THE WAUPACA COUNTY POST

February 23, 1995

 

WHEN THEN WAS NOW

By Wayne A. Guyant

 

            L.A. (Louie) Olson, a former manager for the Waupaca Creamery, and his son-in-law, Oliver (Ollie) Fredrickson, a former operator of the Arcade Tavern on North Main Street, decided to strike out on their own in a new business venture in 1941.

            With a definite view in mind they leased the Hebblewhite Building at 217 S. Main Street and installed lockers for cold storage of vegetables, fruits and all sorts of meat.  This location, today in 1995, is the United Service Agency, Inc.  The Frozen Food Locker Service was ready for rentals in January 1942, with a full line of meats and fresh frozen fish.

            In January 1943 the Frozen Food Locker Service celebrated their one-year birthday by installing 100 new lockers.  This was a timely addition at that time, since their other lockers were all taken, and the preserving of home-grown foods and meats by the rural people were increasing in interest in preserving their products in compliance with the war effort.

            In the spring of 1943, Mr. and Mrs. Wade Fredrickson leased the meat and grocery business from the Frozen Food Locker Service from Mr. Olson and Oliver Fredrickson.  In April 1945, after operating the Cash Food Store in the Hebblewhite Building for a couple of yeas, Wade Fredrickson sold out to Merle Rice.  After only a few months Wade Fredrickson took back his former business.  The reported reason given for the resale was quite consoling to Mr. Fredrickson: The volume of business was so large that the new owner found that he could not hold up to the pace required to operate both the meat trade and the sales in the grocery store.

            On July 23, 1946, Robert John (Bob) Bergman and his wife Alice of Mount Carroll, Ill., purchased the north 23 feet, four inches of Lot 4, Block O, from Carrie Hebblewhite.  On August 1, 1946, only a few days later, they purchased the Frozen Food Locker Service from L.A. Olson and O.N. Fredrickson.

            Bob Bergman’s business grew and he needed to expand.  The Waupaca County Post for August 12, 1954 carried this ad:  “Bob Bergman opened his new market in his new location, 215 S. Main, in the Jacklin Building adjacent to his locker plant Monday.  The spacious new market in the south one-half of the Jacklin Building has a 36-foot frontage on Main Street.  A 20-foot meat case arrangement is set up immediately to the front of the processing room.  The arrangement eliminates the long hallway used in the former building.  The food lockers will remain in the old building joined to the new building through an opening in the walls.

            “A cooler in the market measures 12 by 24 feet.  The meat hoist and track from the back door to the locker building has been moved to the new rear door. The walls were repainted in two tones of green with maroon floors.  The new entrance to the Bergman market and locker is through the Jacklin Building.”

            In 1957, Bob Niemuth became partners with Bob Bergman in the Waupaca butchering and slaughtering operation.  The Waupaca County Post for Dec. 26, 1957 had a full-page ad:  “B & N Packing Co. and retail outlet, South Main Street, Waupaca, WI, formerly Bergman’s Market and Locker Service.  Now fully equipped to do custom slaughtering, meat cutting, packaging and freezing. Beef and pork for sale by side or quarter. Phone Waupaca 600.  Bob Bergman & Bob Niemuth proprietors.”

            A new slaughterhouse was built on four lots on Redfield Street.  Laurence Wiesen was the local contractor.  The partnership broke up in 1959, with Mr. Niemuth taking the slaughterhouse, and Mr. Bergman continued business at 215 South Main.

            In the May 18, 1967 issue of the Waupaca County Post, there was a picture of Bob Bergman and Bob Niemuth, along with this notice: “Robert Bergman, who has operated his ‘Bergman’s Market’ since July, 1946, sold his business this week to Robert Niemuth, who officially took over Monday, May 15.  Bergman says his plans for the future are indefinite.”

            At one point in time Bergman was a meat inspector for the State of Wisconsin. Robert John Bergman was born October 7, 1908 in McGregor, Iowa, a son of Edward and Katherine (Kramer) Bergman.  On August 8, 1931, he was married to Alice Hudek in Garnavillo, Iowa.  Mr. Bergman passed away January 23, 1992 at the Riverside Medical Center.  They were the parents of one daughter, Katherine, and one son, Mark.  He is buried in the St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Cemetery, Waupaca.