History of Historic Properties on Main Street

106 E. Main Street – Currently Offices Modern woodmen of America, RC youth association building dates from 1895. Originally the William Riley Beene – Then owned by the two sons Gilmer and Tom Beene. The site remained a grocery store until 1996 under different ownership throughout the years.

138 E. Main Street- Currently Arboledas- The building dates from 1895. In 1912 the building was occupied by Texas Power and Light, in the 1980’s It was an insurance office, in early 1990’s It was a Jackson Hewitt tax office owned by city council member and future mayor Paul Fisk, After Mr. Fisk sold the building it became a flower and gift shop for a short time during early 2000, followed by two restaurants occupying.

146 E. Main Street – Currently Alumni – The building dates to 1890. It was the Royse City Saloon, From 1900- 1920 it was a Farm And Goods goods store, 1930-1950 It was the Ellis and Murphy dry goods stores, selling hats,shoes, clothing, etc. In, 1960 it was a grocery store, 1982 Hathaway Appliance store, for a short time it was occupied as a gift shop/residential property. From 1990 to present day, it has been occupied by restaurants.

141 E. Main Street – Currently Alejandro’s – The Building dates back to the late 1890’s. It was first occupied as a Drug Store Jim Blakeway’s pharmacy. With the first telephone exchange in the back. It had a soda fountain, marble topped tables, ice cream parlor chairs and was the gathering place for all. From 1920 21970 it was Palmer’s drug store, 1980 1996 it housed multiple businesses, Fike’s insurance, a real estate business, Jerrell Baley’s Corner Record Store, an Avon Museum, Gayle Ensley Insurance and the Royse City Chamber of Commerce. In the last few years, this building housed a brewery, and currently it's a restaurant.

205 E. Main Street - Last known as the pharmacy, this building dates back to the late 1800’s- The first occupant was a general store, in 1930 it was a grocery store, from 1945 to 1956 it was Cornelius grocery and Mike Houser’s meat market. In the 1950’s the second story housed a dentist office, doctor’s office and two apartments. In 1980 the Royse City Pharmacy opened and remained in business until 2021. The building is currently being renovated.

134 E. Main Street - Currently Sweetface - Built in the late 1800's it served originally as a General Store, In the 1950's it was Ridley's Variety Store.  In the 1980's it became the Independent Order of Odd Fellow Lodge. In the early 1990's it became a Children’s Dance Studio, followed by a Thrift Store.  Today it houses a Bakery and Sugar Shop.

122 E. Main Street - Currently Beauty and the Beard - Built in the late 1800's it served originally as the First National Bank and the name still is on the front of the façade.  For many years the building sat vacant and was revitalized by Citizens and in 1992 it opened as a Craft/Antiques Mall and Tea Room.  for several years it also housed the Royse City Chamber of Commerce.  Following that is has been several different Boutiques.  Today it houses Beauty and the Beard Boutique and Craft Room.

126 E. Main Street - Currently 1885 Barbershop - Built in the late 1800's it opened as a Barbershop, in the 1980's it was Leslie's Beauty Shop.  Today amazingly enough it houses a Barber Shop.

114. E. Main Street - Currently Thymeless - Built in the early 1900's this building served as a Retail shop for many years, in the 1950's - 1980's it was a floral shop with several different owners. In the 1980's it was Video Hits, a shop renting movies and games.  In the early 1990's it was a Carpet and Flooring Store.  In 2003 it became a Beauty Shop - Kokopelli's. Following that it has been and currently is a Retail Boutique Shop.

137 E. Main Street - Currently Rustic Royalty - Built in the early 1900's it has served as a cafe.  In the 1980's it served as offices.  It was vacant for several years.  In the mid 1990's it was a Chiropractic Office, followed by a retail shop.  It was then vacant due to repair issues until it was just remodeled in 2022 to become a Beauty Shop

202 E. Main Street- Currently houses Soulmans Corporate office.  First building built here was in  1901 First State Bank, building burned, then in 1933 rebuilt to house Citizens State Bank, Bank sold to Benchmark Bank, in the late 1980's it was American National Bank until the Bank buiit a new location on I-30

306 E. Main Street - Currently Keltech Autmotive Repair.   Formally this is where the Sinclair  Gas station stood. built in 1935. It featured a Sinclair dinosaur sign, a Coca-cola machine and many other unique Sinclair items.  After it was torn down a Car Repair Building was built in the 1970's.  then became Carquest.

140 W. Main Street - Currently Ronnie's Dry cleaners.  In the 1930's it was a Gulf Service Station, vacant for a few years in the 1970's then it became the Friendship Cable Building.

141 W. Main Street - Currently Rest Haven Funeral Home - Royse City  Chapel and the Royse City Chamber of Commerce. This was a residential home that was converted to a Funeral home named Royse City Funeral about 88 years ago and remains a Funeral Home today.  The longest running funeral director was Roy Farrar and was then sold to Dwayne Cain owner of Rest haven Rockwall in the mid 1990's

118 E. Main Street - Currently Office Suites- Built in the late 1800's.  For many years it was a retail Store selling dryed goods.  Then in 1942 the building was purchased by Zaner and Bob Robison and they started the newspaper The Royse City American".  The newspaper was printed right here on site weekly. The building also housed the Royse City Chamber of Commerce until early 1992. The newspaper then changed it's name to The Royse City News in the 1980's . Zaner remarried after Bob's death and she and her new husband John Benetin ran the newspaper until the late 1990's. Zaner served as the first female Mayor of the City in 1981-1982.  The building was then bought by the VerHagen Family and turned into office suites in 2000.   At this time the newspaper was sold and became The Royse City Herald Banner printed out of Greenville, Texas  

 Information researched by William Baley as part of an Eagle Scout Project and Mary Johnson with Royse City Rotary Club and Royse City Main Street. 

More buildings will be added in the future as research continues.