The building above looked just the same in 1889-1890 when Duncan C Johnson was working there as a salesman. His training in his father's hardware stores had provided him with ample knowledge.
Huntington, Hopkins & Co.
This great hardware house is the largest west of Chicago, and probably the largest in the United States, outside of New York City, in this line of trade. Established in the Spring of 1852, by C. P. Huntington and Mark Hopkins, both 49ers--the former from Oswego, New York, and the latter from Lockport, New York. The location was then, as now, at 54 K. Street. But in that building was born the Central Pacific Railroad, the greatest work of the nineteenth century. In that building, twenty years ago, when the possibility of a railroad across the continent was being first discussed, gathered Leland Stanford, the Crockers, Huntington, Hopkins, and two or three others, and all prevailing theme was the trans-continental railway. The world knows the result of these deliberations. The same spirits which animated 54 K Street twenty years ago seems to prevail in that honored location today. But in this indomitable spirit of enterprise and determination lies the only resemblance of the house today with the house o 1852-57. The old frame building has passed away, and the present business house has a frontage of 80 feet on K. Street, extending back 160 feet to an alley, crossing which you come to their iron warehouse, with 30 feet frontage and running back 160 feet to L. Street. To this there is now being added extensive shedding, which will shelter a vast quantity of goods. These buildings are of brick, two floors and basement, built in the most substantial manner, and furnished with iron covers for the skylights. A branch house has also been established in San Francisco, at the corner of Bush and Market Street, in a handsome and substantial four-story brick and stone structure, 91 feet square. In the year 1868, Mr.'s Huntington and Hopkins retired from the active management of the business of the house, and Mr. Albert Gallatin, Mr. W. R. S. Foye, Mr. Chas. Miller and Mr. H. H. Seaton were admitted into the firm, the two former as managers of the Sacramento House, and the two latter as managers of the San Francisco house. The business of the house last year aggregated over $2,000,000. Any attempt to enumerate the various articles kept in stock would be futile. It is only necessary to say that their stock of heavy and shelf hardware, builders' hardware, mechanics' tools, mining supplies, powder, fuse, cutlery, bar and sheet iron, gas and water pipe, etc., is full and complete. The trade of the house is now almost exclusively with jobbers, who find they can purchase through Huntington, Hopkins & Co. to better advantage then upon their own account.
Source: Pen Portraits, by R. R. Parkison, San Francisco, 1878. Pages 113-142