FOR THE AUDIO TOUR, SCROLL TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE.

Welcome to Stop 6 of the Rales, Bales and Bluebonnet Trails historic downtown Ennis walking tour. The MW Emporium is built on one of the most visible corners in historic downtown Ennis and is now home to restaurant and retail. The building was built in 1904 and was known as the Rowe Building. The two-story brick structure featured numerous Victorian frills executed in brick, such as pilasters, belt courses, diamond-shaped insets, corbelling, sculptural parapets, and an octagonal turret. Hix McCandless, a local engineer and contractor, constructed this building and many others throughout Ennis in this time period. The building was originally home to the Matthews Brothers Dry Goods store and has largely been used for retail purposes throughout the years, including the Federated Department Store which opened in 1944, followed at some point by Anthony's Department Store. The building received a heavy remodeling in the 1980s. When Ennis was hit by a tornado in 2013, the building received heavy damage but was thankfully restored and improvements were made. Come on in and enjoy a delicious local meal or check out some of the vendors.