The Diamond (department store)

The Diamond began in 1906 as a small shoe store in Charleston, West Virginia, founded by Roane County native Wehrle B. Geary on the belief that "the recollection of quality remains long after price is forgotten".

It moved from its original location at 215 Capitol Street and was expanded to become the city's leading shopping center by 1920.

In 1949, The Diamond completed a $1,250,000 (~$12.7 million in 2023) expansion and modernization project which included five elevators and a set of escalators that reached from the basement "Budget Store" to the fifth floor.

The Diamond eventually became West Virginia's largest department store with 180,000 square feet (17,000 m2) of space.

The original facade of the downtown store (on the corner of Capitol and Washington Streets) remains largely unchanged.