The Bain’s building was listed on the Colorado State Register of Historic Places on September 13, 1995 (Site (5AL.529) and the City of Alamosa Historic Registry on March 15, 2017 (Res. 08-2017). The Bain family constructed its department store near the end of the Great Depression utilizing salvaged brick, timbers, steel and pressed metal ceilings. In 1935, the Main Street storefront was opened, followed a year later by the Hunt Avenue wing. The department store and its success signaled Alamosa that their economy was recovering from the Great Depression. In 1936 or 1937, Joe Bain began construction on the apartments above his store.  Bain’s Department Store reminds us of the difficult times the citizens of Alamosa lived through during the Great Depression. The clearly recycled materials that make up the building show the resourcefulness of those who lived through a time where people needed to come together to survive. Bain’s Department Store has been home to many local businesses. Miles Acheson of Acheson’s Attic was a tenant and apartment manager from 1949 to 1977.  Other tenants were DeVorss Automobile Dealership, Hub May Implements, and Trautwein’s Appliance. Harvey and Christine Heersink bought the building in 1983, and split the building into two separate stores. From then on, the Main Street storefront and the Hunt Avenue storefront were treated separately. Heersinks sold the Hunt Avenue wing to Francis and Catherine Snider in 1985.

La Puente bought the Main Street side of the building from the Heersinks in 1994. In 1998, La Puente also acquired the Hunt Avenue wing from the Sniders. Once La Puente owned both sections, they removed the separation and united the building once again. Today, Bain’s Building houses the Rainbow’s End Thrift Store and Hunt Avenue Boutique on the first floor. All items sold in the stores are donated, with proceeds helping to fund La Puente programs.

Rehabilitation of the Bain’s building began in 2022 and was completed in 2023.  Work included demolishing of non-historic aspects, rebuilding of the demolished aspects to better fit the building’s historic frame, and installation of new paneling and a sign in keeping with the facility’s historic aesthetics.  Work on the rear service entrance involved the demolition of makeshift or inexpert non-historic supports and the re-enforcing of the lintel and supports over the garage door.  A new garage door was installed, masonry was repaired and repainted, and general structural improvements were completed.