Most large factories emerged from pre-revolutionary factories. Merchants of Tsarist Russia laid the foundation for the industrial giant Penzmash.

In the late 19th century, a pyrotechnics workshop appeared here. With the onset of World War I, merchant Serafimovich sold it to the City Administration, but the government found no funds for modernization, and the workshop was decided to be converted into a biscuit factory. The land was sold to entrepreneurs Stolypin and Voronin. According to the agreement, the merchants were to build the factory at their own expense, receiving all nearby plots in return. The merchants succeeded, but did not have time to benefit from their earnings. In October 1917, the revolution occurred, and the factory was nationalized. The Bolsheviks established a branch of the State Mint here, where the money of Soviet Russia was printed. In 1923, the enterprise was reorganized again. For several years, the former biscuit factory housed the Voroсky Printing House. Then, in 1929, a confectionery enterprise was reopened here, but now they produced sponge cake instead of biscuits.