An interesting challenge down memory lane

Published 8:41 am Friday, January 23, 2009

Just over a month ago I received a letter from former Albert Lea resident Richard A. (Dick) Jensen who now lives in Edina.

His connection with Albert Lea works out this way. He lived in Albert Lea from 1923 to 1952 and still has relatives in the area. He and his future wife, Betty Anne Hansen, started school together at Northside School in 1929 and graduated from Albert Lea High School in 1941. His letter said they “were married for 60 years until she passed away six years ago.”

One part of his letter listed a total of 66 business firms in Albert Lea based on his memory of local life in 1936. With a little help from a 1936 city directory, here is that list, plus a commentary here and there, and his interesting challenge at the end of this trip down memory lane for many area residents:

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Spicer’s Drug Store, Sanders Drug Store (listed as Lueck-Sanders), Behrends’ Drug Store and Walgreen. That’s right, Walgreen was a part of life in Albert Lea 73 years ago with an agency or franchise store.

Diana Cafe (136 S. Broadway Ave.), Banquet Cafe, Albert Lea Bakery, Brownies Bakery, Stevenson’s, Spurgeons, (Bob) Wallace Mercantile, Weber Apparel, Shattuck Hats, and the largest department store in the city, Skinner-Chamberlain.

Now let’s continue on with Dick’s list: Bisgaard’s Shoes, Mier Wolf Department Store, Sorenson Furniture, Palace Furniture, Haugen Furniture, Montgomery Ward (sometimes called “Monkey” Wards), Gordon Electric, Thompson Dairy, Karlsberg’s Music, Burnsmoor Dairy, Seliger Motor, Phil’s Cafe, Ben Franklin, Woolworth, Bailey Electric, St. Paul Clothing, Canton Cafe, Gildner Lageson Clothing, Leuthold (and Evens) Clothing, and a paint store where he couldn’t recall the name. Somehow, I think the name Sullivan fits in here.

He lists a flower shop without a name, followed by the Rex Cafe, Sime’s Jewelry, Bill Braaten’s Jewelry, Duetschmann’s Jewelry, Clayton Wulff Jewelry, Gamble Store, Coast to Coast Hardware, Gulbrandson Hardware, Mahowald Sporting Goods,. Albert Lea Seed, Rex Cafe, Dwight Ice Cream, and Bill Dress. His last listing has a notation for hat restoration and the directory lists Wm. Dress as the proprietor of Majestic Cleaners.

But wait, folks, there are a few more listings of those Albert Lea business firms back in 1936: Tennyson Cafe (133 E. Main St.), Brundin’s Tailors (also listed as a clothes shop), Herman’s Tap Room (which has nothing to do with dancing), a malt shop where I couldn’t quite figure out the name, Nelson’s Barber Shop, First National Bank, Freeborn County Bank, Freeborn Hotel, Johnson Laundry, Gretchen Candy Store, Singer Sewing Machine Co. (204 W. Clark St.), Rivoli Theater, Broadway Theater, Blake’s Cigar Store, Hotel Albert, Johnson Sheet Metal and the Standard Oil service station at the corner of Broadway Avenue and East Main Street.

Near the end of his letter, Dick writes, “Don’t think any of these still exist. I have had a good time going down memory lane.”

I certainly hope many of our readers have had this same memory trip. Now let’s deal with his comment based on any of these 66 places still existing. Other than Walgreen which recently came to Albert Lea with a somewhat different concept, there are still four of the places he lists still in existence. The two banks have entirely different names, Johnson Sheet Metal is now listed as Johnson Heating and Air Conditioning, and the Albert Lea Seed House is a very active local firm.

Dick Jensen also included his memories and some excellent information about Albert Lea’s numerous food stores of that era, and we’ll use this material for a future column.

Ed Shannon’s column has been appearing in the Tribune every Friday since December 1984.