Champion Building (now Creamette Building)

This building has seen better days. It was originally built in 1896 and was one of many big, brick warehouses in the Warehouse District designed by Long and Kees. Its original name, The Champion Building came from the line of farm implements the original lessees stored and sold from this site. Some architectural vandalism has happened to this building. If you look closely at the segments of the arch that surrounds the doorway of this building, you'll be able to see the letters that spell out CHAMPION BUILDING that were originally carved into each of these stones.

Here's a hint: The keystone (center of the arch) is the space between the words. These letters were chipped off sometime after 1916 when the building was sold to the Mother's Macaroni Company. This company subsequently became the Cremette Company and their sign still graces the top of the building today.

I really dig the excellent carvings that have been built into this building.

This lovely carving can be found just to the right of the stairs.

I think that whoever is using this building presently just can't figure out what to do with this entryway. True, it is rather odd, and it really doesn't work in today's world. It's also not anwhere near as decorative and ostentatious as the ones on Pillsbury Hall, however, I still think this is one of the great doorways in Minneapolis.