J.D Porterfield and Addie Porterfield built and operated the Porterfield Candy Company at this location pre-1920 through the mid-century. The original building was comprised of approximately 5,100 sf built around 1919 with a 3,375 sf addition built in approximately 1938. The west end of the building was constructed at an angle because of the Interurban Railroad tracks curving north from Rusk Street to Lamar Street along the front side of the building.
The Porterfield Building was later utilized as a sewing factory producing consumer products from textiles produced by Sherman Manufacturing Company which later became Burlington Industries. A variety of uses continued over the late 20th Century to the present day that include Democratic party headquarters, Young Life, several salons, dancewear retail & jazzercise, and more recently technology companies, music stores and bail bonds.