The series of buildings at the corner of East 9th and Monmouth streets in Newport, Kentucky, is fascinating, and after years of neglect, is being renovated. The circa 1900 one-story structure housed an El Rico drug store and later several financial institutions while an adjoining circa 1900 Italianate Second Empire building featured first-floor retail and apartments above.
In November 2014, Carabello Coffee announced they were purchasing the former El Rico drug store to expand operations – including a slow bar, a training laboratory, and to expand roasting operations with the assistance of the city and WorK Architecture + Design.
![845 Monmouth Street](https://i1.wp.com/abandonedonline.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/20141027-_DSC3772-1024x682.jpg?ssl=1)
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![845 Monmouth Street](https://i1.wp.com/abandonedonline.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/20141027-_DSC3655-HDR-1-1024x681.jpg?ssl=1)
![845 Monmouth Street](https://i0.wp.com/abandonedonline.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/20141027-_DSC3601-HDR-1.jpg?ssl=1)
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![845 Monmouth Street](https://i0.wp.com/abandonedonline.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/20141027-_DSC3615-HDR-1.jpg?ssl=1)
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![845 Monmouth Street](https://i0.wp.com/abandonedonline.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/20141027-_DSC3629-HDR-1.jpg?ssl=1)
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![845 Monmouth Street](https://i0.wp.com/abandonedonline.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/20141027-_DSC3704-1.jpg?ssl=1)
These photos were taken back in October 2014 before renovations.