From humble beginnings, Isaac and Abraham Maas and their family grew from a small dry goods store on Franklin Street to one of the largest and most successful local retailers in Tampa's history. Starting with a plan of 3-stories and expanding to four during construction, The American National Bank was the first commercial structure built on this corner in 1904. Moving from the Krause building across Franklin Street in 1920, Maas Brothers bought this building while constructing another one behind it and adding two additional floors in the mid-1920s. The family continued to operate the stores even though Isaac and Abe sold their interest to a national chain in 1929.

The business continued to expand to other parts of central Florida and to shopping malls that became more popularized in the 1970s. The expansion of Interstate 275 through downtown in the late 1960s brought a trend of urban residents moving to suburban areas to reside and commute to downtown for business. As shopping centers and malls opened closer to their homes, retail in downtown Tampa lost its luster, and most department stores, including Maas Brothers, closed. The 90-year-old building was demolished in 2006 with plans to build condominiums. Those plans never came to fruition. The property is now a parking lot.

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