A building with a unique shape on a five-way intersection in downtown Crabapple is bound to provoke curiosity. Since 2002 this landmark structure has housed the Hometown Carpet store operated by Steve Cash, but since it was probably built circa 1900 or earlier the building has been home to several businesses. It may be one of the oldest buildings in Fulton County still engaged in active business.
Measuring only 2,379 square feet, the charming structure was most likely originally built as a general store. It has a classic brick facade with reasonably large display windows which was common for retail buildings at the time of its construction.
The building also has two unique adjustable brace rods that connect its two main walls to keep them square during windstorms and other damage. The rods run through the building near the ceiling and are visible inside the building. They pass through the walls and can be adjusted from outside the building to keep the walls vertical with a simple turn or two of a bolt to move the top of a wall in or out. Such reinforcement was fairly common in historic buildings, particularly masonry structures.
Sally Rich-Kolb has owned the building since about 2000. Over the years she has worked to preserve several historic buildings in Crabapple…