A hotel was built on this location evidenced by the current buildings footprint on the September 1885 Sanborn Fire Map. It is noted as “Hotel not finished” on the map. The 1892 city directory has the Merchants Hotel at 125 south Third street, Mrs. D.E. McAlister is the proprietor. By the 1903 city directory the name has been changed to Grand Central Hotel and the proprietor is W.H. Owen. The name remains the same through the 1911 directory but the proprietors change. 1906 W.T. Harelson is proprietor and in 1911 John McCall is the proprietor. In 1911 there is the addition of the Grand Central Bar, McCune Edwards is it’s proprietor.
Arnold Wahl, the grandson of George and son of Charles Wahl of the Wahl and Naber boot and shoe store bought the Grand Central business sometime between 1917 and 1928. The 1928, 1937 and 1944 phone directories show listings for the Wahl Hotel and Cafe at this location.
