Original Post Office/ M.H King Building

 This lot is the location of the first business on the Town Square. On May 2, 1905, W. S. Shilling opened the Rupert Mercantile. It was a small, saddle-roof building, replaced around 1906 with a gable-roofed, false-front structure. Rupert’s mail was first delivered to the store and dumped in an “Arbuckle Coffee” box in the corner, where people sifted through the box for their mail. By July 17, 1905, the “post office was a few boxes and pigeon holes for mail.” The Nov. 23, 1905 Pioneer Record reported, “The new cabinet containing 80 wire bottom call boxes, 32 alphabetically arranged delivery boxes, 20 newspaper boxes and 15 lock boxes, has arrived and . . . will give to Rupert as neat a post office as most towns in the country are able to boast of.” In 1913, Mr. Shilling built this high-quality, brick building. His first tenant was M. H. King’s second 5&10 cent store. “With its wide variety of inexpensive items, King’s was a favorite of children. It always had one of Rupert’s grandest displays at Christmas time. Cosmetics, bulk candy at 10 cents a pound, keepsakes, hair ribbons for girls, brilliantine to slick down the boys unruly hair, dress up jewelry and other small items too insignificant for other stores to stock.” M. H. King’s has continued to expand into surrounding states. After King’s moved, Mr. I. Levy opened a grocery and dry goods store. Since then, Harn & Waggoner barbers, a radio and TV shop, several flower shops and a corporate office have occupied this building.