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.
H&M Auto Parts was formed by Ben Hanson and Ray Montgomery about 1946 at 212 West First Avenue in Mitchell. The building was purchased from Norwick Motors which moved one block east. They repaired many automotive items such as carburetors, fuel and water pumps, generators and many other automotive parts.
Ben using his training from the US Air Force Air service command and years of experience was a real asset to the automotive repair business for many years.
Ben was very active in the Boy Scouts of America and received his 25-year anniversary award for his service to the Boy Scouts from the American National Headquarters.
Ray in addition to his duties at H&M Auto Parts worked at Broadbent-Milliken Funeral Home from 1958-1974, he then worked at Will Funeral Chapel until his retirement.
H&M Auto Parts is truly a service that has disappeared, in that they could and would fix most any automotive device of the time even for young people who had little or no ability to pay for the service.
Sources:
Mitchell Republic
Karen Hanson Dejong
Mitchell Area Historical Society archives
Published in the May 9th, 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.
Scallin Drug Company
Scallin Drug Company, which was a Rexall Drug affiliate located at 218 North Main Street was founded in 1887 by Stephen H. Scallin.
William Scallin joined his brother in business in October of 1888. Sometime later he completed his course in the College of Pharmacy of New York City. He was registered in 1892 and resumed his position in his brother’s store, where he continued to work until 1901, when he was admitted as a partner and the firm name of Scallin Brother’s Drug was born.
William’s son Fred became the manager of a new location on South Sanborn called South Side Drug in 1932, but closed in 1936. Stephen Scallin closed the business in 1967 and sold all the prescriptions and medications to White Drug, thus ending an era for the Scallin Brothers Drug Company.
Sources:
Mitchell Republic
Mitchell Area Historical Society archives
“The History of Mitchell Drug Stores” by Garvin Bertsch
Published in the April 25, 2026 Mitchell Republic.
Frederic E. Moses
A Mitchell Pioneer
Frederic E. Moses had a Mitchell connection through his aunt, Thelma Cassem Cropp.
Born in Wisconsin in 1859, Moses later moved with his father to Illinois. In 1877, he followed Frank Weller’s father — the father of Charles and Dorothy Weller — to work in the Weller lumber yard in Lost Nation Iowa. Moses eventually purchased a share of the lumber yard, but before long he heard the call of the prairie and the opportunities developing in the Dakota Territory.
In 1879, he sold his interest in the Iowa lumber yard and began searching for a location in the new territory where he could establish his own lumber business. He arrived in Mitchell in 1880 with hopes of making his fortune and helping build a new community on the prairie. Mitchell had been heavily advertised as a growing town, which influenced his decision to settle there.
Upon arriving, Moses discovered that residents of the small community of Firesteel near the James River were in the process of relocating their entire town to Mitchell.
After looking over the community, he purchased property at the corner of First and Lawler Streets for his new lumber yard. At that time, the railroad had not yet reached Mitchell, so he waited until the line extended to Alexandria before ordering his first shipment of lumber.
The winter of 1881 proved extremely severe and prevented nearly all train travel. The railroad reportedly had a stockpile of 150,000 railroad ties, which were sold for fuel at 35 cents each because coal and many other commodities were unavailable.
In 1886, Moses also tried farming, but drought conditions forced him to seek other opportunities. He accepted a position as assistant cashier at First National Bank. A forward-thinking businessman, he later entered the implement business with partners, forming Barnard-Giles-Moses Implement at 111 East Railroad Street. From 1915 to 1917, he was also involved in the Moses-Wilder Grocery located at 701 South Sanborn.
After a long and busy life, Frederic E. Moses died in Sacramento California at the age of 90.
Sources
Mitchell Republic
Mitchell Area Historical Society archives
Published in the May 16th, 2026 Mitchell Republic.
Berg Appliance and television founded in 1946 by Per Berg selling a vast assortment of small and large appliances. The initial location was 115 East Third Avenue next to the old Bell Telephone office.
In 1956 after their ever expanding business and new product categories they moved to a new larger location at 123 West First Avenue which gave them more room for display, service, and parking. This is the location in the photo.
In 1975 they moved just across the street to 112 West First Avenue and added an electronic service company to their list of services.
At the time of this move there was a growing interest in color television, automatic washers, and dryers. Before this time most home appliances were white, but trends were changing and about 75% of the appliances sold were colors like Avocado Green, and Harvest Gold.
After 40 years in business Per retired and closed the business in 1986.
Sources:
Mitchell Republic
Mitchell Area Historical Archives
Published in the April 11th, 2026 Mitchell Republic.
First record we have of the Olympia Theater was 1908 at which time it was located at 113 West Second Avenue, and the manager was C. D. Adams.
The next manager was M. R. Tournier in 1909, and he enlarged the theater to seat 400 patrons. The same year he enlarged the screen, so it was 2 feet wider and taller. Also, in 1909 M.R. Tournier installed another stove to keep the patrons warmer in the South Dakota winters.
In 1910 the management announced some very new exciting entertainment coming to the theater with the introduction of vaudeville acts.
