Davis Retail for Sale
437 William Avenue is the kind of downtown building that immediately feels like the heart of its community: a fully modernized, character-rich mixed-use property in the center of Davis, West Virginia. Set directly on William Avenue—the town’s primary commercial corridor—it places tenants, guests, and visitors within a short walk of restaurants, cafés, galleries, breweries, shops, and trailhead shuttles. Blackwater Falls State Park, Canaan Valley, and Dolly Sods Wilderness are all just minutes away, so the building naturally serves as a base camp for outdoor enthusiasts as well as a convenient hub for locals who live and work in the area. The early 20th-century façade recalls Davis’s timber-boom history, and the building’s presence on the streetscape anchors one of the most vibrant blocks in this growing four-season mountain town.
Originally constructed as the Babcock Office & Store for the Babcock Boom and Lumber Company, the structure has evolved from company store and office hub to a flexible, contemporary mixed-use building while retaining its historic warmth. Much of the original woodwork and the central staircase remain, lending authenticity and a sense of place. Behind the vintage storefront windows, however, the systems are decidedly modern. A comprehensive renovation in 2020 included new plumbing, a gas furnace with ducted heating, tankless hot water, electrical upgrades with conduit for future expansion, professional asbestos abatement, and a French drain to manage moisture at the foundation. The result is a three-level building with historic charm and current-era functionality, comfort, and safety.
The main level is designed to capture the energy and visibility of William Avenue. A prominent street-front retail space showcases merchandise and branding to constant foot and vehicle traffic, making it ideal for a destination shop, outfitter, gallery, tasting room, or experiential retail concept tied to the region’s outdoor and tourism economy. Additional ground-floor area behind the primary storefront offers flexible layout options for expanding retail, adding a second storefront, or creating a studio, office, or workshop component. Large display windows, high ceilings, and open interior volumes provide a canvas for a wide variety of commercial users.
Above, the upper floor is currently configured with three distinctive residential units, blending the aesthetics of a historic building with the comforts expected by today’s guests and tenants. One unit operates as a dedicated short-term rental, appealing to visitors who want to stay “right in town” rather than at a distant resort lodge. The other units are suited to long-term or medium-term occupancy, supporting the needs of year-round residents, remote workers, or seasonal staff. The floor plan still has capacity for additional apartments—particularly compact studios—which makes it possible to tailor the residential mix over time as demand evolves. The building’s architecture and ceiling heights lend themselves well to creative layouts that can emphasize either cozy, efficient lodging or more spacious, loft-style living.
The lower level adds another dimension: a large basement gallery/flex space that has been used for art, events, and storage. With generous square footage and a more private setting, it is well-positioned for uses such as a studio, maker space, rehearsal or performance venue, guided-trip staging area, or back-of-house support for upstairs commercial operations. Together, the retail storefront, office/studio possibilities, upper-floor apartments, and basement gallery create a balanced mixed-use program that can serve retailers, professionals, artists, residents, and visitors under one roof.
What ultimately distinguishes 437 William Avenue is how well the building and its location align with what Davis has become. The town has grown into one of Appalachia’s best-known centers for hiking, mountain biking, skiing, paddling, and nature-based tourism, yet it retains an authentic small-town feel—locally owned businesses, walkable blocks, and a tight-knit community. This property sits at the crossroads of those forces: a historic, architecturally significant structure that has been thoughtfully updated and programmed to support a mix of commercial, residential, and creative uses in the very middle of town. For an owner-operator, a hospitality or retail brand, or a group that simply wants a flagship presence in Davis, 437 William Avenue offers a compelling physical platform with character, flexibility, and a location that is difficult to replicate.
