The Empire Block
From commerce to community.
When the Empire Block rose shortly after the Civil War, Tiffin was growing into a regional hub. These storefronts welcomed dry goods merchants, druggists, tailors, and other small businesses that kept the town moving.[1] City directories from the 1870s already list tenants here, including Tunison & Son, photographers at “1 Empire Block” in 1874–75.[3]
The name “Empire” fit the era's optimism and ambition for Tiffin's future. Over the decades, fashions changed, businesses came and went, and downtown evolved. This block, however, remained a place where people came together.
Today that spirit continues through good food, good drinks, and good company. The use has been reimagined, but the building still dates to the mid-1800s and remains part of the Empire Block.[2]
Italianate details
A building with a long memory.
The Empire Block is a textbook example of post-Civil War Italianate commercial architecture.[1] Its tall, narrow windows bring in generous light; decorative cornices shape the roofline; and cast-iron storefronts allowed larger display windows than old masonry walls could manage.
In the 1860s, those cast-iron storefronts were cutting-edge technology. They could be made elsewhere, shipped by rail, and installed in Tiffin. The surviving iron and brickwork remain among the historic core's fine examples.
Exposed brick, original structural elements, tall windows, and historic trim remain part of the dining experience—more than a century and a half of Tiffin history surrounding every table.
A thoughtful rehabilitation
Honoring the past through modern restoration.
Before The Empire Bistro opened, 138 S. Washington underwent careful rehabilitation supported in part by state historic funding.[4] That work respected the building's original character, updated essential systems for safety and comfort, adapted the space for contemporary dining, and followed historic preservation standards.
The goal was balance: honor the commercial heritage while creating a warm, welcoming bistro where guests notice the history and still feel completely at home.
Downtown Tiffin today
Part of a wider revival.
All around us, historic buildings are being restored, new businesses are opening, and longtime favorites are finding new life. These old streets and storefronts matter because they tell the story of who we are and how we got here.
By turning a 19th-century commercial space into a bistro, we continue more than 150 years of tradition. Where people once came to shop and trade, they now come to relax, celebrate, and connect over a meal or drink. The purpose evolved, but the heart—a place for Tiffin to gather—remains.
Visit our historic space.
When you dine with us, you add your own chapter to a story that began in 1867. We are honored to be caretakers of this space and to share it with you—rooted in the past, made for the moments you are living now.
