Part III

According to the 1935 city directory, the following individuals, businesses and organizations were located in National Bank Building: Room 1, MacAllister & Brown (Ray E. MacAllister and Ernest W. Brown), lawyers; Room 2, John V. Zanardi, lawyer; Room 3, Vanity Beauty Shop (Patty Pasquantonio, Celia Manci), “Permanent Waving, Manicuring, All Branches of Beauty Culture”; Room 4, “vacant”; Room 5, Dr. Ivar C. Johnson, dentist; Room 6, “vacant”; Rooms 7-8, “vacant”; Room 9, Dr. Dona J. Cote, dentist; Room 10, Dundon’s Actual Business College (Richard F. Dundon and Ruth F. Dundon, proprietors), “Established in 1908, Individual Instruction, Every Graduate Is Successful”; Rooms 11-12, Frank G. Logic, chiropractor; Room 13, “vacant”; Room 14, The National Insurance Agency, Thompson Ross & Company, stocks and bonds, Russell J. Bath, real estate and insurance; Room 15, Derham & Derham (Ray Derham and Roy E. Derham), lawyers, Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.

In September 1937 the National Bank Block was sold at auction to Christ Rigoni of the Service & Supply Company. When Rigoni retired from the firm, F. Albie Flodin became the owner. Flodin granted the Montgomery Ward Company a 20-year lease on the building by mid-September 1938. The building was remodeled and was the largest Montgomery Ward store in the Upper Peninsula and northern Wisconsin, serving as a territorial branch.

Montgomery Ward operated a store at 421 South Stephenson Ave., owned by the Crescent Lodge of the Odd Fellows (I.O.O.F.) prior to occupying the former bank building. The building became the Downtown Plaza in about 1980.

The U.S. National Bank Block was located on the northeast corner of South Stephenson Avenue and East A Street in Iron Mountain. The bank closed on May 23, 1932. By the fall of 1938 the Montgomery Ward & Company store occupied the building at 427-431 South Stephenson Ave. This building, called the Downtown Plaza, still stands today. (Menominee Range Historical Foundation)

An article in the Sept. 19, 1938, edition of The Iron Mountain News under the headline “Ward Company Takes Lease On Bank Building: Branch Distribution Center Is Expected To be Established” reported:

Remodeling of the United States National bank building, corner of Stephenson avenue and A street, may begin about October 1, as the result of a 20-year lease granted by F. Albie Flodin, of the Service and Supply company, to Montgomery Ward and company, of Chicago, it was learned today. 12

Tentative plans, although not yet officially announced, provide for the largest Montgomery Ward store in the upper Michigan and Wisconsin area, to be established probably as a territorial branch, serving other stores in the district.

Indications are that the establishment of the store will be one of the largest single business developments occurring in this city in many years and the news was received by many as an encouraging sign for the community.

More Room Needed

This photograph shows the Downtown Plaza in August 2010 with Sweet Repeats on the left and Wishing Well Gifts on the right. (William Cummings)

Cramped quarters at the present place, 421 Stephenson avenue, and a consistent increase in business were said to have combined in the decision to lease the bank building.

Ward engineers have already visited the premises and, according to reports, are contemplating the building plans. Preliminary negotiations for the lease, it is understood, were made by Russell J. Bath, Iron Mountain real estate broker, who likewise arranged for the tenancy of the present Ward store, owned by the Crescent Lodge of Odd Fellows, of this city. Bath is agent and trustee for the lodge.

All tenants of the U.S. National bank buildings have been advised to vacate at the earliest possible date, so that remodeling may start without delay, when the engineers arrive.

Built in 1922

Constructed in 1922, the U.S. National bank was opened in the early fall of that year, and continued in operation until May 23, 1932, when it passed into receivership. A year ago, in September, the building was sold at auction on a bid submitted by Christ Rigoni, 511 West Hughitt, then of the Service and Supply company. Rigoni has since retired from the firm. Ownership later passed to Flodin.

