Meat Markets
John GRUSSING operated a meat market in 1899. The early grocery stores carried a small line of meat.
A Mr. BOETTCHER ran the meat market when it was located across from the present GRAF Garage, next to the old drug store location. There is a legend connected with this in which James MCGEE was accused of taking wieners from this market without paying for them, and in his hurry to get away spilled wieners all down the street. Thus the street was named Bologna Avenue. Knowing Jim MCGEE I feel sure the story is fictitious but it makes an interesting tale. Mr. BOETTCHER left in 1901.
In 1904 WEINANDT and MCCALL market advertised: “Married, by Rev. Hard Times, Miss Low Price to Mr. Fine Meals.” And the present-day ad companies think they have originality!
In 1906 Robert ERICKSON bought the WEINANDT and MCCALL Market. Seymour MONTGOMERY built a brick smoke house at the rear of the store. In August of that year, ERICKSON traded the meat market to John RINDEN (sic) for an eighty-acre farm east of Dundee. ERICKSON leased the farm to Alfred BRIGHT. In September, Ed TJOSSEM bought an interest in the market from TINDEN (sic). According to a 1906 county paper ERICKSON conducted the first meat market at Brewster and conducted it for seven years and bought it back again in 1906 to run it only a few months. That would make him a proprietor of a shop also in 1899.
In March of 1906 ERICKSON bought a gas engine to run the meat chopper and Mocus (the printer’s dog who could run a treadle well) and the dog power were put on the retired list.
Sam SAMPSON had an embarrassing experience near the shop. He had purchased a package of meat and laid it on the sidewalk to untie his horses when a curly haired dog made away with the meat. Sam started to run after the dog while the horses ran in the opposite direction. The horses were stopped but not the dog, and Sam returned to make a second purchase.
In 1906 O.G. PETERSON, one of the butchers, rented the ZORR farm. Beginning in July RINDEN and TJOSSEM delivered meat between 8 and 9 a.m. All orders had to be in by 8:30 a.m.
In 1907 RINDEN sold his interest to NORLAND, the owners being TJOSSEM and NORLAND. In 1908 Ed TJOSSEM sold his interest to John RINDEN and a few weeks later Dick MANUEL and V.C. ANDERSON bought it. In 1909 ANDERSON and MANUEL purchased a meat wagon to haul live animals into town. In 1910 Wm. BURK, butcher for MANUEL resigned and Axel NORLAND replaced him. In 1912 V.C. ANDERSON ran the market, in 1920 George MANUEL, and in the same year it was purchased by Dick MANUEL. In 1925 Dick repainted his store front. In 1926 Myrtle WING was employed there. In 1927 Dick enlarged his store. In 1931 Rosella KOSTER was employed. In 1933 it was said Dick could swing a wicked trowel as he put in a new side walk in front of his store. In 1936 R.R. MANUEL changed from the Rite-way to the Jack Sprat Food Store. In 1939 Harold MANUEL left the Brewster store to start a store at Westbrook. In 1940 a fire in MANUEL’S store on August 18 was discovered by George GEYERMAN when returning home. Mr. and Mrs. OLSON and Elaine MANUEL could not escape by the stairs and were out on the roof when the fire was seen by GEYERMAN. A huge fire sale was conducted. On September 28, Ruck and Zip, Mr. and Mrs. Russell OLSON (Mrs. OLSON the former Lucille MANUEL) had the grand opening of the Jack Sprat Food Store. In 1943 they went out of business and left for Granite Falls to operate a variety store. Thus ended the MANUEL Meat Market and later grocery and dry goods store!
Nobles County Genealogy
We are in a continuous process of providing free genealogical materials to all researchers who are interested in Nobles County. You can help us provide a better service by contributing to our web site. We are always seeking new information that will benefit the genealogical community. Your generosity in submitting new material to this web site will be greatly appreciated. Please contact Bryant Walker by clicking on "Contact Us" in the above menu if you have new material to submit and please make sure that it is not in violation of any copyrights.