History of John L. Collins Building (1879) CP Enterprises building (1978 to 2020)
from the view point of the original builder, John L. Collins written by Ken Purdy.
Hi. I’m John L. Collins. I came to Iowa with the railroad construction business. I started with little money and no influential friends, but I built a comfortable fortune through energy and enterprise supported by integrity and sound business principles.
I opened a lumber yard near the junction of the railroads in Columbus Junction in 1857. When the railroad continued on west, I built a general store in Old Clifton in Columbus City Township. I also sold lumber, coal, and dealt in live stock and was postmaster of Old Clifton. In 1872 I moved my business to CJ. Fire destroyed my building twice, but I persevered.
In 1876 I built this fine two story brick building, the tallest building on the west side of Main St. and opened what became the leading hardware store in the county. I added the dry-goods business in 1880 and was mayor of Columbus Jct. for two terms. In 1883 my brother Patrick joined me in business. We divided our business in 1888, my brother operating the dry-goods and grocery department on the north side and I had the hardware line on the south side.
The second floor of the building was used for public purposes. The Old Opera House occupied the second floor and was used for the production of dramatic plays and operas, graduation exercises and HS basketball games. According to George Bell, Sam Meyers told George that he and Ed Bell used to play BB up there. Because of the huge crowds, it was sometimes necessary for the visiting teams to enter the building over the roof of an adjoining building through a window.
You may have heard me say I built a two story building. It wasn’t until the 1930’s that the building was converted to a three story building with 8 apartments upstairs. Also in the 30’s the downstairs on the north side became the Columbus Theater run by DeDe Oakes, Bill Oakes’ brother. Jack Best, according to George Bell, ran the projector. George said the admission was 10¢. A quarter was all you needed for the evening, which included the movie, popcorn, and candy. George indicated the theater was probably the first air conditioned building in town. He said there was a well in the back of the building and cold water pumped from it was allowed to fall in front of a fan which cooled the building. George said when you went into the theater, you could hear the water falling behind the screen. The theater closed around 1954. Speaking as Ken Purdy now, my father Edgar Purdy told me of the good times he had attending the Columbus Theater.
In 1978, Georgia Kost, Ron Cutkomp, and myself Ken Purdy purchased the building from Bill Larkin and John Currie and it became the KCP building, standing for Kost, Cutkomp, and Purdy. Larkin and Currie had purchased it from Bill Fulton who got if form Clennie Jones. Clennie operated a pool hall on the south side. The south side has been Rick’s Tap, Tommy’s Tap, Bill Fulton Real estate and Insurance, Hawkeye Pizza Restaurant, and it is now currently occupied by Ivan Arthur’s Accounting firm. The north side was a grocery store, theater, Norton TV, Colton’s TV, Maine Fitness Center, Wellington Fitness Center, State Farm Insurance, Duncan Real estate, United Food and Commercial Workers Union Office, Beanie Babes, and currently has two businesses. In the rear is TB’s back room owned by Kay Perkins (retired Columbus teacher) and operated by Fern Bylo (Too many professions to mention. Ask her.) They deal in clothing consignment and used housewares. The front is occupied by H&P Minerals owned and operated by Harold and Polly Prior. H&P sells minerals, gyms, and collectibles. Besides the store front, Harold and Polly do an expanding internet trade (http://www.hpmineral.net) and travel to trade shows. Harold is a Columbus graduate who is retired from NASA as a geologist. Yes, he has examined moon rock. Polly still travels installing computer software. At Polly’s request, they came back to live and do business in CJ.
In 2009, Ken Purdy and Ron Cutkomp bought out their partner Georgia Kost’s share and the name of the building became CP Enterprises. Amazingly, the K fell off the building in KCP the day we bought the building. Thus, the building name is CP (Cutkomp Purdy). True Story.
The current businesses in the building as of 3/25/2020 are: Tomato Fashions (Gabi), Linda's Hair-Port (Linda Johnson), Romero Barbershop (Kevin Remero), and In Touch Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (Amber Solis).
And that’s the story of the John L. Collins building, now the CP building. Thanks. Ken Purdy. www.kenpurdy.com email: [email protected]
from the view point of the original builder, John L. Collins written by Ken Purdy.
