(D-F) 34 places of the past: An alphabetical look at La Crosse area history
Dad and Lad's
Joseph Mader, a clerk at Dad's and Lad's, helps one of the store's last customers before the store closed on Jan. 10, 1983. Mader, who sold menswear for more than 50 years, told reporter Gayda Hollnagel that "From now on, I want to take it easy. Enjoy life. That's it — period." Mader, 76, died at his home the following day. The building, located at 125 S. Fourth St., later was home to Rocky Rococo Pizza & Pasta, is now vacant.
Dahl Ford
Dahl Automotive opened its Ford City showroom in 1957 at the corner of Third and Division streets. Harry Dahl founded the business in 1911 in his hometown of Westby. The dealership has since expanded its footprint on the southern edge of the city's downtown. There also are Dahl locations in Onalaska and Winona, Minn.
Dairyland Power Cooperative
Two technicians are reflected in the water of the holding tank as a spent fuel rod is lowered into a storage grid at Dairyland Power Cooperative's nuclear generator in Genoa. This state's first nuclear plant, located about 20 miles south of La Crosse along the Mississippi River, was shut down in 1987. In 2012, Dairyland transferred the spent fuel rods into dry casks for long-term storage. Full decommissioning of the site is expected to be completed by 2020.Â
Danny's House of Music
Danny's House of Music closed in December 1974. Owner Daniel Lebakken purchased the store, located at 307 Main St., in 1953. The site is now occupied by Verve credit union.
Dartmouth Clothiers
Dartmouth Clothiers opened in the spring of 1973 in Bridgeview Plaza. The store, later named Dartmouth Direct Clothes, closed its location on the city's North Side in the fall of 1983.
1982: Dayton's
Dayton's employee Sharon Hulse, left, assists Dave Trapp and his sons, Tom and Jon, chose a set of china for a Christmas gift. The store opened with Valley View Mall in 1980, became Marshall Field's in 2001, and was re-branded as Macy's in 2006. Macy's closed in 2016. To read more about the early years of Valley View Mall, click here.
Dee's Gasoline Alley
Glenn Affeldt was president of Dee's Gasoline Alley in 1984 when the car repair shop opened its Onalaska location. The business, which today is known as Dee's Auto Care Specialists, also has locations in La Crosse and Winona, Minn.
1965: Dog House Restaurant
The Dog House Restaurant opened in September 1965. On hand for the opening were, from left, local franchise owner William Jefferson company President Ross Marino. The eatery, located at the corner of Losey Boulevard and State Road, was open 24 hours a day. Hobbit Travel now occupies the corner.
Don's Seldom Inn
Don and Gen Schwert purchased Don's Seldom Inn, 1031 S. Fourth St., in 1958. Originally the business was called Don and Gen's, but, according to Tribune reporter Ken Brekke, a sign painter was visiting the tavern one day when Gen was tending bar and her mischief-loving husband was late for his shift. When the painter asked what name he was supposed to put on the sign, Gen snapped, "Don's Seldom Inn." The Schwerts retired in 1985, and today site is an empty lot.
1982: Drugan's Supper Club
Yodeler Aase Helst and 16 musicians from Andalsnes, Norway, perform to a packed Saturday night crowd in 1981 at Drugan’s Supper Club in Holmen. Kent and Donna Drugan started the business in 1970 after they bought and renovated the former Silver Dollar Saloon. In 1973, Kent and Donna bought the nine-hole Castle Mound golf course and immediately built a new supper club there. Another nine holes were added to the golf course in 1981, and today the operation is known as Drugan’s Castle Mound Golf & Supper Club.
Ed Sullivan's
Ed and Sally Sullivan stand in front of a 1983 expansion to their Trempealeau supper club. The couple, who started the businesses in 1968, sold the restaurant in 2001. Today, Sullivan's Supper Club, as it's now known, remains a popular dining destination along the Mississippi River.
Edwards China Shop
Wrought iron is installed in spring 1974 to get the building at 204 S. Fourth St. ready for Edwards China Shop, which opened that summer. The metal work remains today on the storefront, occupied by the Twisted Skull tattoo studio. Richard and Rita Edwards closed the shop in 1978 after they purchased the Pizza Wagon, which later became Edwardo's Ristorante di Pizza. The North Side pizzeria closed in December 2015.
