The building was built in 1907 for Stefan Esders and Karl Scheefhals's Au Pont Rouge department store by architects Konstantin de Rochefort and Vladimir Lipsky. The store was closed in 1917 for obvious reasons and in 1919 converted into Volodarsky Sewing Factory*, which operated until the early 2000s. Sometime between 1919 and 1989 the ornate steel tower rusted due to neglect and was demolished. In 2010-2012, the building was restored; however, since no blueprints survived, restoration could only be based on old photos, so many interior details had to be designed from scratch. The historical signage was also restored, even though the current owners have no relation to Esders and Scheefhals. Since 2015, the building once again houses a posh department store, mostly catering to tourists.