Historic buildings punctuate much of Evansvilleโs Downtown district with distinct personality and refined architecture. That is what attracted Jeff Anderson as he sought to move
his company, Anderson Capital Partners, to Evansville in 2021.
Designed by famed Evansville architect F. Mason Gilbert, Hughes Department Store called the Neoclassical building in the 500 block of Main Street home from 1911 to 1956. After subsequent tenant JC Penney moved out in 1981, the building often sat vacant until 2006 when its upper floors were renovated into condominiums.
Anderson Capital Partners โ an operating company that has invested in small private businesses, as well as owned and operated travel centers, hotels, car dealerships, food franchises, apartments and more โ started in Henderson, Kentucky, in the 1970s and began seriously eyeing a move to Evansville 40 years later.
โWe moved Downtown to be a small part of the resurgence of Evansvilleโs core city center,โ Anderson says. โWe expect there to be a continued growth of commerce, residential, and entertainment amenities over the coming years.โ
Anderson bought 508 Main St., Ste. A in September 2021. Midwest Contracting Inc. handled the bulk of the general contracting work, which focused on renovating the roughly 7,000-square-foot space for a modern business while preserving the historic buildingโs charm.
A catwalk along the second floor was reimagined and now serves as a conduit between the brick-framed executive offices. Clean pine mixes with touches of blue in an otherwise achromatic color scheme. Above sleek pendant lighting, exposed pipes and ductwork lend industrial touches.
But thatโs just the business side of things. Enter the back room, and youโll find a sports loverโs new favorite hangout.
Visitors and employees can face off against one another in foosball and arcade games, or enjoy a drink in the adjacent bar area. Those with a more competitive edge can square up for a pick-up game of basketball on the half-court. Keeping track is an electronic scoreboard that once called the shots at William Henry Harrison High School.
ACPโs dozen employees moved into the renovated offices in 2022. Anderson, a Reitz Memorial High School Hall of Fame basketball player and avid hoops fan, is pleased with the businessโ unbuttoned energy.
โThe back space was developed to serve as an extension to our workspace and provide a relaxing venue for our team and friends to network and socialize,โ Anderson says. โIt has proven to be a nice setting to gather before concerts and athletic events at the Ford Center, Victory, and other Downtown venues.โ
