January 13, 1983
Picture #1 – Louis Lutz
Picture #2 – John Danner
Picture #3 – This is the only business block still existing between South and Crocker streets, on the east side from the early part of this century. Today’s article presents businesses and people who used it.
Author’s Note: This is the third in a series about the east side of South Main Street from South to Crocker. If readers didn’t see the first two, the whole series will be more meaningful if the earlier ones are read also.
The first photo reference in today’s story is an up-to-date photo showing the only business block still remaining from the earlier part of this century. Presently, the only two tenants occupying the building are the Plus I Lounge No. 318-320), shown in the extreme left, owned by Tim Weimerskirch and Sandy Chammess, and next to it R-Place (No. 322) owned by Larry and Terrie Gardner.
In 1955, Kitchen’s House of Music (included in last week’s article) occupied the rooms where Plus I Lounge is now. A fire that ravaged that building at one time, destroyed the second story, which was used for residences and it was never rebuilt, which can be of evidence in the photo.
Long before The Kitchen House of Music occupied the space where Plus I Lounge is now, there was a business which not many readers remembers, Lutz’s Steam Bakery, operated by Louis Lutz. The accompanying photo of him came out of a city directory, published in 1909. He carried a full page advertisement in it, explaining that he sold wholesale as well as retail. From another source, I recall that he serviced all the small town in the Fostoria area including Amsden, Kansas, Bettsville, Bascom, Arcadia, Risingsun and New Riegel.
The bakery proper was built behind the retail store. It was equipped with modern machinery for mixing bread and cakes, cookie cutting machines and two ovens which permitted the output of 1,500 loaves of bread and 3,000 cookies daily. I remember the “Log cabin” cookies they baked. At this point in time it seems like they were 3-4 inches in diameter, white, thick, soft and indentations across the top to make them look like logs. It was the only bakery I recall that ever made that type of cookie.
I do not know what happened to that bakery or the family.
HOW MANY DO YOU REMEMBER?
Other businesses to occupy that building and people to reside in the second floor apartments are as follows:
No 318 – Fostoria Monument Works; Grover Myers Plumbing (later became Myers- Lichtle Plumbing); Albert P. Flechtner, meats; Island Fruit Market, A.W. Lampe, proprietor; Grimes Meat Market; Earl Peter Flower Shop; Kitchen House of Music; Plus I Lounge.
No. 318 1/2 – Mrs. Rose Shultz, residence.
NO. 320 – E.C. Stewart Grocery (later to become Royal Restaurant & Grocery, under same management).
No. 322 – Lutz’s Steam Bakery; The Fostoria Baking Co., John Danner, proprietor; M.T. Blaser – Son Grocery; Charles A. Babb Grocery (later to become Babb’s Cloverfarm).
No. 322 1/2 – Residences for the following: Carl Rogers, Mrs. N.A. Eichar, G.B. Jones, Mrs. Hazel C. Decker, Milton J. Woessner, Bud H. Coppus, Mrs. Mary M. Johnson.
No. 324 – Royal Restaurant; Sun Ray Baking Co., John Danner and R.E. Jumper, proprietors, also location for Eddie’s Lunchroom, E.D. Rager, proprietor; Hupp Restaurant, Nellie J. Danner, proprietor; Maxine R. Danner Restaurant; Baldie’s Nite Club; Holman’s Cafe.
No. 324 1/2 – Residences for the following: Mrs. E.J. Keller, C.W. Wade, K.W. Yerger, Mrs. M.A. Sheward, W.L. Madison, Mrs. Ora A. Miller, J. Albert Clayton, J.N. Waltermeyer.
No. 326 – Kieffer Racket Store moved to this location when other building in which they operated for so many years was demolished; Home Baking Co., C.W. Wade, manger; M.E. Saylor Meat Market; A.P. Flechtner, meats; Highland Merchandising Co.; J.H. Daniels Co., household appliances; de Santos Hair Stylist; Linda’s Beauty Salon; Jennifer’s Curling Iron; room currently vacant.
ABOUT BAKERIES AND J. DANNER
Often when a certain type of business is established in a certain location, it is because that location has become a focal point for the merchandise offered. when the research was being done for this article it was soon evident that a number of bakeries had located in the area where the Louis Lutz Bakery had established itself earlier.
The reason became known when I interviewed Mrs. Richard Cook about John Danner, her father, who was one of those who had followed Lutz with a bakery in that same area. In our conversation, I learned that the ovens originally installed by Lutz had been used by other bakers after he had retired. Danner being the last one. In fact, the reason Danner had to quit business was because the old ovens had finally deteriorated to the point that they would not pass state inspections.
Here’s the brief, but interesting life story about John Danner, as told by Mrs. Cook.
“Dad came to this country from Switzerland with his parents in 1897, when he was four years old. The family settled in Bluffton”.
“Dad was a born salesman. when he came to Fostoria as a young man he sold extracts and perfume door-to-door. During World War I, he bought flour from milling companies and became a jobber, warehousing it in a building at Center and Union Streets. He also blended hard and soft wheat to meet flour users requirements”. Tom Burke, father of John, 160 Elm St., was a salesman for Danner, according to Mrs. Cook.
“Later Dad sold flour for Harter Mill and for Mennel Mill after they acquired it. He also sold flour for Western Queen, Iowa.
DANNER NEVER REALLY RETIRED
During his retirement years, Danner couldn’t just sit still…he had to be selling something…he chose Christmas Trees, light bulbs, and packaged noodles, the latter two items door-to-door.
I told Mrs. Cook that my grandmother Mrs. Margaret Babcock once told me that John Danner either roomed or boarded with her, I can’t remember which, when he was a young man. Mrs. Cook recalled her father saying that when he came to Fostoria he took his meals with a lady on East Center Street, but she didn’t know who. It was my grandmother because that’s where she lived then.
John Danner was a jolly, well-liked person about town. Many readers will remember him and probably learn something about his life from this brief sketch.
When Danner quit the bakery business, members of his family took over the business room he had used for retailing baked goods and operated a restaurant
Today remnants of the John Danner family still residing in Fostoria are daughters Mrs. Richard Cook and Mrs. Maxine Heney, both at 115 W. Jackson St.; grandchildren, Richard (Dick) Danner, 345 Perry St.; Mrs. David (Sue) Loomis, 637 Westhaven Dr.; and Carol Haney, 115 W. Jackson Street.