West Corner of Main St and Kinney.5
Wallace Market (Meats), operated by William Haskell Wallace (1902 – 1953) and his wife Mary A. Wallace (1894 – 1987), occupies the ground floor from 1947 to 1953. Wallace dies in 1953, and Ralph’s Market takes over the space from 1954 to 1958; followed by Victor’s Market from 1959 to 1960.
In 1972, the 2924 Main St building is extensively renovated. Retail antique sales business Main Street USA, specializing in turn-of-the-century Americana, occupies the ground floor.
In 1979, real estate business, Coast Equities, buys the building and occupies the ground floor.
In 2003, the ground floor becomes a nail and hair salon.
From about 1916, George D. Hughes operates Hughes Sheet Metal Works at 2924 Main St. The Hughes family lives in the 2nd-story apartment. In 1922, Hughes Sheet Metal Works moves to 2651 Main St.
The 1913 building is built by Hughes’ brothers-in-law, Peasgood Brothers contractors, who also have offices in the building.
Edward Benjamin Leepy (1863 – 1934). Born in IL, Leepy is a milliner in Chicago in 1990. In 1912, he is in Denver, and in 1918 in Pasadena. In 1920 Leepy owns a home at 2603 3rd St in Ocean Park. In 1922, he buys 2924 Main St (the Hughes building). Leepy is a proponent of the Main St widening, and in 1926 buys several other lots on the west side of Main St. In 1927 he builds a retail 1-story, 25-ft by 65-ft plan brick building at 2736 Main (now Trim). In 1930 Leepy lives at 424 11th St.
Larkin Brown Craig (1881 – 1954). Born in IL, Craig moves with his family to Rocky Ford, CO, where his father, Jesse B. Craig (1852 – 1911) is killed while serving as City Marshal. From 1910 to 1919 Craig operates a meat and butcher partnership in San Francisco. In 1919 he marries Mary Douglas Shumate (1880 – 1959), and in 1920 moves to Santa Monica. A son is born in 1929. In 1923 (before the Main St widening), Craig has a meat market at 2936 Main St.
In February 1924, Craig takes over Schaub’s meat market at 427 Santa Monica Blvd, but by May 1924, sells out to Quality Meat Co.
Craig returns to (the widened) Main St, and opens Craigs Market at 2924 Main St in May 1927, and operates it until at least 1937.
In 1950, Craig is the manager of a hotel in Rocky Ford. He dies in Los Angeles and is interred in CO.
In 1998, two windows are cut into the Kinney St ground-floor exterior wall of 2924 Main St. The Main St lot to the south (2926 Main St - Circle Bar) remains vacant until 1948.
Los Angeles County Assessor’s Map (Note 40 ft widening of Main St)