The Harris Building in San Bernardino is the former Harris Department Store, a landmark on E Street between 2nd Street and Court Street. Its department-store history includes a 1927 opening and the first escalator in the Inland Empire; plan to confirm current access before making it a stop.
- Location: E Street, between 2nd Street and Court Street, downtown San Bernardino
- Known for: Its history as the Harris Company’s San Bernardino store
- Visit planning: Confirm current access with the City of San Bernardino before going
What is the Harris Building?
The Harris Building is the former Harris Department Store, whose story stretches from an early store opened by Philip and Herman Harris to a large downtown department store. The City of San Bernardino’s history of the Harris Company says the brothers opened a store at 462 Third Street in 1905.
The San Bernardino store formally opened on November 7, 1927. Its floors included a basement, first floor, mezzanine, second floor, third floor and roof garden. The City’s history describes a tea room, lunch counter, beauty parlor, barber shop, soda fountain and Sage’s Market among its offerings.
Café Madrid, a second-floor restaurant, was reached by a colorful tiled staircase at the building’s southeast corner. The City also describes hammered-copper doors and an Italian-marble main entrance archway. In 1947, the Harris Company building became the first in the Inland Empire to have an escalator. The original downtown store closed on January 31, 1999.
Where is the Harris Building in San Bernardino?
The Harris Building stands on E Street between 2nd Street and Court Street in downtown San Bernardino. Use those cross streets to orient yourself as you plan a visit; the City identifies the building by this block rather than a street number.
If you are planning a wider downtown outing, the California Theatre of the Performing Arts visit guide covers another local landmark. Check current details for each stop before setting out.
Can you go inside the Harris Building?
Confirm current public access before planning to enter the Harris Building. The historical details describe its former department-store use, but they do not establish whether the building is open to visitors now. Check the City of San Bernardino official site before you go.
If entry is not confirmed, treat the building as a place to view from the street rather than assuming its historic interiors are open. Do not plan around access to former features such as the roof garden or Café Madrid without current confirmation.
What else can you include in a San Bernardino visit?
For context on the surrounding area, the Colton area guide for visitors can help you plan time in the city where Colton Inn is located.
The California Theatre of the Performing Arts is another San Bernardino landmark to consider alongside a downtown stop. Check its current visitor information separately when planning your day.
The Harris Building is about a 9-minute drive from Colton Inn.
FAQs
What was the Harris Building originally?
It was the Harris Department Store in downtown San Bernardino. The store formally opened in 1927.
Where is the Harris Building?
It is on E Street between 2nd Street and Court Street in downtown San Bernardino.
Is the Harris Building open to the public?
Confirm current access with the City of San Bernardino before planning to enter. Its history alone does not establish whether it is open to visitors.
What was notable about the store?
The store had a roof garden and several customer services, including a tea room and soda fountain. In 1947, the building became the first in the Inland Empire to have an escalator.