Established in 1926 by Ned R. and Annabel Stuart, the building originally opened as Kernersville's first auto showroom and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Reflecting the many roles Ned Stuart held in serving the town, it was used as the first Hudson Essex and Ford dealership and as the office of the fire chief, police commissioner, town commissioner, head of the school board, town building inspector, and Civil Defense warden during World War II. In its early years, the building also served as a town meeting place for many civic groups. The apartments above housed the Stuart family—Ned, Annabel, and sons Ned Jr. and Robert—and also served as the first homes of many of the town's founding fathers. Ned Jr., his wife June, and son Bryan restored the building in 1986.