04/08/2026
DB’s 2026 Bluelight Special #14
36 West Spring Street
This is one of the oldest buildings still standing in Chippewa Falls. The first mention I can find is from August 3, 1872 when George Jenkins, Joseph Crowley, and Ed Wood opened a grocery store here. It is highly likely the building had been destroyed in the fire of 1869, so it would have been constructed between 1869 and 1872. The fact that it is a brick building instead of wood framed reinforces this assumption, as buildings were almost entirely wood framed before the fire, and after they were built of brick.
1883: Christian Blumhardt saloon
1901: Harry Taggart saloon
1907: Patrick Taggart saloon
1911: Daniel Clark saloon
May 1922: Albert W. Kleusch ended the 50 year “saloon run” when he opened the Purity Grocery here, also referred to as the Kleusch Grocery. Henry Willi was the first store manager , and he would eventually operate his own grocery store at 501 Woodward Avenue.
August 1924: Purity Grocery, Nick Kleusch proprietor
November 1926: Purity Grocery, I. B. Myers owner
1934: Harry Hendrickson tavern ( are you noticing a pattern here?)
1937: Carl’s Corner Tavern, Carl Abel proprietor
1940: The Corner Tavern, Leonard Schwartz proprietor
May 1944: Edward G. Ammerman moved his Chippewa Refrigeration Service here from 214 Cobban Street
1945: Ammerman’s Zenith Sales and Service, Ed Ammerman owner
September 1947: The Cozy Cafe, Luella Hendricks owner
1950: Duffy’s Tavern, Alex Ziele and Donald Kierstead owners. Interesting to note that Duffy’s Tavern was actually the title of a popular sit-com at the time.
July 1951: Duffy’s Tavern, Robert Bowe owner, Ervin Wolfe manager
April 1954: Duffy’s Tavern, Andrew Bleskachek owner
January 1956: The Gold Bar, Archie Niesen owner
1961: Archie’s Bar, Archie Niesen owner
1963: The Corner Inn, Edward Dever owner
1965: The Corner Inn, Lloyd Lowe owner
December 1965: Sta Put Inn
This is the last of the “tavern run”,an impressive list of names and owners
January 1970: H & R Block Tax Service
1985: Northwoods Refuse and Sanitary Disposal, Loren Hennekens owner
March 1989: Jane’s Catering, Jane Potter owner
2015: Cory Vajgrt established Current Catering, which occupies the building at present
Thanks for following along, and know that I welcome additions or corrections to any of my posts
Respectfully, Dennis Brain
Chippewa County WI Genealogical Society and Old Chippewa Falls Wisconsin Facebook site
