Published in the February 14th, 2026 Mitchell Republic
Charlie’s Shoe Repair a lost business and art.
Charlie Bailey started working at Mitchell Shoe Shop in 1960 by shining shoes and cleaning up. His work at the repair shop gave him the confidence and skill to be on his own he purchased the business from Lyle “Heine” Fuerst in 1975 with help from his father’s friend.
For a year and a half, Bailey operated at 113 North Main Street in 1977 he moved across the street to 118 North Main Street. He averaged five to ten sole and heel repairs on boots and shoes for many years and expanded to zippers, coats, purses and various other leather repair jobs. Over the years he has had some helpers to keep the service to his standards but has maintained the shoe and boot repair for which he took much pride.
In 2019 Charlie sold the business to Don Curtis and his wife Valerie. Charlie still spent some mornings and afternoons with Don showing him the rope and imparting the knowledge of repairs thousands of boots and shoes over 40 years.
Unfortunately, in September of 2024 Don passed away terminating the long-standing shoe repair operation in Mitchell. Then in January of 2025 we also lost Charlie Bailey and his many years of boot and shoe repair knowledge.
Published in the February 21st, 2026 Mitchell Republic.
Researcher Mel Pooley.
Back In Time 2026
This building is the former Myers Body Shop on the Southeast Corner of 10th and Main.
Educator Supply and Post Office
Researcher Pam Range
The building on the right is the Post Office that was built in 1909 and used until 1962 when the current Post Office was built. The building on the left is the Educator Supply building located at 311 North Lawler. Educator supply was founded in 1894 by Harry Bras under a corporation. The business dealing in school supplies was purchased by L.A. Pope and F.L. Ransom in 1908. Educator supplies operations extended throughout the territory of South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana and Wyoming. They were wholesalers in school and office supplies along with doing printing and publishing. The business was purchased in 1979 by McLeod’s printing and moved out of this building.
Published in the January 10th, 2026 Mitchell Republic.
Larson Distributing Company was started in 1924 by O. S. Larson in response to a hog cholera outbreak and was initially called Denver Serum Company. Mr. Larson and a small crew ran the company until 1950 when he died and his son Howard took over. In 1975 they open a second location in Sturgis called Western Range Outfitters.
Their primary products were veterinarian equipment and animal health and poultry medicines, most all medicines to keep farm animals healthy.
The company moved several times in their history from 110 East First Ave to 122 South Main and finally to West Hiway 16. Records show they had a grand opening at their new West 16 location in 1969. Howard’s sons Jim and Randy joined the business about 1982.
Howard retired in 1993 and the business was sold to Lextron Animal Health.
Published in the March 7th, 2026 Mitchell Republic.
Mel Pooley Researcher.
United Methodist Church circa 1950s
Researcher Pam Range
The United Methodist Church was first organized as the First Methodist Episcopal Church in 1881. The first meeting place was a small room over a saloon on Main Street. Later they obtained a room in the old west side schoolhouse. In 1883 a new church was dedicated at the corner of 4th and Edmunds Street. By 1906 the congregation had outgrown it, and a new church was necessary. The church they now occupy at the corner of 3rd Avenue and Rowley Street was built and dedicated by 1908.
Published in the January 24th, 2026 Mitchell Republic.
Originally Camp Mitchell & Lau’s Service Station later the Mitchell Campground was located at 1600 West Havens on the Corner of Havens and Ohlman (where Cubby’s Convenience Store is now). This photo was taken in late 1930s about the time the business opened. Henry Lau opened the campground, which had cabins to rent, in the 1930s. There was also a service station and café. Henry’s son Harold joined the business about 1940. Harold and his brother were killed in a plane crash in 1946. The campground burned down a couple years after his death. Photo submitted by Roger Allen.
Published in the February 28th, 2026 Mitchell Republic
Mel Pooley Researcher.
Published in the February 7th, 2026 Mitchell Republic.
Coca Cola Bottling Plant 1939
Researcher Pam Range
In 1905 Andrew Ellwien, F.J. Prezler and James Brown bought the Schubert Bottling Company and renamed it Mitchell Bottling Works. Later the name was changed to Coca Cola Bottling Company. This building was constructed in 1936 at a cost of $26,000 and was located at the corner of Kimball and Hanson. The building made of brick, glass, tile and reinforced concrete was considered state of the art at the time. Air conditioning and summer cooling in the new structure it was considered the only bottling plant of its kind in the entire United States. The building was planned by Floyd F. Kings, Mitchell architect, and built by Peter Kuipers, contractor. The heating and plumbing were provided by the Gus Swanson company. In 2015 the building caught fire and was destroyed beyond repair. It was demolished in 2016. The company started construction on a new building in 2016 on Commerce Street near the Highway 37 bypass.
Published in the January 17th, 2026 Mitchell Republic.
Larry’s Floral Reflections owned by Larry Kleinlein located at 108 East 4th Ave held the grand opening in August 1991. He sold the business to Garden of Eden and closed the store on June 30, 1995. He has been in the floral business for 10 years, four of those years as owner. Kleinlein stayed in the floral business doing free lance floral design for large parties and banquets in Omaha, Nebraska.
Published in the January 3rd, 2026 Mitchell Republic.