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Variety of businesses occupied South Stephenson block

Menominee Range Memories

Taken in the mid-1890s, this view includes the Swedish Mission Church on the southeast corner of East Ludington Street and Iron Mountain Street at the left, the N.P. Hulst High School, built in 1892 on Madison Avenue near the center, and the Swedish Baptist Church on the southeast corner East Hughitt Street and Iron Mountain Street on the right. The Chicago & North-Western Railway Depot’s rooftop is in the foreground. In 1892-1894, businesses along the 300 block on the east side of South Stephenson Avenue from left to right were: 301-303, Hancock & Sundstrom, hardware store; 305, N.C. Schuldes, clothing store, and Joseph Bitterly, jewelry store; 307, Michael Carey, cigar store and factory; 309, Jonah Orrison, agent for the Atlantic Dynamite Company, and Sophus Mortensen, photographer; 311, John J. Cole, gentlemen’s clothing; 313, Moriarity & Allen (James Moriarity and W.B. Allen), fashion sample rooms (saloon); 317, Mathias Swanson, jeweler; 319, R. Frezinsky, clothing store; 321, Clinton W. Montgomery Block (triangle at top of roofline), John T. Spencer, grocery store; 323, Arthur Uddenberg, druggist, and A.I LeVeque, jeweler and watchmaker; 327, The Fair, A.M. Oppenheim, proprietor, general store (large billboard-like sign); 331, The Paris Store, Abe Sackim (just visible at the right); and 333 (not visible), Margaret Seibert, drug store, George F. Seibert, manager. (Menominee Range Historical Museum)

IRON MOUNTAIN – The 47th installment of Menominee Range Memories, a series of articles by William J. Cummings, Menominee Range Historical Foundation historian, now available on the Dickinson County Library’s website, is titled “Downtown Iron Mountain — 321-331 South Stephenson Avenue.”

Part II

History of 323: Arthur Uddenberg, an “Analytical Chemist, Assayer and Druggist,” was a “Dealer in pure drugs and medicines” in 1892-1894 at this address and claimed “Prescriptions accurately compounded.” A.I. Le Veque, “Jeweler and Watchmaker,” a “Dealer in Watches, Clocks, Jewelry, Silverware, Optical Goods and Musical Instruments” also operated his shop here in 1892-1894.

There was no listing at this address in 1902-1903. B. Kramer & Company (Ben Kramer) sold liquor and cigars, and also advertised “billiards” at this location in 1907-1908. In 1913 Joseph De Concini ran The Bank Buffet at this location, also residing here with his wife Ida De Concini.

In 1925 Aimone & Fornetti (Peter Aimone and James Fornetti) ran a barbershop at this location. In addition, Dillon & Laughlin (Charles M. Dillon and James A. Laughlin) ran a billiard parlor here, and Adelard Page had a boarding house upstairs, also residing there with his wife Camillia Page.

Using the 1941 city directory, businesses listed were: 301, Majestic Lunch (Arthur Mitchell); 305, Khoury’s Beer Garden (Samuel A. Khoury); 305 1/2, Bon-Ton Sweet Shop (Wilbert Safranek); 311, Fugere Bros. Clothes & Shoes; 313, Louis J. Will, jeweler; 315, Perina’s Hat Shop (Perina LaRoque); 319, F.W. Woolworth Co.; 321-323, J.J. Newberry Co.; 329-331, A.Sackim Co. Department Store (Abe Sackim, Ben Seaman); 333, Cudlip’s Drug Store (Samuel Cudlip). The Chicago & Northwestern Railway Company Depot was the only building on the west side of the street. The boy in the striped shirt at the far left is John R. Calo. This postcard view dates between 1942 and 1944. (William J. Cummings)

The J.J. Newberry Company, a variety store managed by Clarence W. Pickering, conducted business at 321-323 South Stephenson Ave. in 1935. By 1939 Walter R. Worthington managed the J.J. Newberry Company’s store, listed at 321 South Stephenson Ave. The store was again listed at 321-323 S. Stephenson Ave. in the 1941-1942 directory with Orville Mynster serving as manager.

From 1961 to 1967 Fugere Bros. Shoes was operated here by Julian M. Fugere and Philip J. Fugere. In 1967 the business was incorporated as Fugere Bros., Inc. with officers Philip J. Fugere, president; James A. Walker, vice-president; and Julian M. Fugere, secretary-treasurer. The business was still in operation at this location in 1985.

