Jamesport Brewing Company
Jamesport
Center is a late Victorian six storefront complex. The
earliest section was completed in 1890 and was occupied by
the Red Andrews Saloon and the Central House Hotel. It was
built by August Tiedemann, a noted local builder and
architect, for two Swedish brothers, "Red" Andrew Johnson
and Axel Johnson. It largely served sailors of the Great
Lakes during the booming days of logging in Western
Michigan.
In 1892 a second structure with decorative cast iron columns
was added.(Now, entrance to Sunset Bay Antiques.) It served
as the lobby of the Central House Hotel and provided a
dining room, upstairs parlor rooms and additional bedrooms.
Jamesport Brewing Company
In 1905 the final four storefronts were added to provide
apartments for the employees of the recently completed Star
Watch Case Co., then located on nearby Rath Street. The
ground level store-fronts of the buildings have been used
for a wide variety of trades over the past 95 years,
including a butcher shop, a millinery, a theatorium, a dry
cleaners, a hardware store, a clothing shop, various
furniture stores, the State Liquor Control Commission store,
a bicycle shop, the local headquarters for the National
Maritime Union, and currently, Sunset Bay Antiques and
Jamesport Brewing Company.