SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – The building located at 1735 S. Glenstone has a 59-year-old history with Springfield customers.

It was constructed in December 1961 as the former Kats City Drug Store. Designed by the renowned architectural firm of Kivett & Myers & McCallum, the combination of innovative building materials and unique tectonic connections has proven to be a unique staple in Springfield’s history.

Kivett & Myers & McCallum were tasked with designing the company’s largest drugstore at the southwest corner of Glenstone Avenue and Portland Street in Springfield, Missouri. The site was selected due to its proximity to the Glenstone and Sunshine intersection as well as its adjacency to the growing Southwest quadrant of Springfield.

After 124 days of construction, the superstore would be measured at 525 feet wide by 443 feet deep and encompassed 74,500 square feet of space. It employed over 200 store clerks and staff to sell more than 50,000 items.

Katz Drug would occupy the structure until 1971 when the company merged with Skaggs Drug Company and rebranded the store as a Skaggs Thrifty City.

Skaggs was purchased in 1984 by Jewel Companies, the parent corporation of Osco Drug which operated a store at this location until 2007 when it was purchased by CVS Corporation. CVS operated a pharmacy at this location until 2019 when it was announced the store would close on April 1, 2019.

On July 17, 2022, Market Street Liquidation and Pallet Sales announced they purchased the building. The company plans to restore the 1960s aesthetic with a teal blue make-over and retro diner as a throwback to the original Katz City Drug Store.