Located in the heart of downtown Apalachicola's Historic Riverfront District, the Grady Market is family-owned and operated, still utilizing the original counters from the J.E. Grady & Co. ship chandlery circa 1900. The owners, descendants of John E. Grady, are proud to carry on the family legacy and share the Grady Building's rich history, which began in the 1800s.
Family History & Origins of J.E. Grady & Co.
John E. Grady was born in Apalachicola on August 4th, 1853. He had five siblings, including brother Henry, who later became his business partner, and sister Cornelia, of whom the Grady Market's owners are direct descendants. Their parents were both natives of Ireland who met in Apalachicola after arriving with the hope of better opportunities than Ireland could offer. John entered the mercantile trade at the age of thirteen and soon became the manager of several large houses on Water Street. In 1884, John founded J.E. Grady & Co., a ship chandlery located in one of the cotton warehouses built in the 1840s. The cotton trade, once the lifeblood of Apalachicola's economy, was diverted by railroads after the Civil War and replaced by the fast-growing timber industry. Cypress and yellow pine, both of which grew abundantly in Franklin County, were quickly becoming some of Florida's leading exports.
J.E. Grady & Company's primary customers were the lumber mills, as well as the ships that exported cypress and pine. The chandlery was stocked with a wide array of goods, ranging from groceries to hardware. The Grady store continued to prosper, and in 1889, J.E. Grady & Co. purchased several lots in a downtown block between Water and Commerce streets. On this property, a two-story wooded building was constructed, along with twin board-and-batten warehouses. After completing a term in the Florida House of Representatives, Henry Grady joined his brother in the business.
Inferno and a New Start
J.E. Grady & Co. and Apalachicola were forever altered in 1900 when a domestic fire spread downtown and destroyed 71 buildings, including the Grady store. Fortunately for the economic well-being of the town, the cypress mills (the largest employers in Apalachicola) were virtually unscathed. Immediately after the fire, the Grady store reopened in a temporary location as construction began on a new building in its original spot. The Grady Building we know and love today was completed in November of 1900. Along with the timber industry, J.E. Grady & Co. enjoyed its best business years from the turn of the century to the mid-1920s.
A French consulate was established in Apalachicola as early as the mid-1800s, and signs of flourishing international trade were evident in the new century as the French flag flew from the second story of the Grady Building. Henry Grady, who assumed control of the business after John died in 1905, rented office space on the Grady Building's second floor to the Captain of the Port, the United States Customs Office, and the French Consulate.
Today, the second story of the Grady Building houses the Consulate Suites, four luxury vacation suites offered as daily, weekly, or longer rentals. The names of each suite (Ambassador, Consul, Port Captain, and Attaché) give a nod to our rich history.
End of an Era
As the timber industry of Franklin County declined and the nation's economy fell into the Great Depression, J.E. Grady & Co. closed its doors in 1933 after nearly 50 years of business. The building was utilized again as a tent factory whilst the United States military prepared for World War II. The Apalachicola Tent and Awning Company operated from 1941 to 1945. Over the following decades, the Grady Building housed a retail business and, until the late 1980s, a net factory. The building sat empty and deteriorated until it was repurchased by Kathy Willis, great-grand niece of John & Henry Grady, and her husband, Lee Willis II.
Rebirth of the Historic Grady Building
Following an extensive restoration, the Grady Building reopened in the fall of 1998. The Grady Market, located on the first floor, uses the original counters from the old J.E. Grady & Co. ship chandlery. The Consulate Suites is located on the second floor and features four luxury vacation rentals with full kitchens and living areas. The Grady Building and the businesses it houses are proudly owned and operated by Kathy & Lee Willis' daughter and granddaughter. We are grateful for the opportunity to continue our family legacy and strive to honor their memory every day as we keep the history alive.
