Vacant for 50 years.
Not for much longer.
AI-generated rendering
Then
For half a century, the Brundidge Building has waited quietly at the heart of downtown — a reminder of what once was, and what could be again.
Now
We are working with architects and the community to write the next chapter. The details are still taking shape, but the direction is clear: this building is coming back.
Completed in 1893 through the shared vision of the Brundidge family, the Brundidge Building stands on West Second Street in the commercial heart of Hope, Arkansas. Its 2½-story brick facade — divided into four bays and crowned by a projecting gable front flanked by small turrets — is the city's best example of Romanesque Revival architecture.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990, the building has witnessed more than 130 years of downtown life. After decades of quiet, its next chapter is beginning — one that honors its past while making it a useful part of Hope's future.
The family behind the landmark
For more than 130 years, official records credited the building solely to J.P. Brundidge. Deeper archival research, compiled with local historian Gary Johnson, reveals a richer family story behind the brick and mortar.
S.W. Brundidge · The Visionary
Samuel Watson Brundidge was the project’s true catalyst. A brick contractor and builder responsible for most of Hope’s early business houses, he conceived and financed the ambitious Romanesque Revival building on West Second Street—and lived to see it completed in 1893. He died in 1900, at just 49 years old, having watched his vision for downtown Hope take shape.
J.P. Brundidge · The Builder
When his father died in 1900, John P. Brundidge stepped in to carry the family legacy forward. He assumed the estate’s commercial interests, guided the family’s holdings across Block 37 and Main Street, and preserved the 2½-story landmark his father had built.
Built for community and commerce
Upstairs, the grand hall—lit by iconic arched windows and framed by ornamental turrets—served as a meeting place for the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. Downstairs, generations of storefronts and professional offices kept the building alive with commerce.
As the decades marched on, the ground floor evolved alongside the community's retail needs. By mid-century it had become a nostalgic, high-foot-traffic neighborhood anchor widely remembered by locals as Scott's 5 & Dime. After the Scott's era, the space briefly carried on as a regional TG&Y variety store, then took a final, short-lived run as a local discount dollar store before the doors closed for good.
J.P. continued investing across Block 37 and along Main Street, with interests that included the Haynes Brothers store, later Rephan’s Department Store, and the nearby Saenger Theatre. He later relocated to Hot Springs, yet remained closely tied to Hope and was laid to rest at Rose Hill Cemetery.
Special thanks to Gary Johnson and the Hempstead County Historical Society for their archival contributions to the Brundidge Building’s history.
West Second Street in the mid-20th century, when the Brundidge Building anchored a busy stretch of downtown.
2026
Planning and design with architect Gary Clements. Shaping a vision that honors the building's 1893 bones while preparing it for its next century.
2027
Projected start of renovations, as plans and preservation work allow.
An AI-generated look at how the Brundidge Building might return to life on West Second Street.
The Brundidge Building's future is being shaped now with Gary Clements. Follow along as plans take shape and Second Street comes back to life.
We will be sharing updates, behind-the-scenes progress, and the next chapter for the Brundidge Building on Facebook over the coming months.
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