Lewis, Ella, Store and Rental Houses
historic place
In Houston, Texas, the historic site known as Lewis, Ella, Store and Rental Houses was constructed around 1920. This property features a two-story general store and two one-story rental houses. Ella Lewis operated the general store as a neighborhood grocery, offering a variety of items to nearby residents. The building also housed her dressmaking shop and a small restaurant or café. She also contracted for the construction of the adjacent rental houses, which were built in a basic shotgun form with bungalow features. This complex is significant as an example of independent businesses operated by African Americans in the Independence Heights community. It is also representative of local commerce and ethnic heritage in early 20th-century Houston. The property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. This site provides a factual look at African American entrepreneurship and residential development in the city.