The business block, at the corner of Main & Central Streets, was constructed in the summer of 1884 by owner Charles L. Carter, proprietor of the Mansion House at Phillips Academy. Carter’s building replaced the former brick Federalist building built in 1814 by David Holt Jr. and Isaac Osgood Jr., both Andover Traders. The brick block housed stores on the street level and offices and a meeting hall on the top stories. The building was entirely destroyed by fire on Sunday morning, February 17, 1884. The businesses lost included, Johnson’s Boston Express, McLawlin & Baker hardware dealers and the telephone office, the Royal Arcanum & H. P. Wright, boot and shoe dealer.
“The brick store was occupied for many years by Henry Abbott and his son Henry W. Abbott. In the hall over this store the “Peace Supper” was held in 1815.”

Carter’s new building was originally designed with five store fronts, three on Main Street, 1 on Elm Square and 1 on Central St. in the lower basement. Offices and store units were on the second level. The building contractors were Abbott & Jenkins of Andover. Ezra Farnum put in the foundation. By October 1884 the Andover Advertiser noted “The finish on Carter’s block embraces a good deal of ginger bread work.” In November, Carter was advertising rooms and stores for rent. The block was originally designed with five store fronts, 3 on Main Street, 1 on Elm Square and 1 on Central St. located in the basement and office units on the second story. Brown & Co. Boston Express Office in lower basement floor to the right formerly Boston Express once located in the Brick Store Block.

Jan. 16, 1885 AA. The three stores in the first story of Carter’s Block on Main Street, have been let. One is to be occupied for a grocery, another for a millinery and dry goods and the smaller one on the corner for an office; by John Cornell, coal and wood dealer.
Feb. 27, 1885 AA H. A. Bodwell has opened furniture ware-rooms in Carter’s building on Main St. It is his intention to keep on hand and for sale, a full assortment of the most desirable goods in his line of business. Carpets of the latest patterns and all grades… upholstering and repairing will be done at short notice and reasonable prices.

John H. Campion & Co. opened his grocery & delivery store in 1886 in the new store facing on Elm Square from the stock of F.A. Brown. He bought the building in 1910 from the Carter heirs and it remained with the Campion family until 1956. Campion sold his business to Mr. Greeley in 1929, who opened the Vermont Tea & Butter Co. and later moved to his Rockport Fish Market on Essex Street.

The building changed very little through the first 70 years other than the consolidation of the two stores on Main Street when the Lawrence Gas & Electric expanded their business. When Macartney’s clothing store purchased the building in 1968, after being a tenant since Dec. 3, 1953 they removed all the Victorian wood trim work on the upper story creating a more Colonial look to the facade. The store was enlarged to all the space on the first level including Ruth Hammond’s dress shop on Elm Square and the small corner store. Macartney’s closed in January 1993. McCartney's was established in 1880 in Lawrence, MA and was in business 112 years. Kap’s menswear of Lawrence, owned by the Kapelson family, relocated to the building. In 2009 Kaps closed and Natale’s Men’s store & tailoring business opened but only remained for eight months, due in part to a depressed economy.

The building was sold to Thomas Belhumeur of 1-7 Main Street L.L.C. in December 2009 and plans were made to add a third story to the structure. After design changes by Architect Rob Bramhall, plans were approved by the Design Review Board & the Preservation Commission. Construction began in late June of 2010. All of the existing facade and framing was replaced to meet current structural codes. Very little of the original 1884 building fabric remains. The structure still conforms to the original footprint and foundation of the former Carter block. During reconstruction, portions of the first 1814 Federalist building foundation were discovered incorporated into Carter’s new Block in 1884. The new building has been designed as a bridal destination containing several related stores on all three levels and nearing completion in March 2011.

Tenants of the old Carter Block - Main Street stores #1-3-5-7
H. A. Bodwell Furniture & carpets 2/1884,
#1 John H. Campion & Co. grocery facing Elm Sq. 1886 - 1929, James E. Greeley’s Vermont Tea & Butter Co. Tardiff’s electrical appliances & repair shop followed by Ruth Hammond’s dress store then Macartneys expanded into the former store space.
#3 - the little corner store, John Cornell coal & wood dealer 1884-1892, Frank E. Gleason’s Coal office 1892-1912, Cross Coal Co. 1912-1940’s, Maria Fairweather, Valentine Realtors and in the 1960’s the Christian Science Reading Room.
#5 -Mike Francis Shoe Shop #5 1911, Lawrence Gas & Electric Co 1919-1928 & #5-7 1928-1940’s,
#7 - P. J. Hannon tailor 1884/5-1911, Burke & Co. tailor 3/1911 - , Carl Elander’s tailor shop 1918-1927, Lawrence Gas expanded space 1928 – 1940’s, Macartney’s clothing 1953-1992, Kaps clothing 3/1993-2009, Natale’s Men’s clothing store, 2009-2009
Second floor, Samuel P. Hulme 1911-1950’s real estate office, Dr. H. F. Holt- dentist 5/1911, Dr. Wm. H. Simpson Osteopath 1919 #3, Elite Beauty Shop 1937-1950’s, Dr. Malcolm McTernan dentist, also Real Estate, Attorney & Architects offices.

Mar. 10, 1911 AT - pg.1 - P. J. Hannon, the local tailor has completed the process of moving from his old store at 7 Main Street into his new stand in Barnard’s Block. He is now ready to receive his patrons in a very attractive and commodious store. (#10 Main Street)
Mar. 30, 1911 AT - Burke & Co., the tailors who have taken the store formerly occupied by P.J. Hannon, opened their new shop for business on Friday afternoon, displaying a very attractive line of goods.
July 4, 1924 AT - Pg. 5 Campion’s Grocery Store – a history.

This building replaced the former brick Federalist building built in the early 1800's and housed several stores on the street level and offices and a meeting hall on the top stories. The brick store was occupied for many years by Henry Abbott and his son Henry W. Abbott. In the hall over this store the Peace Supper was held in 1815. The building was entirely destroyed by fire on Sunday morning, February 17, 1884. The businesses lost included, Johnson's Boston Express, McLawlin & Baker, hardware dealers and telephone office, the Royal Arcanum & H. P. Wright, boot and shoe dealer.

Some businesses that occupied the new Carter Block;
J. H. Campion & Co. grocery, Vermont Tea & Butter Co. Ruth Hammond's dress store, John Chandler's Coal Co., Cross Coal Company, Lawrence Gas & Electric Co., Elander & Swanton's, Macartney's clothing, Kaps clothing, on street level & Elite Beauty Shop, Real Estate, Attorney & Architect offices on the second level.