One of the biggest clothing businesses which expanded its activities in the interwar period was the company of Jan Hošpes, producing pyjamas, housecoats, dressing gowns and overcoats, and founded in 1923 (officially registered in 1925).
In 1926, the owner of a prospering tailoring business decided to build an impressive new building which would encompass production rooms, offices and private flats. He chose one of the most exclusive building plots in the newly-built Masaryk Quarter, in the close neighbourhood of one of the quarter's most prominent buildings – the grammar school (04-590) – , and entrusted the local builder František Vlach with its design.
Vlach's initial design gave the building a more decorative nature with a horizontal ornamental strip with a grid pattern and diamond-shaped adornments, inspired by the municipal apartment block opposite (04-591). However, the actual building lacked this ornamentation. This was probably at the request of the building commission, which insisted that the facade match that of the District Health Treasury, built in the same year according to Vlach's design too (04-645). Other decorative construction components, such as the polygonal avant-corps of the south facade or the decorative tower, were retained.
The premises for the tailor's workshop were located in the basement along with a shop which was accessible from street level at the south facade by a short staircase. On the ground floor there was a flat for the caretaker, production halls, expedition and offices. On the first floor there were two flats – with Jan Hošpes and his family occupying the more spacious one, with four rooms, and a terrace and conservatory with impressive views of the historical panorama of the town.
The owners paid great attention to the design of the representative space in the building – especially as regards the entrance hall, which still retains its stairway handrail with floral motifs and its swing doors with etched glass, decorated with Art-deco allegorical figures according to patterns by Alfons Mucha.
During the war, in August 1943, Jan Hošpes ceased production. He started up again after the war, only with two employees, however. He gave up the business altogether after 1949, and the business premises were divided into flats.
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