The building was constructed by Bracy and Griggs in 1907. Rheinhardt-Smith was the only wholesale grocery in Williamson County that had their main office in this county in the early days.
The officers of the company were F. E. Rheinhart, president; J.T. Smith, vice-president; E.T. Reinhart, director; Wm. Welge, secretary-treasurer; and J.E. Blair, manager. The officers had all been identified with the institution for many years. The manager, Mr. Blair, for eighteen years, thirteen of which he served as the Marion manager.
Their salesmen were J. T. Smith, John H. White, J. D. Sutherland, and H. D. Mitchell. Office employees were Clara Campbell, who had been with the firm thirteen years, and Caroline Noetzelmann.
The company also maintained branches at Metropolis and Eldorado, the Metropolis branch being established in 1914 and the Eldorado branch in 1919. Among the leading brands of groceries which this firm handled and made popular were: Flag brand, fancy canned goods; Dream and Belle of Egypt, which were private brands of canned and package goods; La Armida, the popular ten cent cigar, and many other well known brands of merchandise. They were also distributors for the Blatz Brand near beer.
Between 1922 and 1927, the company sold to another grocery distributor named Egyptian Grocers.
The building was later occupied for decades by N.O. Nelson Plumbing Supplies from the 1950’s on and is currently occupied by an antique dealer in 2013.
(Data and photos from Williamson County in the World War (1919) and Marion, Opportunity City (1913); compiled by Sam Lattuca on 07/23/2013)