By Joann M. Ringelstetter
On April 24, 2010, Dave Burmester, owner of Burmester's Grocery in Loganville, Wisconsin, since 1963, celebrated 90 years since his father first opened the store. The event drew a large crowd of people, many of whom spent their childhoods stopping at the store for an ice cream cone or some penny candy.
To celebrate the occasion, ice cream was only five cents a scoop – the price his father set when he first bought the ice cream parlor business in 1920, which he soon turned into a grocery store. On that day, friends scooped the ice cream while Dave took a much-needed break from working six days a week.
Two years ago, in early October, Ruth and I passed through Loganville on our way to spending three days on the backroads of our neighboring state of Minnesota. As we passed Burmester's Grocery, we discussed the fact that we had been through Loganville many times over the years, but had never stopped to photograph the old store. So we decided we should take the time to capture a few images that morning.
As I began to photograph, Dave Burmester opened the door to get his Sunday newspaper. I introduced myself and asked him what he could tell me about the building. He told me that the building was built around 1895 and he was pretty sure that there was originally a hardware store on the left side of the building and a butcher shop and shoe repair shop on the right side. Note the two separate doors in the picture below.
Dave said that the building housed an ice cream parlor in 1920, which his father, Albert Burmester, purchased that year. Soon, however, his father realized that he couldn’t make a living selling only ice cream, so he began adding groceries.
When I asked Dave if he minded telling his age, he said he was 27, with 50 years of experience. Then I asked him if I could take his picture and he said with a grin, “Go ahead, it’s YOUR camera,” as if taking his picture might break the camera. He then invited me inside the store to chat for a few minutes.
On the wall inside the store hung an old framed photograph of the inside of the store around 1925. The photo showed Dave’s father Albert standing at the counter. A small typewritten paragraph at the bottom of the frame said, “In 1920, Albert Burmester purchased an ice cream parlor from John Williams. Albert soon began adding groceries, and in about a year’s time, the ice cream parlor became Burmester’s Grocery.”
In that photo, the free-standing glass cases and shelves lining the walls of the store are stacked full of goods and there is a huge free-standing display of cans of Snider Pork & Beans in the middle of the wooden floor.
That day, the sparsely stocked shelves told a different story. Dave said he was trying to keep the store going, but suppliers didn’t want to deal with him because his store was too small. Although Dave’s father couldn’t make a living selling ice cream, Dave said selling hand-dipped ice cream cones was probably what was still keeping him in business.
Last Saturday, after photographing in the beautiful countryside of Sauk County, Ruth and I came through Loganville and were saddened to see that the sign for Burmester’s Grocery had been replaced by a sign for a realty office. So I spoke to the owner of Aunt Ozie’s Café, which is across the street from the former Burmester’s Grocery store, and she told me that Dave had finally closed the store due to health reasons. And so, another old-fashioned hometown business is no more, except fondly in the memories of the townspeople who frequented the store when it was in its glory.
If you’re ever in the Loganville, Wisconsin area, be sure to stop in at Aunt Ozie’s Cafe to enjoy delicious food in an old store building with a weathered wooden floor and a warm, inviting atmosphere. It’s located at 200 Main Street in downtown Loganville.
Happy Shunpiking!
Joann
I have stopped in several times for ice cream at Burmesters. I am sorry that it is no longer there. :( However; I am glad that you had a chance to get the history of the place. :)
ReplyDeletethis was my uncles store, my father grew up here and it was the most wonderful childhood memory to go and stay upstairs where the family home was and helping my uncle out downstairs in the store.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment about your wonderful childhood memories of helping your uncle in the store. We grew up in a small community that had a little grocery store like this and we also have fond memories of stopping there on Sundays after church service.
Delete