Elfman Marine and Motors
H.J. Elfman, left, shown here with mechanic John Emmert, owned Elfman Marine and Motors at 70 Copeland Ave. The company, which offered service and accessories for boat owners, was sold in 1984Â to David Pretasky, who also owned SkipperLiner Marine. The Copeland Avenue location is now an empty lot. SkipperLiner closed in 2010.
Elite Restaurant and Candy Shop
Paul Pappas, owner of the Elite Restaurant and Candy Shop, is shown here making confections at his store at 421 Main St. The Pappas family opened the store in 1912; it closed in 2000. Today, Fat Sam's Main Street Bistro, which opened in 2012, occupies that space until it closed in 2017.
1965: Ellickson Studio
Milton Kinney, a photographer at Ellickson Studio, 431 Cass St., receives the Court of Honor award in 1965 from John Keel, president of the Wisconsin Photographers Association. The award was for a portrait of Sally Riggs, the 3-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Myron Riggs of La Crosse. The studio moved to 511 Main St. in 1980, and it remains in business today.
Embers Restaurant
Embers Restaurant, a Minnesota-based chain, opened at 2620 Rose St. in December, 1973. The eatery closed in April 2004 to make room for a Walgreens, which opened at the site in November 2004.
Ernie Tuff Museum
Members of the bluegrass group Welcome Home perform in the summer of 1982 at the Ernie Tuff Museum, which was located between Rushford and Winona, Minn., along Interstate 90 before it closed in 1995. Tuff, who is best known for the state-of-the-art engines he built that powered race cars at Daytona and other national races during the the 1960s, opened the museum in 1972.
Esteban's
Danette Shick, daughter of Linda and David Shick, tries on a sombrero during a visit to Esteban's restaurant with her West Salem Spanish class. The restaurant opened in in February 1980 at 300 S. Third St. in downtown La Crosse and closed in January 1996. Numerous eateries have opened and closed at that location since then, and another, Lovechild is in business there today.
1954: Estell Tall Fashions
Ester MacKenzie, left, and Eleanor Armstrong, were co-owners of Estel Tall Fashion, a women's clothing store at 720 Main St. The store's name, the women told the Tribune, was arrived at by combing the names of the two owners. The store, the women said, focuses on the fashion needs of taller women. "Tall girls," Armstrong said, "shouldn't be afraid to admit their height. After all, most top models are tall."
Eversole Motors
Les Eversole of Eversole Motors drives a Chrysler K-car in 1980 at his downtown La Crosse dealership. The dealership was first known as Eversole-Rogers Co. when it was founded in 1954. Oregon-based Lithia Motors Inc. acquired Eversole in 2006. Two years later, the dealership was purchased by Pischke Motors of West Salem, which has since expanded the business's footprint at Fourth and Cass streets.
Exchange State Bank
Exchange State Bank opened its new location at 1300 Rose St. in 1962. The bank had spent its previous 74 years at 800 Rose St. A merger in 1991 changed the name to Valley Bank. In 1994, the financial institution took on the M&I Bank name. In 2012, yet another merger changed the North Side bank into BMO Harris.
Exel Inn
Exel Inn opened in 1976 at 2150 Rose St., with Jon Riley, shown here behind the motel's front desk, as the manager. When it opened, it advertised rooms for $11.50 per night. It was the company's sixth location in Wisconsin. The motel became a Howard Johnson in 2008 and later adopted the Motel 6 name in 2014.
Factory Outlet Mall
The Factory Outlet Mall opened in 1984, just off Interstate 90 on French Island. The stores in the shopping center were required to sell merchandise at 20 to 75 percent below list price, according to a story that fall in the La Crosse Tribune. About five years later, the name changed to Sky Harbour Center, and today it's home to The Company Store Outlet and Liesl's Hair Design, two of the mall's first tenants, along with International Furniture, and Horse and Hound.
Farm & Fleet
Lisa Johnson of La Crosse shops at Farm & Fleet on its opening day. The Wisconsin-based retailer opened at 9438 Hwy. 16, Onalaska, in summer 1984. It replaced a Farm & Fleet store that was located at 333-337 Causeway Blvd. The Onalaska store remains in business today.
