Joui Wine and History of the Huffman Block Building

Another stop on our Holi-Dayton Vacation last week was Joui Wine on East Third Street in the Fire Blocks for drinks and small plates.

That district’s name dates back to the Great Flood of 1913, but as the name indicates, the most destructive force on this block was fire, not water. Flames from a gas explosion at the Burkhardt and Rotterman drugstore at the NW corner of East Third and St. Clair spread through the whole block which consisted primarily of wood frame buildings that were highly vulnerable to fire.

Joui’s building was one of the large new structures built soon after the flood.

Called the Huffman Block, it was built in 1915 and was lauded as “one of the handsomest and most complete structures of its kind in the city” and “as near fireproof as modern construction can make it possible.”

Another source said it was a “monument to the engineer’s skill” and that “the facing of the structure, a fancy red brick, gives it an imposing and pleasing appearance.”

It isn’t the most ornate facade you’ll find in the city, but it’s a great example of the conservative Commercial style buildings common in many urban streetscapes of the period.

And beyond that, it symbolized a strong and resilient Dayton that would fight back after a major disaster.

Decades later, however, the district would again face adversity as the decline of the downtown core resulted in the majority of the spaces becoming vacant.

But a major redevelopment by Windsor Companies would bring new life to the Fire Blocks. The Huffman Block Building is perhaps its biggest success story, as it has upper-floor apartments and a variety of first-floor tenants, including multiple restaurants, retail, and of course, Joui Wine.