website watertownhistory.org
ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
Nowack & Schmutzler
Schmutzler & Krier
Schmutzler & Oestreich
Schmutzler Furniture
Schmutzler Funeral Home
Schmutzler’s Hall
Red Apple Antiques
Tribeca GalleryCafe and Books
401 E Main
1957c, 401 E Main, 1950s-70s city assessor image, WHS_006_048b
HISTORY
Christian Schmutzler and family arrived in Watertown from Baveria in 1851, bringing with them skills in retail, banking and building. Christian was a builder by trade, having built the little Bavaian "Eagle House" on Cleveland Street, the old city hall, several public schools, and numerous dwellings. He also built the family residence on 721 North Fourth Street and a cabinet/furniture shop next to the home on Green Street.
They were often called upon to make coffins, so in 1873, Christian and his son Edward, opened the Schmutzler Funiture and Undertaking Establishment on Fourth and Main Street, today the home of Tribeca Gallery Cafe & Books. Edward's son, Oscar Sr., joined the firm in 1919, after returning from WWI. In 1935, Oscar remolded the family home on 721 North Fourth Street. Quoting the Watertown Daily Times, "adding a modern chapel, and display and preparation rooms." The undertaking business moved from Main Street to North Fourth Street and the Schmutzler Funiture Store remained on Main Street.
Between 1954 and 1959, Oscar Sr. sons joined the undertaking and furniture store, Oscar Sr., also known as Hap, Donald and Robert.
After 110 years in business, in 1983, the family closed the Schmutzler Funiture Store, keeping the funeral home in operation.
In 1986, the family decided to retire from the funeral home business, selling the business to Raymond and Janet Vick.
Recognizing the needs of families, in 1999, Ray and Janet built a new, very modern funeral home to serve the families of today on 500 Welsh Rd. in Watertown.
The funeral home was renamed to Schmutzler-Vick Funeral Home & Cremation Service. The design included a crematory on site, the first in Dodge and Jefferson Counties, being on the county line. Built on one level, with plenty of natural light, wheel chair accessible bathrooms, family area, children's play area close to the chapel, music room and a family reception area, located across the hall from the chapel. Our reception hall allows us to provide Hors D'oeuvres, sandwich buffets, and sit down dinners to desert, an option that has been received very well by the community. The chapel and parking area is the largest in the area, again, keeping in mind the needs of today’s families.
1892
05 30 O. D. PEASE POST NO. 94
Decoration Day <> G.A.R. <> O. D. Pease Post No. 94
Meets 2nd and 4th Fridays in Schmutzler’s Hall, N.
Fourth and E. Main
01 12 NOWACK, SCHMUTZLER & CO.
FURNITURE & UNDERTAKING
Purchased undertaking business of J. Jungman & Co. / Charles Nowack, Frank Nowack, Edward Schmutzler (WR ad)
UNDERTAKING
The undersigned would inform the public generally that
they have associated themselves together under the firm name of Nowack,
Schmutzler & Cos., for the purpose of carrying on the Furniture business,
and will keep constantly on hand, at the old stand of Nowack Bros., on the
corner of Main and Fourth streets. A
fine assortment of all kind of FURNITURE! Such as
Parlor and Chamber Sets, Cane Seat and Wood Bottomed Chairs, etc., together
with Common Furniture of every description.
The firm would also state that they have purchased the undertaking business
of J. Jungman & Cos. and will keep on hand a varied assortment of Coffins,
Caskets, Shrouds, etc. Funerals furnished with Hearse and Carriages on short
notice.