With the increase in technology in 1911 Tournier installed a new projector system that could show films with “no flicker”.
M. R. Tournier sold the theater to Ben Fidler in 1911, who became the new owner. M. R. Tournier went into the motion picture business for himself in the north half of the Champney building at 300 North Main Street and called it the Maynard Theater which he named after his young son.
By 1912 Olympia had another new manager, L. D. Milne, and the building was owned by C. E. Vermilyea.
Last record we have is in 1914 when the building was sold to W H. Webster at which time no further plans were made for the building.
Sources:
Mitchell Republic
Mitchell Area Historical Society archives
Published in the May 2nd, 2026 Mitchell Republic.
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.
The history of the O. E. Cassem Building at 122 S. Main St.
*1881: Wood frame building then a saloon
*1884-1901: Then shown as cigar factory and saloon
*1913: Current building constructed by O. E. Cassem
*1912: Resident became Bishop Café
*1913: Shows that Bishop Café was still on first floor and rooms for rent on second floor.
*1931: First floor shows to be a auto painting service and printing company on second floor.
*1940: New resident became YMCA *1948: The Schlitz Company was here but find no reference as to what they did.
*1952: Larson Distributing moved in then known as Denver Serum Company.
*1956: New resident and owner became Aero-Dyna-Kleen
*1976: Newest resident Wholesale Electronics Inc.
*1986: Flack Advertising
*1989: Krohmer Plumbing became the new resident.
*1997-current is Marilyn's Designer Den.
Published in the March14th Mitchell Rebuplic
Researcher Mel Pooley.
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.
Current building built by Letcher for Jesse Logan 1920
1926: Larrison Drug store, photo store on second floor
1946: Martin Osterhaus
1950: Den Beste Drug
1955: Fashion City
1965: Political headquarters
1966: Stevenson's Clothing Store
1971: Sold to Pizza Pub
1973: Re-possessed
1974: Political headquarters
1974: Reven Industries
1975: Political headquarters
1975: Ed's Pet World
1981: Vacant
1996: Cottonwood Canyon Coffee
2002: Dakota Sue
2019: Crane Realty…....
Sources:
Mitchell Republic
Mitchell Area Historical Society Archives
Jeff Logan
History of 200 N. Main building and apartment.
According to the original party wall agreement, the building was built in 1887. George Logan acquired the building in 1900 as part settlement when he sold out his interest in the Security Bank of Mitchell. In 1916, shortly after building the Branson Bank building directly to the east, he tore down and rebuilt the second floor of the building for new offices. He had the famous Minneapolis architectural firm of Purcell and Elmslie design the new second floor. They modernized the appearance of the building redid much of the second floor brickwork moving windows and replacing them with larger modern style windows. Purcell and Elmslie specified the stucco exterior of the building to cover the various styles of brick that didn’t match that had been used in the various remodelings. In the 1920’s George Logan named it the Essex Building.
The second floor housed offices for a dentist and attorneys. Just prior to World War 2, the attorneys had moved out and Nelson and Lorraine Logan remodeled the back four offices into an apartment for themselves. Being the apartment wasn’t designed to rent and make money, they included large closets two half bathrooms, large kitchen and other features meant for comfort. Logan installed one of the early air conditioning systems in the early 1950’s. He also ran a private intercom line across the alley to the Roxy Theatre. Nelson and Lorraine had one child, Jeff who grew up in this apartment. Lorraine lived here on and off until she passed away in 2007. Jeff and Linda lived in the apartment when they were first married.
The first floor has housed many businesses including Larrison’s Drug Store, Den Beste Drug, Fashion City and Stevenson’s dress shops, the Pizza Pub, Dakota Sue’s Gift Shop, Ed’s Pet World, and most recently Abacco who processed medical billings and claims
Nelson Logan built an announce booth with large speakers on the roof of the building in the 1930’s. It was removed during the war years. The booth was used to announce to the large crowds on Main Street during Corn Palace Week what movies were playing at the Roxy, one block east of Main. Joe Martin was an usher and did his first announcing from this booth. He would go one to work for WNAX in Yankton and KOOO in Omaha. He was known as “Jolly Joe Martin” during his broadcast career. He had a bit part in the TV mini-series “Amerika.”
From the late 1930’s through the mid 1960’s, there was also a large neon sign with the word ROXY and an arrow pointing to the theatre on Lawler Street.
The basement of the building housed a barber shop from its construction until the late 1960’s. The barber shop included a shower for gentlemen who had traveled to town on railroad, horseback or in those newfangled automobiles on the dusty dirt roads.
Rev. April., 2015
Published in the March 21st, 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.
Coast to Coast Store
John Wipf and his wife Clara started the Coast to Coast hardware franchise in Freeman and the business continued to expand. John and Clara's children – Beverly, Orville and Willis – became involved in the family operation. In 1961, Beverly married Harold A. Hofer and moved to Mitchell where they started the Coast to Coast store.
Harold and Beverly ran the successful Coast to Coast store on Mitchell’s Main Street until they retired in 1984.
Source
Mitchell Republic
Google A/I
Heritage Hall Archives
Published in the April 4th, 2026 Mitchell Republic.