The former Rapid hardware store which spread along the length of Renshaw Street was once one of the most famous retail frontages in the city centre.
But as this video shows, part of the building is just a facade concealing a sheer drop to the railway line from Liverpool Central station, along with a car parking space.
The astonishing discovery was made by local businessman Lee Carus during a Google Maps search.
He said: "Basically I was looking for property for our company to expand and I thought Google Maps was a good place to start.
"We are based in the heart of the city so I see lots of construction going on. I thought I'd take a look at the space by the development behind the buildings on Renshaw Street.
"I scrolled up to it and was surprised to see it was just a facade. Actually it's a single file narrow corridor.
"The reason I know that, and here's the big coincidence, is I did work experience in Rapid Hardware many many years ago. I walked down this corridor a hundred times and never knew it was the railway lines just the other side."
It is thought the area behind the frontage was once used as a locomotive turntable pit.
Liverpool-born Lee, 47, who now lives in New Brighton, is co-founder of software developer Firesprite, which employs 130 people in the heart of the city centre.