CHAS. NOWACK. FRANK NOWACK, EDWARD SCHMUTZLER
1900
09 26 EDWARD SCHMUTZLER
Edward Schmutzler is in Milwaukee taking instructions in embalming. WR
1905 1905c, Nowack & Schmutzler & Co Furniture
08 09 BOUNCED CHECK
A stranger giving the name of Fred. Beruns was arrested late Friday afternoon by policeman Bruegger upon complaint of Otto H. Nowack who charged Beruns with giving him a check on the Wisconsin National Bank for the sum of $65 when he had no funds or credit at the bank. He entered the store shortly after the bank closed for the day and purchased $50 worth of furniture which was to be delivered and tendered in payment the check mentioned and received $15 in cash. After the transaction, Mr. Nowack became suspicious that something was wrong and telephoned to W. F. Voss, an officer of the bank, asking if Beruns had any money in the bank, being informed that he had not. He at once swore out a warrant for the arrest of the man, who was apprehended at the Junction, where he was waiting for a train to take him out of town. When arrested, he had a number of blank checks and $14.75 upon his person. WR
1909 Nowack & Schmutzler Co, furniture dealers
1910
01 07 Nowark
& Schmutzler dissolved; Schmutzler & Krier formed WG
01 14 Odd
Fellows forced to move as Schmutzler & Krier need the room WG
09 02 COLUMBIA
GRAPHAPHONES
Records, discs and cylinders. Schmutzler & Krier, 401 Main Street WG
09 23 LICENSED UNDERTAKER
Harry Krier of the firm of
Schmutzler and Krier, has been licensed by the state board of health as a duly
qualified embalmer and undertaker, having recently received his certificate
from the secretary of the said board, C. A. Harper of Madison. Both members of this popular firm are now full fledged undertakers and are better prepared than ever
to take care of everything in the undertaking
line. WG
1913 Schmutzler & Oestreich, furniture dealers
1915
1915 Ad, Schmutzler & Oestreich, furniture and funeral
07 22 BOLD ROBBERS
A Clever
Scheme Worked on Watertown Business House.
Friday afternoon the
safe in the furniture store of Schmutzler & Oestreich at the corner of Main
and Fourth streets was robbed of $18 in cash and a small amount in checks and
money orders. It is evident that two
young men worked the scheme that deprived the firm of their cash.
About 4 o’clock in the afternoon a young man entered
the store and asked about lawn swings on display outside the building. Oscar Schmutzler waited on the young man but
did not go outside with him. The fellow
left and returned again in a short time and asked to
be shown springs and mattresses and he was taken up stairs, and then he
inquired about go-carts which were further from the stairway leading from the
first to the second story. He examined a
collapsible go-cart and then went down stairs without purchasing
and left the store. A short time previous to this
another young man entered the store, bought a 25c bottle of furniture polish
and tendered a $20 bill in payment. Mr. Schmutzler was unable to change the
bill, and the fellow left, saying he would return later with the change to get
the polish. He evidently did return and
robbed the safe, while Mr. Schmutzler was upstairs with the fellow’s
accomplice. On escorting the would-be
purchaser of a go-cart to the door Mr. Schmutzler became suspicious and went to
his safe and found that a neat robbery scheme had been pulled off on him.
The police were notified at once. On investigation it was found that a young
man answering the description of the one who called for the furniture polish
had left a package at Louis
Eggersgluess’ saloon next door east of the Schmutzler & Oestreich store,
and it was found to be a bottle of furniture polish purchased at the furniture
store of Carl F. Nowack, a few doors west.
The fellow also tendered a $20 bill in payment for the polish at Mr.
Nowack’s store, and when Mr. Nowack pulled out a pocket book from his hip
pocket to get the change, the fellow passed over five nickels in payment for
the polish. They evidently found
conditions were not right at the Nowack store to work their scheme and passed on to the Schmutzler & Oestreich place.
Up to the present time the fellows have not been
caught and the chances are they are working their scheme in some far distant
city. WG
1925
05
12 NEW STORE FRONT FOR
SCHMUTZLER FURNITURE CO.
A new store front of the latest and most improved type
will be installed by the Schmutzler Furniture Co. at their place of business at Main and Fourth streets this summer. Work on the front will begin about the middle
of June, it was stated today by Oscar E. Schmutzler.
