A small but striking Art Deco gem at 1009 Olive Street in downtown St. Louis, the Eastman Kodak Building was designed by local firm Klipstein and Rathmann and completed ca. 1927 as a prototype flagship retail camera store for Eastman Kodak. One of only two Art Deco buildings in downtown St. Louis, it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Today it operates as The Thaxton, a popular event venue and speakeasy that has carefully preserved the building's original Art Deco character.
Built ca. 1927 for the Eastman Kodak Company, 1009 Olive Street was conceived as the prototype for an ambitious national chain of Kodak retail stores—100 locations were planned, but the Great Depression brought the program to a halt after only five were completed. The St. Louis building is the sole surviving example of the type. Designed by the prominent St. Louis firm Klipstein and Rathmann (also responsible for the Civil Courts Building), it showcased a refined Art Deco aesthetic that was exceptional for its downtown context. After Eastman Kodak vacated the property, the building operated for many years as a fur company. When artist and interior designer Mark Pitliangas undertook a major renovation, workers discovered original Kodak cameras still displayed in the storefront windows. During the process, Eastman Kodak Company demanded the removal of the building's original steel-and-glass Kodak sign; Pitliangas responded by renaming the building "The Thaxton." The original Kodak mosaic inlaid in the entrance floor and the "EKC" lettering above the awning survived. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002 and was later featured in the 2005 film The Game of Their Lives. It now operates as The Thaxton event venue and speakeasy.
