The town of Alderson was settled in 1777 by John Alderson. 110 years later in 1887, his great, great grandson, John Marshall Alderson II, founded Alderson's store that sold most of the necessities of the day including patent medicines, glassware, lamps, piece goods, shoes, groceries, and railroad ties.

By the 1920s more businesses were opening in the area, the Federal Prison for Women came to town, more jobs were available, and Aldersons was selling more ladies' clothing than anything else. So when the old store burned down, they went entirely into ladies' apparel, bringing ready made garments from New York to Alderson.  Soon Alderson's  was no longer a typical country store - becoming more sophisticated and specialized - changing its personality entirely.

When the old store burned, Aldersons hardly skipped a beat.  They quickly rented another building until a new one could be built. Completed in 1932, the new building was designed by Walter Martens, a well known W. Va. architect who also designed the Governor's mansion in Charleston.

The exterior features an elegant facade of carved Indiana limestone.  Two large display windows in front frame the walnut backdrops, which are accented with full-length mirrors and small Art Deco light fixtures.