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Memories of Guttenberg's business district: Part 2

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Bruckners Tavern, currently Scherer Chiropractic, was located on the corner of First and Herder St. Ihm reports, "It was a popular spot and had a pool table." (Photo submitted)

By Caroline Rosacker 

The following continues a feature story from the Nov. 24 issue of local historian Joe Ihm's recollections of the Guttenberg business district during his boyhood.

* * *

602 S. River Park Drive  - Joe's Pizza. "Morley and Seeman had a farm implement shop in this building. Morley was also the proprieter of Lakeside Ballroom. It was also the building where Dave Brown got his start."

6 Schiller St. – private residence. "Niemeyer had a men's, and Edna Schultz had a women's clothier in the building. They were located side by side. Niemeyer also had a dry cleaning and laundry in later years."

10 Schiller St. – The Guttenberg Press. "The Press building was part of Morley Implements. I remember they had a hearse parked in the back."

11 Schiller St. – apartment building. "The limestone building across the street was always an apartment building."

531 Schiller St. – Divine Current Wellness and Yoga Studio. "Henry Biermann had an undertaking business  and  a furniture store on the corner. He also took care of funeral services in town. He was a generous man. He used to bring people from across the river to Lakeside and take them back again." 

14 Schiller  – vacant building. "Ernie 'Puffie' Pufahl had a repair shop in there. He would look at whatever you brought in, cuss at it, and then pretty soon he would have it fixed. He had a terribly unorganized shop. He was the head of the fire department and his building was the biggest fire hazard in town! If one thing would have gone wrong the whole place would have gone up."

611 S. First Street – apartment building. "The building behind 'Puffie's' was a tavern in the 30’s. It wasn’t anything special. I used to wonder if anybody ever worked because every bar in town had men standing around drinking beer. It was a popular past time!" 102 SchillerDave Brown Classic Rides. "The Chevy garage, where they sold and repaired cars, was located at this address."

106 Schiller – Dave Brown Classic Car lot. "The Hotel Ahlers used to stand here. There was a small restaurant in there. They catered to traveling salesmen. My friends and I used to stop in there for coffee after Mass."

530 South First St. – Guttenberg Brewing Co. "Jacob's Tavern was located here and next to that was Jack Kregel's Barber Shop. Between the barber shop and the alley was Wolters Bottling Works. It was owned by Johnny 'Pop' Wolters. His cream soda was terrific. On St. Mary's last day of school the Nuns would walk us to the Catholic Cemetery for our end of the year picnic. Johnny would bring the pop out in the back of his pickup truck. He also used to have a Whitney crabapple tree. They were delicious! We used to confuse him and then someone would steal the crab apples!"

518 and 520 S. First St. – vacant lot. "Kenny Sauegling owned the building and house where the Laudromat used to sit. Charlie Milliam used it for storage for The Guttenberg Press and as a laundromat, and Kuempel's later had it as a laundromat." 

532 South First St. – apartment building. "The Eppens family owned the building across the street. They had a hotel. Klaes Implement was also there at one time."

516 South First St. – vacant lot. "The building next to the municipal building was Hess Furniture and before that the Dubbels house."

15 Herder – Scherer Chiropractic. "Bruckners Tavern was located here. It was a popular spot and had a pool table."

430 South First St. – private residence. "A ladies hat milliner was located at this address. It was owned by a group of ladies who sold hats to just about every woman in Guttenberg. Once a year the owners traveled to Chicago and viewed the latest trends to keep up to date. It was also the Sinclair Hotel."

11 Herder St. – private residence.  "Ocie Nading had a beauty shop in the little building and there was an apartments upstairs.” 

406 South First St. –  private residence. "This was the site of Dr. Rhomberg's residence and medical practice. He was from Dubuque and had a very serious heart condition. He died quite young."

407 S. First St. – parking lot. "Lester Lawrence had a DX filling station on this property. Mike Jaquette would eventually take it over. There was also a drinking fountain on the corner. It was pretty cool."

316 S. First St. —  Andy Reimer Financial – "Leo Nigg had a tavern and grocery store on this corner. He had an ice cream case out front. He was extremely generous, when you asked for an ice cream cone — it was huge. He also had a sucker pole with suckers plugged in up and down the pole. It was really neat! The Niggs lived upstairs. His son Ray was an outstanding athlete. If he would have had more exposure he would have been very successful."

310 S. First St. – private residence. "Joe Wach's Shoe repair, and the Wach family residence was located at this address." 

308 S. First St. – Meyer Mechanical. "Herbolds-heimer had a fix-it shop similar to Ernie Pufahl. He was also the fire chief at one time."

306 S. First St.  – Clayton Ridge Virtual Academy. "Dr. Downey's medical office was housed at this location. Doctor, and his wife, Juanita, were close friends of my mother and father."

15 Goethe St. – Peoples State Bank. "The Guttenberg Bank was the original financial institution to be housed in this building. The upstairs was used for bank storage and Dr. Pohle had a dentist office in the upper level. Talk about pain –  he worked from the day light streaming in the window and a hundred watt bulb hanging from the ceiling. The pain didn’t come from the drilling, it came from him pulling your mouth from side-to-side to see inside your mouth. He was a good dentist.” 

“The bank corner was our playground and home base. We used to get an empty oil can from the DX filling station and play kick the can,” Ihm fondly remembered. 

7 Goethe – Sodes Green Acres – “This limestone structure was home to the local poker parlor. Honey Hunstad owned the building and also sold cars.”

“Peoples State Bank parking lot and drive-thru was originally  Kappen’s furniture and caskets.”

307 S. First St. – private residence – “’Bim’ Pink had a barber shop at this location.”

304 S. First St. – private residence. “Jessie Frank had a Five and Dime store at this address. She sold little trinkets and such.”

103 Prince St. – private property. “A small cigar factory was housed in this corner building.”

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