This was an area to which merchants gravitated, moving away from the rapidly filling downtown Dallas near the terminus where the Houston & Texas Central Railroad and the Texas & Pacific railroad crossed. Many small businesses grew up around it and by the 1890s there was a mixture of black & white businesses. Deep Ellum was filled with dry goods stores, new and old merchandise, pawnshops, tailor shops, grocery stores, shoe stores and even manufacturing (Adam’s Hats factory).
Gruber Saloon, another family-owned and operated Deep Ellum business, opened following Bernard Gruber's arrival in Dallas in 1907. It was located at 2413 Main and catered to local merchants and travelers,
Klar & Winterman can be found on the 1910 Dallas city directory. With its two stories and mezzanine, it was the largest pawn shop in Dallas when it was constructed in the 1920s. They carried all manner of goods--some was new, but most all of their merchandise was taken in on hock.