An announcement as to the building plan and other details of the new branch is expected in the near future from Earl D. Young, director of the Montgomery-Ward promotion department at Chicago.

By 1939 Montgomery Ward & Company was listed at 427-431 South Stephenson Ave. with A.R. Rosier serving as manager. There was no listing of occupants on the second floor in the 1939 city directory.

In the 1941-1942 city directory Montgomery Ward & Company, then managed by Dale M. Hurlbutt, was listed at 427 South Stephenson Ave., and also at the corner of South Stephenson Avenue and East A Street. Again, there was no listing of occupants on the second floor.

The following individuals worked as managers for the Montgomery Ward Company: D.M. Hurlbutt (1941); V.R. Scanlon (1959-1967) and M.L. Best (1968-1973); William Wiesjahn, assistant manager (1971-1973); John M. Lutz (1974-1976); Gary A. Bell, assistant manager (1974); James McIntire, assistant manager (1976); W.J. Sigsbee (1977-1978).

In 1969 and 1970 The Brass Knocker, owned by Carolyn L. Tomasi, occupied a portion of this building.

The building at 425 South Stephenson Ave. was listed as vacant in 1979-1980.

Don and Donna Christy first became downtown merchants in 1971 when they acquired the Western Auto, then located at 215 East Hughitt St. Christy worked for the J.C. Penney Company for 9 1/2 years before going into business on his own. The Christys expanded the store on East Hughitt Street and then moved into the former J.C. Penney Company store at 415 South Stephenson Ave. in 1979.

The couple also acquired the former Montgomery Ward Company store at 423-431 South Carpenter Ave., turning it into a minimall known as the Downtown Plaza. Mike Nicometo acquired this property in about 1981-1982.

Undoubtedly, Wishing Well Gifts, owned by Don and Sharon Khoury, has been the longest tenant in the Downtown Plaza, having occupied the same space since early September 1980.

In 1981, these businesses were in the Downtown Plaza: Accent Village, Judy Haupt, wholesale and retail ceramic and plaster ware; Ace Drugs, Rene R. Savoie; Babe’s Dinner Bell, Kathleen Gardipy, restaurant; Merle Norman & Hair Designers, Peter and Carol Schlitt; Roush’s Physical Improvement Center; Tavonatti’s, Ted A. Tavonatti, frame and art supplies; and Wishing Well Gifts, Don and Sharon Khoury.

In 1982, the Downtown Plaza, owned by Mike Nicometo, contained Ace Drugs, Rene R. Savoie; Count Your Blessings Stitchery Shop, Carol S. Mitchell; Liberty Cafe, Theresa L. and Michael S. Nokes; Merle Norman & Hair Designers, Peter and Carol Schlitt; The Music Shoppe, Stan W. Gill; Northern Furniture Discounters, Michael Nicometo; Tavonatti’s, Ted A. Tavonatti; and Wishing Well Gifts, Don and Sharon Khoury.

By 1984, the Downtown Plaza was home to Ace Drugs, Rene R. Savoie; The Computer Shoppe, Michael Nicometo and James M. Riverside; Count Your Blessings Stitchery Shop, Carol S. Mitchell; Energy Emporium, Michael Nicometo; The Frameworks, Thomas J. and Mary K. Bugni; Knit & Knot Yarns, Diane H. Sparapani; Liberty Cafe, Theresa L. and Michael S. Nokes; Merle Norman & Hair Design, Janise Bilski and Susan Martin; The Music Shoppe, Stan W. Gill; Northern Furniture Discounters, Michael Nicometo; and Wishing Well Gifts, Don and Sharon Khoury.

Read the rest of this 23-page story on the Dickinson County Library’s website (www.dcl-lib.org) which includes nine historic photographs, a 1913 Iron Mountain Press newspaper advertisement for the Palace Ice Rink and biographical accounts of the Patrick Flanagan family and photographs of their tombstones. Patrick Flanagan was the owner of the Flanagan Block, later replaced by the U.S. National Bank Block.