In June 1862, during the American Civil War, Jacob Farr Sr. opened a shoe business in the same location.

Describing the business, the owners said, "there is nothing in the line of ladies' men's and children's shoes that cannot be supplied to their large trade from their establishment.

[1] The company continued to expand in the early 20th century, opening stores in Easton in 1910, in Reading in 1913, in Bethlehem in 1919, and in the state capital of Harrisburg in 1953.

In 1925, a historical plaque was placed on the side of the Farr Building by the Citizens of Allentown and the Liberty Bell Chapter of Daughters of the American Revolution, honoring the history of the building and the many Allentown-area soldiers who fought with the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War.

The new malls presented immense competitive pressure on the retail and other businesses that were still operating in the center city.

In 2011, in preparation for the construction of the PPL Center, a 10,000-seat capacity indoor sports and entertainment arena in Center City Allentown, demolition began on the north side of Hamilton Street between 7th and 8th streets but exempted two buildings, The Farr Building and Dime Savings and Trust Company, which remained.

[3] The following year, in 2012, as work progressed on the PPL Center, workers discovered that the Farr Building's east wall required additional shoring, and the wall was strengthened by a structural engineering team brought in to ensure the building's ongoing structural stability.