The Harmony Club building was built at the turn of the 20th century by members of Selma's then-burgeoning Jewish community. The lower floor housed businesses, while a men's lounge was upstairs. The building also contained a ballroom on the third floor. In the late thirties, the building found new stewards in the Elks Club, but they closed it in 1960. In 1999, a man from Georgia named David Hurlbut purchased it and began restoring it; it has housed several businesses since then, in addition to his living space upstairs. These days the ground level is occupied by a thriving restaurant called Charlie's Place, as well as an bar where people drink Heineken and admire antiques. Hurlbut maintains a website with a virtual tour, but the interior photos are not current. Also see this article from the New York Times about Hurlbut's restoration. There's also an interview with Hurlbut on Youtube, in which he explains his desire to save beauty when he finds it, describes himself as a steampunk designer, and asks a question that involves the Federal government and the word 'anus'.
This photo was taken by me in 2010 and does not reflect recent restoration work, either on the building or on the street. The City of Selma has been beautifying the street (Water Avenue) to capitalize on its status as one of the longest historic waterfront streets in the southeast.
Also, as part of this "Yesterday's News" post, here is the most polite advertisement I have ever read. Or ever will read, I suspect.
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