The building was erected in 1863 for Ernst Mix, a soap manufacturer, as a complex of two buildings. In 1905, the building was expanded to the south with a residential annex in the Art Nouveau style, richly decorated with animal figures by architect Fritz Weidner, a German builder who came to Bydgoszcz at the end of the 19th century. Weidner building activity in the city was focused between 1896 and 1914. From 1912 onwards, he lived in the house he built for himself at Gdańska 34. In the same area, Fritz Weidner built houses at the following addresses:
From 1863 until World War II, Ernst Mix's company operated a soap and candle factory in this facility. The address then was "Danziger strasse 42". In 1910, the owner adapted the building for commercial purposes. The two lower floors were then used as a Department Store called Modehaus Bromberg. A reconstruction took place between 1913-1914 under the supervision of Fritz Weidner.
"Kristal" Theatre
The final design of the front facade and the unification of the two houses was carried out after 1905 with the construction of the cinema theater "Kristal". "Krystal-Palast" started its performances in 1914, with a 750-seat capacity. The cinema facility operated until 2003, regularly changing name:
The theater could to host 478 people, 286 located up in a long gallery. Film screenings began on April 1, 1914. The entire facility, funded with loans from the Stadthagen Bank, was praised by companies Mixa, Tucholski, and Weidner.
Other outlets
During interwar period, a pub, Bar Angielski, was set up near the cinema where one could dance to the beat of live performances by Jazzband Orlowski. Another restaurant was also housed there at the same time, Zagloba, owned by M. Grabowski. In 1921, the Poznański Bank Ziemian installed offices on Gdanska Street, and in 1944 the German Cashier of Bydgoszcz District was located in the building. In 1946, ground and first floor premises were allocated to the State Agricultural Bank : renovation works were then supervised by architect Jan Kossowski. In 1948, the building was renovated. In the postwar period the old factory premises housed the International Press and Books Club, and, since 1994, a club, Mózg. At the beginning of 2017, the ensemble has been purchased by company Moderator Inwestycje, which planned to re-open there a theatre, with a scene.
Architecture
The building was rebuilt in the style of early historical modernism by Fritz Weidner. The two lower floors keep large windows that were once part of a department store. The facade, originally adorned with art Nouveau solar motifs stuccoes, has lost most of them with following reconstructions. During the theater construction, reinforced concrete, a pioneering technology at the time, was used. Facades have been standardized and given the modernarchitecture style.
