In the early years of De Smet, this building served S.B. Owen as a shoe-making shop and residence for his family. Mrs. Owen was a tailor by trade and taught suit-making to at least one of her children, V.S.L. Owen, who was often mentioned in local newspapers because he was principal of the De Smet school for some years. The building was erected in the spring of 1882. Mr. Owen had built another one a year earlier on the lot to the south, selling it when he went to reside on his homestead, as required by law. In later years, Fred Cummins purchased the building and remodeled it for a barber shop. An insurance office was in the back of the barbershop, and it was later remodeled to house the insurance business in the south part while the north part was left for a barbershop. From here, Laura could see almost the whole town, because nearly all the buildings were in the two blocks across the street, with false fronts standing square-cornered at different heights and trying to make believe the buildings were two stories high.