Their web site states that after World War II “The new plant was designed specifically for dry cleaning and included a certified below-freezing fur vault and 2 garment storage vaults.” It does not specifically state the building or vaults were constructed at the time, but it does imply that. I tried to search Google Books for their address but came up empty. Access to old city directories and/or phone books might clarify this but you’d probably have to be in Springfield, and this is just a curiosity. I also see they are getting out of the fur cleaning/storage business.
Nice-looking vault, however!
———- Post added at 12:47 PM ———- Previous post was at 12:30 PM ———-
Mystery solved? According to the caption on one of the images at http://www.sj-r.com/businessnews/x1886198190/A-century-of-cleaning-Paris-Cleaners-marks-100-years-of-focus-on-customers-family?img=20, “The door to Paris Cleaners’ cold-storage room is the door to the vault from the old Ridgely Farmers’ State Bank building at Fifth and Monroe streets.”
