It has stood proudly in a town centre since 1907.
And there is hope that a former Palmers Department store could soon be set for a new lease of life after "alterations" were given the go-ahead.
The substantial former department store at 66 to 76 London Road North in Lowestoft has remained empty in a prime town centre site for more than three years.
Founded as the family-run Chadds independent department store in 1907, after more than 100 years trading in the high street the familiar name of Chadds disappeared from the centre of Lowestoft as it was taken over in 2009 by Palmers.
With Palmers subsequently closing its stores at Bury St Edmunds and Dereham, the Palmers stores in Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft looked to have been given a lifeline in November 2018 after being taken over by Beales.
But the chain collapsed into administration in March 2020, with the store remaining empty ever since.
With the property marketed by Whybrow & Dodds Ltd estate and letting agency in Colchester recently listed as being "under offer", plans for "alterations to existing shopfront and rear elevation" have been given the green light.
A scheme submitted to East Suffolk Council in May by Tetrick Planning Limited on behalf of the applicant Panther (VAT) Properties Limited - a property investment company, based in Potters Bar - was permitted under delegated powers.
A planning and heritage statement said: "The existing shopfront is modern and its alteration, together with some minor elevation changes to the rear, will have a negligible impact on the significance of the building."
A report from a delegated officer at the council said the alterations to the existing shopfront and rear elevation included "the removal of canopy and recessed shop entrance on the front elevation, and bricking up ground floor windows on the rear elevation".
Recommending the scheme for approval subject to conditions, a decision notice letter from the council stated: "Permission is hereby granted by East Suffolk Council subject to compliance with conditions."
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