24 West Main Street

24 WEST MAIN STREET - NOW & THEN WALKING TOUR

This small Main Street property has accommodated a remarkable variety of village businesses: a newspaper and print shop, a baker, beauty salons, specialty retailers, a video library, an advertised dental practice, and restaurants. Read backward through the dated evidence below. Newspaper advertisements establish a business’s presence or advertised address on a particular date; they rarely establish its entire tenure.

Now — Brimont Bistro

Today, 24 West Main Street is home to Brimont Bistro, a restaurant offering French-American dining. Its narrow frontage, front-facing gable, and single upper window make it easy to recognize along this stretch of Main Street. The exterior photographs show a recessed entrance beside a broad storefront window, with restaurant lettering, a projecting sign, and decorative panels below the glass. The Webster Herald reported on June 15, 2016 that Brimont Bistro had been featured in AAA’s summer dining recommendations.  A March 3, 2013 report described the recently opened Brimont Bistro at 24 West Main Street. Owner Greg Cody had moved the business from its former Brimont Deli location in the rear-facing shops near the North Avenue gazebo. The new premises provided more space and a more visible Main Street location

Sunlight catches the storefront window of Brimont Bistro at 24 West Main Street. Painted lettering, a wheat-sheaf emblem, and paneled woodwork beneath the glass distinguish the restaurant’s exterior. Brimont Bistro occupies the narrow, gable-front building at 24 West Main Street. This view shows its horizontal siding, shuttered upper window, recessed entrance, and large storefront window. A projecting sign identifies the restaurant, and a side-wall sign points toward its patio.  

1991 — Concept 2000 Hair Design

A January 30, 1991 business listing placed Concept 2000 Hair Design at this address, advertising tanning and nail services. 

1983 — The Video Library of Webster

An April 13, 1983 advertisement documents The Video Library of Webster at 24 West Main Street. It promoted RCA video discs and a selection of more than 450 titles. A $199 package included a player, club membership, and movie coupons, illustrating the growing appeal of home entertainment. 

1979 — Genesis II Boutique

On December 12, 1979, Genesis II Boutique announced that its second location was open at 24 West Main Street, across from the Stage Coach Inn. Its eclectic merchandise included cast-iron gifts, fireplace decorations, waterbeds, sterling-silver jewelry, leather goods, and imported shirts.

1975 — Happiness Is: Art & Craft Supply Center

A July 16, 1975 advertisement introduced a different kind of shopping experience. Happiness Is offered macramé materials, art and painting supplies, ready-to-paint whiteware, crewel and needlepoint kits, beads, and children’s craft kits. California gourds for making planters were also featured. 

1973 — Hair Fashions by Gary

Hair Fashions by Gary advertised a spring clearance on wigs on March 21, 1973, with prices ranging from $15.95 to $25.95. The advertisement documents another chapter in the address’s history of beauty services. 

1968 — Hazel Meyer Beauty Salon

A February 7, 1968 advertisement placed Hazel Meyer Beauty Salon at 24 West Main Street. A LaMaur permanent-wave special marked National Beauty Salon Week. 

1959 — New ownership at Cinderella Beauty Salon

An advertisement published January 15, 1959 announced that Cinderella Beauty Salon was under the new ownership of Mrs. Hazel Meyer, a Harper Method graduate. Customers were invited to a January 19 open house featuring Harper Method Beauty Care. This provides a direct link between Cinderella and the later salon bearing Meyer’s name. 

1948 and 1944 — Cinderella Beauty Shoppe

Cinderella Beauty Shoppe was already advertising here in 1944. An August 18 advertisement named Reva Earls, and a December 22 Christmas greeting again listed the business at 24 West Main Street. A September 16, 1948 advertisement promoted Revlon makeup, showing that the shop sold cosmetics as well as providing beauty services. The clippings use the variants “Beauty Shop,” “Beauty Shoppe,” and later “Beauty Salon.” 

1940 and 1939 — Herman Rockcastle, baker

The 1940 business directory lists Herman Rockcastle at 24 West Main Street under retail bakers. The 1939 Webster directory likewise identifies him as a baker at this address and records his home at 26 West Main Street. These are documented directory years, not confirmed opening and closing dates. 

UNDATED — THE WEBSTER HERALD AND JOB PRINTING

An undated photograph supplied for the walking tour identifies this building as a home of the Webster Herald. Its windows advertise the newspaper and “Fine Job Printing,” documenting commercial printing alongside the newspaper business. William Wahle’s tailoring and outfitting storefront appears to the left, while a cobblestone building stands to the right. The date and the Herald’s exact years here remain unconfirmed, so this photograph is presented separately from the dated timeline. 

The Webster Herald occupied the small, gable-front building identified as 24 West Main Street. Window lettering advertises the newspaper and “Fine Job Printing.” A central doorway stands between two tall storefront windows. William Wahle’s tailoring and outfitting business is visible at left, with a cobblestone building at right. Photograph undated; address identification supplied by the walking-tour researcher.

LOOK AT THE BUILDING

Compare the historic and Brimont photographs. Both show a narrow building with a steep front-facing gable, horizontal siding, and one upper-story window. At street level, the historic image has a central doorway between two tall windows; the Brimont images show a recessed entrance to the left of a larger display window. These photographs document a change in the storefront arrangement. They do not establish when the work occurred or how much historic fabric survives. [P1–P3]