Fastenal
La Crosse was the site of the third Fastenal store, located at 727 Rose St. The company, which has its headquarters in Winona, Minn., has grown to become the largest fastener distributor in North America. The store in La Crosse had several locations over the years — including 2255 Palace St. and 47 Copeland Ave. — and today it’s located at 51 Copeland Ave.
Ferris Shoe and Leather Repair
Russell Ferris, left, watches as his nephew Mike Ferris fits a new lining for a leather jacket in 1982 at Ferris Shoe and Leather Repair, 1721 George St. The business closed in 1998 when Russell retired.
Fireside Restaurant
This photo shows the Fireside Restaurant after its dining room was remodeled in 1973. The supper club, located at 9402 Hwy. 16, was opened in 1946 by Ivan Peterson. After the La Crosse restaurant closed in May 1988, the building was demolished to make way for a Barnes & Noble Bookstore. Today, the site is home to a Walgreens.
1980: First Bank-La Crosse
This model of a 10-story office building was unveiled to the public in April 1980 by, from left, Pat Zielke, then mayor of La Crosse; Burton Dahlberg, executive of Kraus-Anderson Inc., the firm planning the project; and Lyle Anderson, president of First Bank-La Crosse, which was expected to occupy about one-third of the structure. The building was to be built along Third Street, between State and Main streets. Because of problems acquiring property, the project was later relocated the to the west, filling the half-block along Second Street, between Main and State streets. The design also was changed before construction began in 1982. The building opened in 1984, and US Bank, the financial institution's name after a consolidation, continues to have a branch there today.
First Federal Savings and Loan
First Federal Savings and Loan completed a major remodeling in 1977 at its La Crosse office at 605 State St. Later, First Federal Savings Bank was created by the 1989 merger of First Federal Savings and Loan Association of La Crosse (which was founded in 1934) and First Federal Savings Bank of Madison (which was founded in 1889). The bank's name was changed to First Federal Capital Bank in March 2003. In 2004, Green Bay-based Associated Bank acquired First Federal. Associated Bank vacated the State Street location this summer, and La Crosse County will move its administrative office into the former bank building by the end of 2016.
Fitting Knit Shop
Lorraine Hurt, left, and her mother, Gertrude Fitting, shown here in 1954, operated Fitting Knit Shop, which sold yarn, thread and other sewing supplies at 105 N. Fourth St. They opened the store in the 1940s. Helen Mike and Margaret Johnson bought the business in October 1966. The business was one of several that was destroyed by fire on Dec. 30, 1979, in the former La Crosse National Bank building. That building was torn down after the fire, and the location remains green space, at the corner of Third and Main streets. Fitting Knit Shop is located today at 533 Main St.
Four Seasons Lounge
Jerry and Jack Lydon opened Four Seasons Lounge in 1974 at 111 N. Third St. The city purchased the business in 1983 to make way for a parking ramp for the planned 10-story First Bank-La Crosse development.
Frenchy's Market
Chad Miller, 4, pays a visit to Frenchy's Market on the North Side of La Crosse. The store — located at 2003 Charles St. and owned by Lucille (pictured) and Duane "Frenchy" La Ronge — was featured in a La Crosse Tribune story in 1978 about the last few mom-and-pop grocers in the city.
Freddie’s Chili House
This photo, taken in 1970, shows Fred and Rose Yarolimek — along with their oldest son, Dean, and his wife, Marianne, outside Freddie’s Chili House in Dresbach, Minn. The Yarolimek family operated the business for more than 40 years before it closed in the late 1970s. Today, that location is home to Pete’s Bar.
The Freight House Restaurant
Workers in the spring of 1978 work to turn the former Milwaukee Road freighthouse into The Freight House Restaurant, which opened later that year. A fire on Sept. 26, 1992, gutted the building, which had been constructed in 1880. The fire's caused was never determined. The eatery reopened on Feb. 1, 1993, and remains in business today.
Take a look inside this downtown La Crosse icon.
Take a look inside this downtown La Crosse icon.
Take a look back through our pages of the early days of Wisconsin's most important convenience store.