The new front will be so arranged that the entrance to
the store will be on Main Street at the Fourth Street end of the building. The display window will be
so arranged as to make an upper and lower window; the upper being part
of a balcony which is to extend through the store on the east side of the
store. This will give much added floor
space for the display of furniture. The
entrance will be level with the street and the entire front will extend as far
as it does now; that is there will be no "moving out" toward the
street.
The new front is to be of copper construction and will include only the ground floor. When completed it will give the Schmutzler Furniture Co. one of the best store fronts in the city, it will add greatly to the beauty of the building and will serve to better the facilities for display. The change involves a big expenditure, but Mr. Schmutzler feels that it will be well worth the price, for in making the change, he is giving to the city a greatly improved store.
08
27 HARRY J. KRIER CO.
FURNISHES FINE FUNERAL HOME
The Harry Krier Co. has just completed the furnishing of a funeral home at 209 North Second Street. The furniture of the home is beautiful and unusual in design, made of wicker finished in gold and frosted blue. There is a large room completely equipped to accommodate those in attendance at death and burial, a slumber room for the dead and an embalming room. The effect is planned and carried out in an artistic manner. The funeral home is the only establishment of its kind in Watertown and fills the long-wanted need. Henry Hafemeister is associated with Harry J. Krier.
1935
SCHMUTZLER FURNITURE
1955
SCHMUTZLER FUNERAL HOME
1985
07 05 RED APPLE ANTIQUE AND FURNITURE SHOP OPENED
Located at 401 E Main is the newly opened Red Apple Antique and Furniture Shop. Don and Alice Strube, the new owners, said they are delighted with the old three and a half story structure built in the late 1800s that still houses the old freight elevator for moving furniture. Their shop carries an interesting variety of antiques and new country furniture from a very casual to a more formal look. They have early primitives including pine harvest tables, country cupboards, and the more turn-of-the-century oak tables with square and round tops or the more formal traditional walnut, cherry and mahogany tables.
2007
09 18 RED APPLE CLOSED
Refinishing an old broken down walnut chest was just the beginning of one Watertown family’s life business and love for antique furniture. Alice and Don Strube will be selling the building where Red Apple Antiques and Furniture, 401 E. Main St., operates. After the building is sold, Strube’s son, Alan, will continue the business from their home workshop on County Highway R. Red Apple Antiques and Furniture has been in operation on Watertown’s Main Street for the past 25 years. The Strubes purchased old furniture from various dealers, restored it and put it up for sale in the Main Street store. As the antique industry has changed over the years, the Strubes’ business has changed. Although they still offer various antique pieces at their Main Street store, their business has gone from mainly selling their refinished work to now mainly doing repairs and individual customer projects.
2009
05 07 TRIBECA GALLERYCAFE AND BOOKS
A new book store and cafe is being planned for downtown Watertown. The Watertown Plan Commission Monday granted a conditional use permit to Julie Crnkovich, owner of Crimson and Vexin LLC, the proposed cafe and book store at 401 E. Main St., the former location of Red Apple Antiques. The permit was issued under the condition that the site plans for Crimson and Vexin, also known as Tribeca Cafe and Books, are approved by the state.
Schmutzler Building became location for Tribeca GalleryCafe and Books in summer of 2009
Julie Crnkovich, owner
Image set: WHS_005_974-978
2012
PAINTING OF EXTERIOR
2017
05 02 TRIBECA
TO OPEN SECOND LOCATION
Watertown’s Tribeca GalleryCafé & Books is planning to open a new store in Milwaukee’s Freshwater Plaza development, which will also be home to anchor store Cermak Fresh Market as well as Jimmy John’s sandwich shop, a fashion boutique, and more, reported the Milwaukee Business Journal. The 180,000-square-foot development space will also include 76 apartments.
Earlier this month, Tribeca GalleryCafé & Books marked its 10th anniversary with a two-day celebration featuring live music, author events, sales, and cake.
History of Watertown, Wisconsin