Freimuth Department Store

Freimuth Department Store was started by Ignatz Issac Freimuth (1856-1930). Ignatz was one of the early Jewish settlers in Duluth. Ignatz was married to Pauline Sattler (1850-1927) and they had nine children. (See 1870 news articles.) (See 1961 news article about the store closing.) Pictures of the Freimuth's Department Store Building on the corner of Lake Avenue and Superior Street in Duluth are shown below. The pictures were taken at different times, but not all the dates are known.

From a Duluth News-Tribune article dated July 29, 1956 - - full news article

early photo ...................... click on the images for hi res ...................... 1910

click on image for full picture at hi res ................ click here for street level at higher res (then click on image)

click on image for full picture at hi res

     
view along Superior Street - click on each image for full picture at hi res - full view - multiple stories

Left - original store at 117 W Superior - - - Right - courtesy of Bob Goldish - - click on the images for hi res

Pictures depicting the early history of the store are shown below, courtesy of Steven Freimuth (September 2013). The pictures are undated but it appears that there are gas lights rather than electricity.

Freimuth cash register manufactured in July 1902 - click on image for hi res

1 Carpets

2 Fabrics

3 Glassware

4 Hats-1at

5 Hats-2at

6 Houseware

7 Notions

8 Personnel

9 Sewing

10 Silver

11 Furs

12 shoes

13 Holidays

More pictures depicting the early history of the store and the associated people are shown below, courtesy of Steven Freimuth (September 2013).

Freimuth Executives and Department Managers - 1935 - - hi res

Freimuth staff - Fon du Lac Picnic - July 1921 - Paul & Edgar on David's lap lower right - - hi res

Kitten Ball maybe Freimuth team - - hi res

Freimuth staff - 1927 Winter Frolic - government center steps - - hi res - - back of photo with ID info - - more about 1927 Winter Frolic

Commercial Club - - 4-29-1912 - Duluth News Tribune - - ID for David and Morris Freimuth - - hi res

Freimuth Store Halloween Party - 1943 - - hi res - - notation on back - - notes on identification

Freimuth Ads from the Duluth Central and Superior High School Yearbooks

1896	1901

1905	1907

1910 - hi res	1911

1912	1914

A park at the location of the old Freimuth building at Lake and Superior Street in 2012 - - hi res

Freimuth store employee Christman Party - 1926 - - hi res
This image with more detail of the people standing in the back is provided in the group photos section on the page for this 1926 photo

Freimuth store employee Christman Party - 1926 - back of the photo showing names - - hi res

See 1961 news article with pictures about the store closing
(republished on the Duluth News Tribune Attic in 2009)
click here

"My previous and current reading of this article, leads me to the same conclusion. The article says that 'After paying all sick benefits, a substantial sum is left in the treasury.' Therefore my conclusion is this was some sort of a mutual aide society of the employees. What I haven’t discovered is who encouraged the founding of this organization. My general feeling based on past articles is that Ignatz was progressive and pro employees. Of course, given the point in history, this (sick pay, etc.) was not a responsibility of the employer. But allowing or encouraging employees to self-aide seems to fit his character. Also, given the participants, Robinson, Fleischman, Sattler, etc. would seem to at least not be opposed to his general disposition. Just some thoughts. I believe I have seen other articles about this entity over the years." Comments from Steve Freimuth - September 2018

Freimuth Teenie Weenie Band - - hi res
Regarding identification, there is only one name on the back. Shirley Lois Kreiman London (1925-1993) in the first row.
Attempting to date the photo, my research indicates these bands were in mid-thirties to the forties.
Many of the kids have white jackets on. They seem to have embroidered "Teenie Weenie Band" on them. - - enhanced zoom image of four jackets
Comments from Steve Freimuth - September 2018

More advertisements and news articles: Freimuth 1883-5-7 ad - - click here Freimuth 1898 09 07 two story only - Answering_a_fire_alarm - - click here Freimuth 1899-04 Store -under construction - - click here Freimuth 1900-04-05 opening days not far away - - click here Freimuth 1916 ad - - click here Freimuth 1916b ad - - click here Freimuth 1916c ad - - click here Freimuth 1917 05 08 Ignatz Freimuth photo Store 34th Aniversary (2788) Evening Herald - - click here Freimuth 1921 9 30 ad - - click here Freimuth 1921-05-08 Freimuth Dept Store - 38th anniversary - - click here Freimuth 1921-11-18 ad - - click here Freimuth 1956-7-29 Freimuth 1856-1956 Centennial - - click here Freimuth 1956-7Freimuth 1963 Store & Annex Superior_Street_in_1963_Duluth - - click here Freimuth 2014 - A story about Edger and Israel Garon as related in an email between Steve Freimuth and Sherman Garon - - click here

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Created by: Allan@Garon.us

Photos courtesy of Steven W. Freimuth

Page created in Sep 2013; rev Sep 2018