Brooks Hotel > Freeman Fair Store > Freeman Coop
Abraham Kautz came to Freeman in 1901. In 1903 he built the The Brooks Hotel “Freeman House” on the corner of Fifth and Main Street (Lot 7 & 8). In 1923 Sam Preheim took over and ran the Freeman Fair Store in the building, selling furniture downstairs and a five & dime store upstairs. The building was sold to the Freeman Coop in 1943.
Freeman Gas & Oil Company was organized in 1935, Henry Miller was the manager. The Coop rented the gas station across the street to the west from Freeman Jr. College. In 1943 the Freeman Coop bought the Jacob Kautz Hotel and John Schult moved the building east. After the bulk plant fire in 1943 the Coop needed more room so they also bought Abe Kautz harness shop to the north. In 1949 a new brick building was put up in place of Ford Garage and hand gas pumps were installed. In the 1950’s the Coop ran a Skelly gas station with full service gas pumps. Melvin Graber was manager from 1957 to 1965 and Levi Wilde until 1978. In the 1970’s the fertilizer plant moved to Highway 81 and and in 2004 the office joined.
Ford Garage
In the 1890’s Jacob Delzer Blacksmith operated a blacksmith shop on the south end of Main Street (Lot 9), (the blacksmith shop later moved to Fourth Street and was sold to Frank and Chas Wilde in 1919). In 1908 Abraham Kautz began the Ford Garage on Main Street (Lot 9). He sold models of Cutting, Buick, EMF, Fidler, and Hupmobile. In 1917 Abe added on a 40 foot addition. The business later became the Hupmobile Garage. In 1930 Abe sold the Garage to Chas Schmidt. Freeman Coop bought the property in 1949.
Dubs Jewelry
In 1914 Abraham Kautz bought the property south of his harness shop (Lot 10). In 1948 Raymond Unruh bought the property and constructed a building for photography business. The north half of the building was Delmars Donut Bar. In 1953 Leonard and Irene Dubs bought the building and started a cafe. In 1957 they opened Dubs Jewelry store in the south section and a lunch counter in the north section. Irene had a beauty shop in the back of the jewelry store. Jo’s Cafe operated in the building and later Barb’s Cafe run by Barb Wagner.
Kautz Harness Shop
In 1900 Jacob Kautz bought property on Main Street (Lot 11). Abraham Kautz took over his fathers property in 1904 and opened Kautz Harness Shop. In 1923 E.F. Tiesen opened a chiropractic office behind the harness shop. In 1943 Freeman Coop bought the building and sold it to Emma Wipf in 1954. Charlie Gering moved in his shoe store in 1962. In 1964 Ray Hofer bought the shoe business from Charlie and started Ray’s Shoe shop. Ray also brought the Steel Sales business to Main Street in 1964.
City Garage > Schmidt Motor > Pollman Hardware
In 1916 brothers; Charles J. and Jacob J. Schrag, built a 50 x 100 foot garage on Main Street (Lot 12 & 13) (City Garage). The garage was sold to Albert Schmidt in 1925 and he brought Schmidt Motor Co. to Main Street. Schmidt Motor sold Buick, Chevrolet, Oakland, and Elgin until 1941. In the 1940’s A. G. Pollman started Marshall Wells hardware store, operating until 1974. In 1974 Loren Krier started General Trading Company in the building, distributing automotive parts and supplies.
Fairmont Cream Station > Ferd's Food Market
In 1901 C.C. Vogt opened a photography gallery on Main Street (Lot 14). Fairmont Cream Station operated in the building in 1915. The building was remodeled and joined with the building to the north shortly after. An electric store operated in the building during the 1920’s into the 1930’s. Crescent Ice Cream store moved in during the late 1940’s, then became a Dairy Queen and moved to Highway 81. In 1952 Ferd Walter started Ferd’s Food Market here. In 1973 the business became Ted’s Food Market, run by Ted Pidde. His son (Bob Pidde) began Bob’s Clover Farm in 1983, later moving across the street and starting Jamboree Food Store.
Rosen Tailor > Preheim Tire
In the 1930’s John Rosen opened a tailor shop on Main Street next to the Cream Store (Lot 15), (the tailor shop was later moved to the north end of Main Street). John Edwin P. Hofer bought the property and constructed a building for a feed and poultry business. He ran the business until 1955. In 1957 Leonard and Clarence Preheim opened Preheim General Tire shop. In 1960 Edwin Hofer started King Koin laundromat which he sold to Lewis Kleinsasser in 1969. David Epp bought Freeman Laundromat in 1979.
Kaufman Jewelry Store
In 1893 Aaron Peters built a two story building on corner of Fourth and Main Street (Lot 17 & 18). The building was moved to Seventh Street which later became the Salem Home. In 1898 Rev. Joseph Kaufman bought the lot on Main Street and put up a a two story building Kaufman & Son Jewelry Store. In 1901 Joseph Kaufman and Benjamin Waltner constructed Kaufman & Waltner general store south of the jewelry store (Lot 16).
Kaufman Jewelry Store was a large building. The northwest part of the building was used for jewelry and watch repair, the east was living space. The south east part was used for a grocery store until 1902 when First National Bank opened. The clock above the Jewelry store was installed in 1903. First National Bank operated in the building until 1907, when they moved across the street to the north. Kaufman & Waltner general store moved into the main building, becoming Benjamin Waltner’s Flour and Feed store. The Freeman Hotel opened upstairs. The west part of the upstairs was used for a dentist and a physician until 1919. Joseph Kaufman was in business until 1925, then his son George took over. In 1943 the business closed and Kaufman sold the property to Alvin Huber.
Huber Motor
In 1936 Alvin Huber bought the Standard Oil Dealership on the corner of Third and Main street. The business became Huber Standard in 1937. In 1940 Alvin Huber added a Ford Mercury Dealership and moved the business a block south into the Kaufman building on Fourth and Main Street. In 1944 the building was remodeled with a parts room, storeroom, and a new service building. In 1946 the business name was changed to Huber Motor. In 1956 Orville Huber joined the business. In 1962 the old building was torn down and a new service station and showroom was built. In 1967 Reno Huber joined the business. After Alvin died in 1970, Reno and Orville ran the business. In 1971 a lot was purchased on Sixth Street for automotive sales.
