Gerald Fitts in front of Fitts Tire Service, the first business to occupy the Quonset hut.
Located at 17 Middle street (across from the Elks building), over the years the Quonset hut has housed several businesses. The hut was built circa 1946 as part of a disbursement of post-WWII military surplus, the same program that resulted in there being so many Quonset hut potato barns in The County.
The Quonset Hut in February 2005, two years after EC Cycle moved out.
Initially home to Fendler-Tilton Motors (Nash dealership) for a couple of years in the late 40s, then in 1950 that business moved to South Main St.
From 1950 to 1978 it housed Fitts Tire Service, which later moved into the Industrial Park.
By 1980 the Quonset hut was occupied by Montgomery Ward, which closed in 1985. In October 1986 it opened as the Buttermilk Donut Shop.
In the 1990’s the Hometown Video Hut occupied the space for a few years.
In the early 2000s EC Cycle operated there for a while, then moved to Newport in 2003.
Another different Quonset hut, use by Cianbro for storage, was moved from behind Bud’s on Hunnewell Ave. .4 mile further down Hunnewell Ave. in 1967. You can see a 1948 photo of before it was moved here.
What is a “Quonset hut” and where did that name come from? Learn more here.
