about & history
THE KRESS BUILDING: THE BUILDING THAT HOUSES THE POMONA ANTIQUE MART WAS DESIGNED BY E.J.T HOFFMAN AND BUILT IN 1927. IT WAS BUILT AS A S.H KRESS & COMPANY DEPARTMENT STORE. IT WAS ONE OF MANY "FIVE AND DIME" RETAIL DEPARTMENT STORES IN THE UNITED STATES ESTABLISHED BY SAMUEL HENRY KRESS. A NUMBER OF THESE STORES ARE RECOGNIZED AS ARCHITECTURAL LANDMARKS AND LISTED ON THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES. TO THIS DAY, THE BUILDING STILL LOOKS VERY CLOSE TO WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE IN 1927. THE DOORS HAVE NEVER CLOSED. THE POMONA ANTIQUE MART MALL IS ONE OF THE COUNTRY'S OLDEST ANTIQUE MALLS WITH OVER 80 DIFFERENT SHOPS INSIDE.
THE VIBRANT AND HISTORIC DOWNTOWN POMONA IS HOME TO MANY GEMS. IT WAS HAILED AS ONE OF THE FIRST PEDESTRIAN MALLS IN THE UNITED STATES AND NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED AS A BLUEPRINT FOR URBAN REVITALIZATION. THE DOWNTOWN AREA WAS DESIGNED BY THE FAMOUS ARTIST MILLARD SHEETS IN 1962. SHEETS'S DESIGN FOR THE SHOPPING CENTER WAS SIMPLE: CLOSE OFF NINE BLOCKS OF AN EXISTING SHOPPING DISTRICT; ADD TREES, BENCHES, ARTWORK, AND FOUNTAINS; AND INCLUDE PLENTY OF NEARBY PARKING. MANY OF THESE ELEMENTS REMAIN TODAY, INCLUDING MOSAICS AND SCULPTURES BY SHEETS AND FELLOW ARTISTS ARTHUR AND JEAN AMES, BETTY DAVENPORT FORD, AND JOHN SVENSON.
POMONA ANTIQUE MART: “ONE OF AMERICA’S OLDEST ANTIQUE MALLS" : WITH OVER 100 BOOTHS INSIDE AND 3 FLOORS, POMONA ANTIQUE MART PRIDES ITSELF IN BEING A ONE OF A KIND EXPERIENCE. IT OFFERS A WIDE SELECTION OF ANTIQUES, COLLECTIBLES, RETRO, FURNITURE AND VINTAGE ITEMS. IT HAS BEEN FEATURED IN MANY FILM, TELEVISION, INTERNET & PRINT PROJECTS- MOST NOTABLY, "THE CAT IN THE HAT", "DON'T WORRY, HE WONT GET FAR ON FOOT”, A TOYOTA COMMERCIAL AND A CALIFORNIA LOTERY COMMERCIAL INSIDE THE STORE