Filed Under Businesses

Heidtman Commercial Building

The three storefronts have housed a wide variety of stores, offices, and eateries since 1940.

By Alicia Barber
Walt Collins offices
Walt Collins offices In 1986, the building served as offices for Walt Collins, who owned several restaurants in Reno including the Board of Trade, then located just up the street at 425 South Virginia Street, a site that later housed Adele's. Source: Nevada Historical Society Date: 1986

This three-unit brick commercial building was constructed in 1940 by H.C. Heidtman, and housed a variety of businesses in the decades to come. In the 1940s alone, these included a candy store, a piano and organ dealer, a barber shop, a physician, and an insurance office. In later years, tenants included Friden’s business machines, a laundry service, and a bar called The Depot.

The storefronts were combined in the late 1980s to serve as the offices for Walt Collins’ various restaurant businesses. Jack Bacon bought the property in 1998 and for the next fifteen years, operated Jack Bacon & Company, specializing in custom book publishing, framing, and autographs. After Bacon moved his business online, the building became a series of restaurants, reopening in 2015 as a restaurant called Fin & Filet and in 2020 became Mexcal.

Audio

Jack Bacon, custom publisher Interviewed in 2015, Jack Bacon explains how he began to publish limited edition, signed books with prominent individuals. Creator: Alicia Barber

Images

Walt Collins offices
Walt Collins offices In 1986, the building served as offices for Walt Collins, who owned several restaurants in Reno including the Board of Trade, then located just up the street at 425 South Virginia Street, a site that later housed Adele's. Source: Nevada Historical Society Date: 1986
Candy store ad
Candy store ad Tempting customers from the northernmost of the three storefronts in 1940 was Dorothy McDaniel's specialty candy store. Source: Reno Evening Gazette Date: September 13, 1940
Bell Piano & Organ Co. ad
Bell Piano & Organ Co. ad The Bell Piano & Organ Company was located at 518 South Virginia Street for many years. Besides instrument sales, the company also offered music lessons. Source: Reno Evening Gazette Date: April 13, 1940
Building footprint, 1949
Building footprint, 1949 The 1949 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map of Reno clearly shows the three storefronts--516, 518, and 520--as well as the house that stood directly behind the building for many years. The building materials are color-coded: pink for brick, yellow for wood frame, and blue for stone. The Southside Fire Station, which once stood directly to the south, is no longer standing. Source: U.S. Library of Congress Creator: Sanborn Fire Insurance Company Date: 1949
Modern Photo ad
Modern Photo ad In 1953, the southernmost storefront, 520 South Virginia, housed Modern Photo, owned by Jerry and Mildred Cobb. The business moved to this location that year from East 2nd Street and closed in 1955. Source: Reno Evening Gazette Date: April 15, 1953
Jack Bacon and Company
Jack Bacon and Company Upon purchasing the building in 1998, Jack Bacon added his company's name to the front facade, but made few other changes to its exterior. Source: Jack Bacon
Jack Bacon, 2016
Jack Bacon, 2016 In 1998, Jack Bacon purchased the building for his custom publishing and framing and historic autograph business, which operated there until he sold the building in 2012. Creator: Patrick Cummings Date: 2016
Feast restaurant
Feast restaurant The building returned to its roots in the food arena in 2015, opening as a restaurant called Feast. Creator: Alicia Barber Date: 2016

Location

516 South Virginia Street, Reno, NV

Metadata

Citation Info

Alicia Barber, “Heidtman Commercial Building,” Reno Historical, accessed September 13, 2024, https://renohistorical.org/items/show/136.

Related Tours

Filed Under