Hi. I’m John L. Collins. I came to Iowa with the railroad construction business. I started with little money and no influential friends, but I built a comfortable fortune through energy and enterprise supported by integrity and sound business principles.
I opened a lumber yard near the junction of the railroads in Columbus Junction in 1857. When the railroad continued on west, I built a general store in Old Clifton in Columbus City Township. I also sold lumber, coal, and dealt in live stock and was postmaster of Old Clifton. In 1872 I moved my business to CJ. Fire destroyed my building twice, but I persevered.
In 1876 I built this fine two story brick building, the tallest building on the west side of Main St. and opened what became the leading hardware store in the county. I added the dry-goods business in 1880 and was mayor of Columbus Jct. for two terms. In 1883 my brother Patrick joined me in business. We divided our business in 1888, my brother operating the dry-goods and grocery department on the north side and I had the hardware line on the south side.
The second floor of the building was used for public purposes. The Old Opera House occupied the second floor and was used for the production of dramatic plays and operas, graduation exercises and HS basketball games. According to George Bell, Sam Meyers told George that he and Ed Bell used to play BB up there. Because of the huge crowds, it was sometimes necessary for the visiting teams to enter the building over the roof of an adjoining building through a window.
You may have heard me say I built a two story building. It wasn’t until the 1930’s that the building was converted to a three story building with 8 apartments upstairs. Also in the 30’s the downstairs on the north side became the Columbus Theater run by DeDe Oakes, Bill Oakes’ brother. Jack Best, according to George Bell, ran the projector. George said the admission was 10¢. A quarter was all you needed for the evening, which included the movie, popcorn, and candy. George indicated the theater was probably the first air conditioned building in town. He said there was a well in the back of the building and cold water pumped from it was allowed to fall in front of a fan which cooled the building. George said when you went into the theater, you could hear the water falling behind the screen. The theater closed around 1954. Speaking as Ken Purdy now, my father Edgar Purdy told me of the good times he had attending the Columbus Theater.
In 1978, Georgia Kost, Ron Cutkomp, and myself Ken Purdy purchased the building from Bill Larkin and John Currie and it became the KCP building, standing for Kost, Cutkomp, and Purdy. Larkin and Currie had purchased it from Bill Fulton who got if form Clennie Jones. Clennie operated a pool hall on the south side. The south side has been Rick’s Tap, Tommy’s Tap, Bill Fulton Real estate and Insurance, Hawkeye Pizza Restaurant, and it is now currently occupied by Ivan Arthur’s Accounting firm. The north side was a grocery store, theater, Norton TV, Colton’s TV, Maine Fitness Center, Wellington Fitness Center, State Farm Insurance, Duncan Real estate, United Food and Commercial Workers Union Office, Beanie Babes, and currently has two businesses. In the rear is TB’s back room owned by Kay Perkins (retired Columbus teacher) and operated by Fern Bylo (Too many professions to mention. Ask her.) They deal in clothing consignment and used housewares. The front is occupied by H&P Minerals owned and operated by Harold and Polly Prior. H&P sells minerals, gyms, and collectibles. Besides the store front, Harold and Polly do an expanding internet trade (http://www.hpmineral.net) and travel to trade shows. Harold is a Columbus graduate who is retired from NASA as a geologist. Yes, he has examined moon rock. Polly still travels installing computer software. At Polly’s request, they came back to live and do business in CJ.
In 2009, Ken Purdy and Ron Cutkomp bought out their partner Georgia Kost’s share and the name of the building became CP Enterprises. Amazingly, the K fell off the building in KCP the day we bought the building. Thus, the building name is CP (Cutkomp Purdy). True Story.
The current businesses in the building as of 3/25/2020 are: Tomato Fashions (Gabi), Linda's Hair-Port (Linda Johnson), Romero Barbershop (Kevin Remero), and In Touch Therapeutic Massage & Bodywork (Amber Solis).
And that’s the story of the John L. Collins building, now the CP building. Thanks. Ken Purdy. www.kenpurdy.com email: [email protected]