William Gerlach Men's Clothing

Born and raised in Nebraska, William Gerlach came to Douglas in 1898 and worked for a few years in the clothing departments of local dry goods stores. In 1902, he established a store in his own name, specializing in ready-to-wear and custom-tailored men’s clothing. From the same location, he simultaneously ran a tobacco brokerage, supplying other local stores with the product at wholesale, as well as selling it overthe-counter.

In 1917, Gerlach expanded his store by a depth of 45 feet, out to the west edge of the property, and added boots and shoes to the inventory. The business flourished under Gerlach’s management until his retirement in 1945.

An automobile enthusiast, Gerlach bought one of the first cars in Douglas— and, soon after his marriage in 1911, he was very nearly killed in an accident involving a four-horse team and wagon.

Gerlach’s building was long, narrow and, while unassuming, not without a touch of quiet elegance. As with many other Douglas buildings, it has accommodated a variety of owners and tenants across the years, and in many respects today bears little resemblance to the original structure. At the exterior, the most notable modifications include the application of a broad band of stained wooden cladding over the original, ornamental brick parapet, and installation of a modern storefront at the east end of the building, within the canted main entrance.

While the building is, on the whole, esthetically unremarkable, it has become a veritable Douglas landmark across the decades, by virtue of its prominent siting at the intersection of 2nd and Center streets.