Stearn's Motors Pt 3

Beer & Wine Wholesale Business  -- Bill Langer, former Governor of North Dakota,  was instrumental in helping Lou Stearns in getting his license to start his wholesale business, Minot Beverage Company. According to one of his past office managers, part of the deal was that Langor received a payment of 5 cents for every bottle of beer or wine distributed. However the checks were always sent to a judge in New York rather than to Bill Langer. One would suppose that the money eventually reached him.

Stearn’s  Apartment Rental Business – There were three apartments on the top floor of Stearns Motors. Lou Stearns lived in the largest one with his girlfriend Florence Brown. Lou and Florence had a turbulent relationship. At one time they were going to be married in Minneapolis, but by the time they arrived on the train, they had a terrible disagreement and fight. Both returned to Minot, but on separate trains. There is a story that whenever Florence would go Minneapolis, Lou would load a car on a flatbed rail car and send it to her destination so she would have something to drive.

Minot Beverage Co. trucks

Stearn's Motors Pt. 2

Stearn’s  Auto Repair Business –

Jack Foley was the Service Manager of  the automobile repair shop affiliated with Stearn’s Motors. At one time there was a gas station out in front of the building. The gas station was on the southwest corner of the intersection of 2^nd Street and Central Avenue.  In those days there was a ramp that went west from Central Avenue down to the Great Northern Depot. One day a minister pulled up and was having his car filled with gas. He jokingly told Jack to charge the gas to the Lord. Jack replied without batting an eye, “Send him down to sign for it and I will.”

Stearn’s Auto Storage and Parking Business – One of the main parts of the operations at Stearns Motors was the parking and automobile storage. Stearns Motors was at the north end of Minot’ infamous High Third Street. This area of Minot was known for its after hour bars, houses of prostitution gambling rooms and at one time opium dens. Many of the prostitutes would rotate in and out of Minot about every two to four weeks. Some arrived by train, some by bus and some by automobile. Many of those arriving by car were brought to Minot in large, fancy vehicles owned by their pimps. While the car was in town it was probably stored inside at Stearns Motors

Stearn's Motors

Stearns Motors -- Lou Stearns was the owner of Stearn’s Motors. In its day Stearn’s Motors was a automobile repair shop and also a garage to park and store automobiles. There were actually five businesses in Strearn’s Motors. The Auto Repair, the Auto Storage Business, a soft drink bottling and wholesale business, a beer and wine wholesale business and apartment rentals. Lou Stearns was reported to have been a generous man. If someone he knew came to him and was down on their luck he would give them a five dollar bill. In those days that was a decent sum of money.

The Soft Drink Business – The soft drink business started in the Stearns Motors building as part of Minot Beverage Company. My understanding is that at one time there was a bottling operation in the basement of Stearns Motors. This was eventually moved to South Broadway and became Northern Bottling Company, which is still in business today

Stearns Motors is now the home of I Keating Furniture

Volunteers of America

The Great Depression of the 1930s stretched the nation's private social welfare system almost to the breaking point. Volunteers of America mobilized to assist the millions of people who were unemployed, hungry and homeless. Relief efforts included employment bureaus, wood yards, soup kitchens and "Penny Pantries" where every food item cost one cent.  The Volunteers of America in 1932 were serving several hundred meals a week to school children at their food station on Second Avenue Southeast. Children sent to the food station are selected from various schools in Minot, according to Capt Richard Das.  Volunteers of America was founded in 1896 by social reformers Ballington and Maud Booth (pictured). They envisioned a movement dedicated to “reaching and uplifting” the American people. On behalf of the organization, the Booths pledged to “go wherever we are needed, and do whatever comes to hand.” In turn-of-the-century America, there was no shortage of work to do. The Volunteers moved into tenement districts to care for people in poverty. They organized day nurseries and summer camps, provided housing for single men and women, and established the nation's first system of halfway houses for released prisoners.   

Walter's Women's Wear

The first Walter’s Women’s Wear opened in July of 1955 at 115 South Main Street. The store was formerly known as Zollie Vida’s. Walter’s was owned by Mr & Mrs Walter Feldman. In 1961 they leased the Bon Bon Store across the street at 114 South Main and opened as Walter’s Bon Bon. Additional departments were added including a Children’s Dept, Lingerie  and shoe department. In April of 1964, Walter’s expanded to a second location in the Town & Country Shopping Center. In March of 1974, Walter’s added The Attic to the downtown store. The Attic featured styles for young, juniors and teens.

Town & Country Shopping Center

Valker Floral and Jupiter

Past Businesess – ….. Geo. E Valker Floral – 216 South main St…. Now the parking lot for Wells Fargo bank ….. Northland Archery – 10-A 1st St SW – Above Harry’s Tire Service (When Harry’s was Downtown) – Indoor archery range and product sales ….. Spinning Wheel – Yarn and sewing shop located in the basement of Northwest Music on main Street in Minot ….. The Al-Ma Shop – fabrics and accessories – 108 4th Ave SE – (new Burdick Expressway ….. Jupiter Discount Store grand opening was in February 1963– Main Street in Minot – Formerly SS Kresge and the forerunner of Kmart – (Western Paint Home Center and now Downtown Books in this store)

 Early Delivery Van

Greenhouse Interior

Outdoor Picnic in January

1892 Picnic -- On a mild day in January of 1892, almost the entire population of Minot enjoyed an outdoor picnic without having to bundle up in warm clothing. The scene is near the Great Northern Railroad Bridge across the Mouse River. At the time of the picture, the picnic grounds were outside the City Limits of Minot. This site is very close to where the Minot Flour Mill would be built. In the picture are C. A. Johnson, principal of the school and some of his students. One of those students was Joseph Rowan who went on to become and undertaker and owner of Rowan’s Funeral Home on Main Street. The Funeral Home was an establishment involved in the illegal booze running during the prohibition days.