Name/Title
Houdek GroceryScope and Content
Historical information on Houdek Grocery for 1976 Bicentennial Celebration in Waupun, WI
*Facts are typed and was scanned with mistakes in spelling left uncorrected. There was handwritten information entered under 2016.0075.0058, but this has more information.
Houdek Grocery
On October 14, 1914, Frank Houdek, in partnership with Alfred Bernhard bought the grocery store at 306 E. Main Street from F. Kuechenberg and renamed it Bernhard and Houdek's Grocery.
Mr. Houdek came to Waupun in 1908 and worked in the butter making creamery in Trenton end also the one on Taylor Street, where Peters Coal end Oil now stands.
In 1937 Mr. Bernard sold his partnership to Ernest Lenz. Houdek bought him out and was the sole owner until his son, Arthur's return from service in 1946.
Sausages were kept in the basement and an ice box held an assortment of meats. It was not until 1936, that they put in a full line of meats in an electrically cooled case.
Up until the 1930's the basement contained a large assortment of toys and was called "Toytown". Mrs. Vern Verhulst was a long time clerk.
In 1952, the store became self-service and in 1968 the store was enlarged to occupy the Storbeck Hardware building, by removing the well between the two stores. In 1964, Houdeks celebrated their 50th anniversary of grocery business in the same location.
In 1970, the store was sold to Dave Beckman and was renamed the B & E Foodland. Art still ran the butchershop in the rear.
Mr. Houdek re-posessed the store and ran it himself until he sold it to Mr. & Mrs. Eugene Lambert in 1971 and they re-named it "Lambert's Food Mart".Acquisition
Accession
2016.0075Source or Donor
Waupun Area Chamber of CommerceAcquisition Method
Donation