By 2010 Salon 323, a beauty salon, operated was in business here with John M. and Deborah A. McKinzie, owners.

History of 325-327-329: A.M. Oppenheim, proprietor of “The Fair,” was a “Dealer in Dry Goods, Clothing, Furniture, Boots, Shoes, Groceries, Provisions and General Merchandise,” and ran his store at 325-327-329 S. Stephenson Ave. in 1892-1894. The Fair was located on the former sites of the Montgomery Block and Rundle’s Hardware Store. Rundle’s Hardware Store moved to its new location at 105-107 W. Ludington St. (now the site of the Iron Mountain U.S. Post Office) in about 1888. The site of Rundle’s Hardware Store on South Stephenson Avenue was later occupied by The Paris Store, Julius Rusky, proprietor.

History of 325: C.B. Gingras (sic-Gingrass) operated a saloon at 325 S. Stephenson Ave. in 1902-1903. Although Joe De Concini’s name appeared in the street index for this address in 1907-1908, he was found in the alphabetical listing as running a livery and selling feed, as well as liquor and cigars, but no place was given, other than his home address at 110 W. Ludington St., where he lived with his wife, Ida De Concini.

There was no listing for this address in 1913 or 1925. It is possible that 325 S. Stephenson Ave. was 323 S. Stephenson Ave. in those years, and also in 1907-1908.

History of 327: E.A. Neubauer & Company (E.A. Neubauer) worked as “jewelers and opticians” at 327 S. Stephenson Ave. in 1902-1903. E.A. Neubauer was still proprietor of a jewelry store here in 1907-1908, and was also Dickinson County sheriff, living in the sheriff’s quarters in the jail building adjoining the courthouse with his wife Emily Neubauer.

A. Sackim Company (Abe Sackim, president; Ben Seaman, secretary; Sam Seaman, treasurer) sold “dry goods & gents’ furnishings” at 327-331 S. Stephenson Ave. in 1913. There was no listing for this address in 1925, and the A. Sackim Company was listed at 329-333 S. Stephenson Ave. in 1935. In 1939 and 1941-1942 there is no listing for this address.

History of 329: There was no listing for this address in 1902-1903 or in 1907-1908. A. Sackim Company (Abe Sackim, president; Ben Seaman, secretary; Sam Seaman, treasurer) sold “dry goods & gents’ furnishings” at 327-331 S. Stephenson Ave. in 1913.

History of 331: In one very early photograph taken prior to 1892, the Rundle Brothers operated a hardware and mining supply store at this location.

Abe Sackim ran The Paris Store at 331 S. Stephenson Ave. in 1902-1903, selling “dry goods, clothing, boots and shoes, hats and caps, etc.” In 1907-1908 Abe Sackim was operating at the same address, advertising “dry goods, carpets, clothing, shoes and house furnishings.” A. Sackim Company (Abe Sackim, president; Ben Seaman, secretary; Sam Seaman, treasurer) sold “dry goods & gents’ furnishings” at 327-331 S. Stephenson Ave. in 1913.

History of 327-331: The A. Sackim Company (Abraham Sackim, of Chicago, Ill., president; Benjamin Seaman, secretary-treasurer), a department store, was listed at 229-231 S. Stephenson Ave. in 1925. In 1935 the A. Sackim Company, a department store under the same management and at the same address as in 1925, continued to conduct business.

The A. Sackim Company was listed at 329 South Stephenson Ave. in the 1939 city directory, and at 329-331 S. Stephenson Ave. in the 1941-1942 city directory. In the 1946 city directory, Ben Seaman was still listed as manager. Between 1959 and 1963 the A. Sackim Company was managed by Clifford M. Fugit. The lower level of the building was listed as vacant in 1964, but Clifford M. Fugit resided upstairs. By 1966 both the upper and lower levels of the Sackim building were listed as vacant.

In 1969 the site was listed as under construction when the Ben Franklin Store was being built. The Ben Franklin Store was listed in the 1970 directory, and the following listings, together with managers, were: 1971 and 1972, Roland J. Bramer, manager; 1973, no manager listed; 1974 through 1978, Vincent J. Wells, manager; 1979-1982, Dwayne Callahan, manager. In 1984 and 1985, the building was listed as vacant.

End Part II

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