Originally built in 1879, the first building located on the property at 212 Union Avenue was placed into use as stables and storage for horse-drawn rail cars used extensively throughout downtown Pueblo and operated by the Pueblo Street Railway Company.  While the use of horse-drawn rail cars was in place for only 11 years in Pueblo, the building continued to be utilized as a livery and stable until around 1915, when the present stone building facade encompassing 212-218 South Union Avenue was constructed at the same location.  The historical significance of the site arises from the role it played in Pueblo’s transit history, as the extensive use of horse-drawn rail cars paved the way for the introduction of electric street cars in Pueblo in 1890.  A pioneer in mass transit, Pueblo was one of only two cities west of the Mississippi to adopt electric street cars at that time.  Therefore, in many ways 212 South Union Avenue represents the genesis of mass transit in Pueblo as well as the American West as a whole.

In 1982, the Union Avenue Historic Commercial District was added to the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of its late Victorian architecture and pivotal role in the history and development of Pueblo and Southern Colorado as a whole.  The district encompasses some 270 acres with 69 buildings contributing to the historic designation.  The area developed quickly following 1872, with the primary purpose being a wholesale and warehouse district associated with the nearby Denver and Rio Grande Railroad.  The Steel City Furniture Building represents a key historic property in the district, bridging the periods before and after the Flood of 1921.

The Kushnir family, the property’s current owners, first purchased the property in 1918.  Following the destruction of the building’s interior as a result of the Flood of 1921, the location re-opened in 1938 as Steel City Furniture owned by Max Kushnir, who operated the shop with his sons.  Since this time, the location has been in near continuous use as a furniture store.  The long-time commercial activity of the site has served as an anchor to the north end of Union Avenue.