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Fin & Tail
108 S. Third St.
02 06 210 N. SECOND ST. LOCATION
1957
-- -- 108 S. SECOND ST. LOCATION
The building at 108 South Third Street was formerly operated by Fin & Tail Foods, Inc., starting in 1957, and sold in 1964 to Mr. and Mrs. Waldemar Grulke who operated the store for five years as Grulke’s Hot Carryouts.
1961
06 04 108 SOUTH THIRD STREET
Another Fin & Tail Delicatessen is scheduled to open in Madison in the near future, and at later dates other Fin & Tail establishments will be opened, on a franchise basis, in other Wisconsin cities. In his classification talk delivered at Monday’s weekly meeting of the Watertown Rotary Club, Robert Franz, proprietor of the local Fin & Tail Delicatessen, located at 108 South Third Street, told of the expansion plans, and also related the history of the local establishment. He also gave his fellow Rotarians information on the operation of the delicatessen. The Fin & Tail opened at the corner of South Second and Jones Street six and a half years ago in the building which housed the first kindergarten in America. This building was moved to the Octagon House grounds. With the building no longer available to him, Franz four and a half years ago opened a store at the present location.
1963
10 26 FRANCHISING ADDITIONAL STORES
Fin & Tail Foods, Inc., announced plans for expanding its operations by franchising additional stores dealing in fish, sea foods, and a variety of food products, sauces, etc. The announcement was made by Robert Franz who has purchased the former Koser Bakery property in South Second Street and converted it into wholesale office quarters for the organization, renting it to Fin & Tail Foods, Inc. The building also has been remodeled to provide a large and modern kitchen on the second floor where the line of sauces, foods and fish are prepared.
1964
10 26 GRULKE’S HOT CARRYOUTS
The building at 108 South Third Street was formerly operated by Fin & Tail Foods, Inc., starting in 1957, and sold in 1964 to Mr. and Mrs. Waldemar Grulke who operated the store for five years as Grulke’s Hot Carryouts.
1965
02 09 Harold A. Rose, route 2, Watertown, is the new secretary treasurer of Fin and Tail Foods, Inc., wholesale department, with headquarters in the former Koser Bakery Building here at 111 South Second Street. Mr. Rose is a graduate of Watertown High School. He spent ten months with the Wisconsin National Guard at Fort Lewis, Wash., as chef and joined the staff of Fin and Tail Foods in September of 1962 and a chef and in December moved to Madison where he took over the duties of assistant manager and in February of 1963 was transferred to West Allis where he developed a new store for Fin and Tail. Robert Franz is president and was reelected at the board meeting. Ray Franz was reelected vice president and Mrs. Ray (Irma) Franz continues to serve as a director. WDT
c.1965
1966
03 22 A new company, known as Chef Pierre’s Caterers, has been formed in Watertown. It will handle catering services. The company will be located at 109 South Second Street. No serving will be done at the kitchen location, but will be done in private homes, country clubs, churches, halls, picnic areas, etc. President will be Robert A. Franz, vice president and general manager, Lucille Lenius, and secretary-treasurer, Harold Rose. The president has been affiliated with Fin & Tail Foods Inc. (Wholesale Division) for the past 11 years and has served as chef in the Watertown National Guard for 14 years. WDT
1968
01 25 FIN & TAIL CHANGES OPERATION
The board of directors of Fin and Tail Foods, Inc. announced two major changes, one being the changing of all franchise stores to be operated under the owner’s name, not under the corporate name of Fin and Tail. These stores include the east side of Madison formally known as Fin and Tail now operating as Johnson Seafoods. The second store on the west side of Madison has previously been canceled as of two years ago.
There has been a store operating under the name of Fin and Tail in Watertown since 1955. The local store has been owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. Waldemar Grulke since June, 1964. They are now operating under the name of Grulke’s Carry-Outs.
The restaurant supply division of Fin and Tail Foods, Inc., with a yearly sales of approximately one-half million dollars, has been sold, the paper products to Tri-County Tobacco Co. Inc., Watertown, and the frozen foods to Mueller Bros. Fish Co., Milwaukee, Wis. The board takes this opportunity to thank the many restaurant accounts for their past patronage.
The Fin and Tail Corporation will direct all their efforts in the prepared food field consisting of fried fish, salads, and sauces, which are processed at Watertown and shipped through distributors -throughout Wisconsin, Illinois, and parts of Minnesota to super markets and restaurants.
Fin and Tail Foods, Inc., maintains kitchens in the former Koser Bakery building. 111 South Second Street, Watertown.
Robert Franz is president of Fin and Tail Foods, Inc.
1969
07 17 WASSERSTADT KUCHE OPENED
Chef Pierre’s Caterers, Inc., announce the opening of their new German delicatessen known as the Wasserstadt Kuche located at 108 South Third Street in Watertown. Featured will be stacked hot beef, corn beef and ham sandwiches in addition to complete meals to pick up hot and take home, and a hot fish known as Fish ‘n Chips. The delicatessen will be operated by Lucille Lenius, secretary-treasurer of Chief Pierre’s Caterers, Inc., who has been providing a fine catering service to the Watertown area for the past three years. Chief Pierre will also have their office at the Wasserstadt Kuche, moving there from the old location at 107 South Second Street. A grand opening is being planned for the first week in August as soon as the entire remodeling project has been completed. The building at 108 South Third Street was formerly operated by Fin & Tail Foods, Inc., starting in 1957, and sold in 1964 to Mr. and Mrs. Waldemar Grulke who operated the store for five years as Grulke’s Hot Carryouts.
08 06 GRAND OPENING AD
08 07 RIBBON CUTTING CEREMONIES FOR THE GRAND OPENING
Wasserstadt Kuche, a German delicatessen, 108 South Third.
Mayor Kenneth Wilkes cuts the ribbon. The new business is being operated by Chef Pierre's Caterers, Inc. Robert Franz, president of Chef Pierre's, Lucille Lenius, operator of the store and secretary-treasurer of Chef Pierre's, Hubert Lenius, Don Malcolm, president of the Watertown Area Chamber of Commerce, and Clarence Hartmann, executive secretary of the chamber.
09 29 NEW PROCESSING PLANT / GROUNDBREAKING
Groundbreaking ceremonies for the processing plant of Fin and Tail Foods, Inc., will be held Monday, Sept. 29 at 4 p.m. Plans call for the new plant to be constructed at 925 Twelfth Street. The plant, when completed, will house the latest, up-to-date production of Fin and Tail’s fine line of batter fried foods and sauces. Robert Franz is president of the corporation.
-- -- NEW PROCESSING
PLANT / CONSTUCTION PHOTOS
1970
06 16 INTERIOR VIEWS
1971
-- -- SIGNAGE BY DAVID’S PAINT
1987
History of Watertown, Wisconsin