Bert Tiesen Chiropractor
In 1928 when Freedom Corner started, Dr. Emil Tiesen opened a chiropractor office to the north on Fourth Street, just west of Highway 81. There was a small stucco house and tourist cabins, the forerunners of the motels. Emil Tiesen operated his chiropractor office here until 1935 when he moved his office to Doland, SD. In 1939 he returned. His son Bert Tiesen joined Emil in 1954 took over the practice in 1966.
Bruce Beier Dentist
In 1956 Dr. Bruce Beier graduated from South Dakota State University with a B.S. in Pharmacy. In 1965 he graduated from the University of Minnesota with a D.D.S. He began his practice in 1965 at 200 E Fourth Street. In 1981 the Beier Dentist office was built on Fifth Street (now Everence Insurance). Bruce Beier was in business for 28 years until he retired in 1998.
Custom Coils
Custom Coils opened in 1977 on the corner of Plum and Cedar Street, manufacturing coils for electronic equipment.
Fensels Electric, Greenhouse, Hatchery, & Motel
In 1930 Wilmer Fensel came Canton, SD work at the Hatchery. In 1931 he came to Freeman and began working at Gross Hatchery. By the end of the year Wilmer opened Fensel’s Hatchery on Third Street (old VFW). A few years later Wilmer moved Fensel’s Hatchery to the south end of Cherry Street.
In 1942 Wilmer started Fensel’s Electric Supply next to the Hatchery. Later plumbing supplies were added to the wholesale supply store. In 1949 Wilmer purchased land north of town on Highway 81. In 1950 he built a house, planted lots of trees, and built chicken houses. In 1964 a fire destroyed the Electrical Supply building on Cherry Street. The Hatchery moved to the country the rest of the business moved to Highway 81.
Freeman Hotel
Freeman Motel was built by Anthony Miller in 1952 (on the corner of Fifth and Main Street). The Freeman Clinic started in the building before the hospital was built in the early 1950’s. In 1952 the Miller’s opened Millers Variety store on the west side along with the motel. The space was sold to Northwestern Public Service in 1968. Today the building is apartments.
Freeman Municipal
In 1928 J.J. Mendel moved the Courier to Third Street (now Hootz Bar) where it operated for 32 years. 1964 the building was remodeled and the Freeman Municipal Liquor Store opened. It later became Freeman City Bar.
Freeman Wood Products
In 1951 John D. Unruh and L.H. Linscheid organized Freeman Wood Products Company on Fourth Street (now Senior Citizen Center). The shop built custom cabinets and specialized in wood products for homes and businesses. The building was sold in 1971.
Fullerton Lumber
Fullerton Lumber Company operated on Juniper Street (now Mettler Fertilizer) in the early 1900’s. Rudolph A. Gering was the manager in 1909.
Grand Labs
Grand Laboratories Inc. was founded by Duane Pankratz D.V.M. Duane graduated from the University of Iowa in 1967 with a degree in veterinary medicine. In 1971 Dr. Pankratz purchased equipment and established a lab in Freeman. Grand Laboratories researched 15 new products for the animal industry in 10 years. Grand Labs was the first company in the US to develop an effective Pinkeye bacterin and an effective Atrophic Rhinits bacterin
Gross Hatcheries
In 1919 Jake Gross opened a cream and poultry business Jake T. Gross in the brick building north of the Schamber Store. In 1929 Jake Gross opened Gross Hatcheries next to the Farmers Coop Creamery on railway Street. In 1931 Wilmer Fensel began working at the hatchery before starting his own business. By 1932 the hatchery was the largest accredited plant in the state. In 1932 Gross Hatcheries hatched around 450,000 chicks. The business operated into the 1950’s.
Ivan & Ray's
Ivan & Ray’s Floor Covering business started in 1949. In 1956 a building was constructed at 204 E 2nd Street where Ivan’s & Ray’s operated.
Jim's Radiator
Jake S Gross operated a radiator repair business at 321 S Juniper Street in the 1970’s. In 1977 Jim Hofer took over the buiness. The building was later sold to Lawns Unlimited.
Mettler Fertilizer
Sokota Fertilizer began in 1964 on Juniper Street (now Mettler Fertilizer). In 1969 Gerold Mettler started Mettler Fertilizer in the Menno area. Mettler Fertilizer purchased the Freeman plant in 2001. They constructed a new storage shed for seed and chemicals. In 2003 the business purchased a Thrush 510 turbine powered airplane. The business offers both dry & liquid fertilizer, chemicals, seed, soil testing, and scouting services.
Northwestern Public Service
In 1901 John G. Schamber started a light plant above the Schamber Store. In 1912 electric lights were installed in town. In 1914 the Freeman Light Plant was started by: Mathias Hafner, Reinhold Dewald, A.W. Gross, and Jacob J. Mendel.
In 1917 J.J. Mendel took over the plant and operated until 1927, when he sold the business to Northwestern Public Service Co. In 1953 vapor lights were installed on Main Street. In the 1960’s Northwestern operated in the building north of the Schamber store. In 1968 the business moved into the Freeman Motel on Fifth Street. Northwestern later moved to 380 S Main Street where it operated until 2015.
Palace Bowl
Palace Bowl Lanes opened in 1961 established by Orville Ellwein. The bowling alley was built on Relanto Street (just north of Pine Hill Printery) by E.G. Clinton Co. There were eight lanes with Brunswick pin setters. There were 62 teams bowling in the league. Ken Anderson bowled a perfect 300 in 1981.
Ray's Cabinet Shop
In 1970 Ray Shultz started Ray’s Cabinet Shop. In 1974 he moved his business to the south end of Cherry Street.
Saarie Auto Body
Saarie Auto Body opened on North County Road in 1987. A few months later the building burned down but was rebuilt shortly after.
Schrag Well Drilling
Joseph J. Schrag started a well drilling business in the early 1900’s. In 1921 Benjamin J. Schrag took over the business and operated until 1974.
Valley Electric
Cliff’s Telephone & Electrical Service operated on a farm eleven miles southeast of town from 1935 to 1960. Cliff Preheim wired about 50 homes and several businesses. Orville A. Waltner started working for Cliff’s Telephone & Electrical Service in 1957. Cliff Preheim retired in 1965 and sold the business to Orville, who renamed it Valley Electric Service. The business serviced: residential, farm, and commercial electrical installations. In 1975 Ted Pidde joined the business.
VFW
In 1964 Freeman Veterans operated VFW Wilde Post 3728 on Third Street. After the VFW closed several restaurants operated in the building over the years; Rumors, Broken Spoke, Geo’s, Third Street Grill, and Blue’s Restaurant.
Wally's Car Wash
In 1963 Abe Wiebe bought property on Poplar Street to build a car wash. In 1969 Wally Haar bought the car wash from Abe Wiebe and renamed it Wally’s Car Wash. The business was later sold to David Epp and renamed Dave’s Car Wash.
Walter Funeral Home
In 1939 Mike Walter opened a funeral home on Third Street (old VFW) and also started Walter’s Furniture Store. The furniture store operated until the war in 1942. In 1948 Mike bought the drug store building on Main Street (Kairos site), starting a furniture store & funeral home in 1949. In 1954 a funeral home was built on Juniper Street and the business was moved. Mike’s son Derrold then joined the business. In 1976 Derrold’s son Michael attended college for Mortuary Science and soon joined the Funeral Home. Walter Furniture Store continued operation on Main Street until the 1980’s