THE WAUPACA COUNTY POST

July 3, 1991

 

WHEN THEN WAS NOW

By Wayne A. Guyant

 

           

            George Nehm started his career with the Schultz Bros. on March 16, 1926.  Schultz Bros., then known as the 5 and 10 Cent Store, opened its doors in Waupaca on March 28, 1926.  The location at that time is where the present Paca Pub is located, 106 N. Main Street.

            Schultz Bros. 5 and 10 Cent Store continued to operate at this location until 1931, when it moved across the street to the building that is now the business location of Meredith’s Fashion Shop at 109 N. Main.

            In 1940 Schultz’s rented the Scott Building at 112 S. Main; this was the former location of the Cohen Bros. Fair Store.

            Schultz Bros. wanted to expand and in 1948 they rented the Hebblewhite Building that was adjacent to the south. This building had just been vacated by the Kroger Food Store.  The Waupaca County Post for March 4, 1948, stated that a considerable amount of wall space was being removed in the remodeling project that was in progress at the Schultz Bros. store.

            Mrs. John (Carrie) Hebblewhite passed away on March 27, 1957, and she willed the Hebblewhite Building to the Riverside Community Hospital, Inc.  Warranty Deed, volume 286, page 431, dated December 30, 1957, shows that the Schultz Bros. Company, an Illinois corporation, purchased from the Riverside Community Hospital, Inc., for the sum of $1and other valuable consideration, the following described property.  The South twenty four (24) feet in lot number 3, in Block “K”, of the original plat of the Village (now city) of Waupaca, according to the recorded plat thereof, except the South six (6) inches thereof.

            In a news item that appeared in the Waupaca County Post for October 16, 1958, a report by a Schultz Bros. representative stated that they were proud to offer to their customers in the Waupaca and surrounding community the most modern shopping facilities to be found in any variety store for miles around.

            With the installation of the new counters and modern self-service fixtures it greatly increased the merchandise area. With four checkout stations and plenty of help to answer inquiries when needed, saved time for the customer.  There was also a bell at each checkout if you needed personal service.

            Schultz Bros. held a big three-day grand opening sale, starting October 16, 1958.  A big two-page ad in the Waupaca County Post advertised ladies’, children’s and infants’ clothing; household goods and a pet department; in fact, the new Schultz Bros. variety store carried nearly everything from alarm clocks to zippers.

            George Nehm, who was with the Schultz Bros. opened a new store in the new shopping center that was built on Waupaca’s west side, but continued to operate its variety store on Main Street until October of 1988.

            The new shopping center, Waupaca Woods Mall, was built between Neuville Motors and the Bowlby Candy Company.  It had an area of 80,000 square feet.  Schultz Bros. settled in the west 40,000 square feet of the building.  This made their new store almost six times the size of the downtown store.

            A little history of the Schultz Bros.:  the 5 and 10 Cent chain began in Appleton in 1902, when Robert Schultz opened a small store there.

            Louis Schultz, Robert’s brother, opened the second store in Green Bay in 1903, and a third one in 1904.  Two other brothers, Charles and Gustave, joined the expansion which became the forerunner of the chain of 65 modern variety and 11 family stores located in Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin.

            In 1906 the Schultz Bros. chain moved its headquarters to Chicago, Ill., and in November of 1974, their headquarters moved to Lake Zurich, IL, where a new office complex and distribution center was located.

            A news article appeared in the November 3, 188 edition of the Waupaca County Post.  “Prange Way set sights on Schultz’s in the Mall.  Larry Sommers, president of the Prange Way Division of H. C. Prange, stated that they were anxious to come to Waupaca, and if all loose ends could be tied up soon, they could be open in the spring of 1989.”

            Prange Way opened its doors in the former Schultz Bros. family store on March 13, 1989, and they held their grand opening in April.  This ended over 60 years for the Schultz Bros. in Waupaca, serving the public well.

            The Waupaca County Post for September 13, 1990, shows a picture of the architect’s concept of the downtown Schultz building after the exterior renovation is completed.  The article goes on to say that the former Schultz building at 112 South Main Street, which has been owned by Stephen Hansen, Steven Shambeau and Richard G. Johnson since January 1987, is slated for an October 1, 1990 construction start and approximately completion date set for mid-1991.  The tentative plan is to rename the renovated building as the Scott Building.