Maison Blanche was named for the large white building that it occupied on Canal Street. Constructed in 1897 on property owned by the Mercier family, who ran a clothing store a few blocks away, the original Maison Blanche building was one of the first purpose-built department stores in New Orleans, with five stories divided into departments, including leather goods, jewelry, stationery, ladies’ clothing, men’s furnishings, toys, upholstery, and bric-a-brac. The business was operated by S. J. Shwartz, with financial support from his father-in-law Isidore Newman. The original building was demolished in 1906 and replaced with a larger white edifice, with the first five stories being dedicated to shopping and the upper floors designated for medical offices.