News: Spencer History – Restaurants

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Priest, Hanson, Crawshaw, Creed, Carlson, Christiansen, Holterman, Tesmer, Flink, Will, Prehn, Fenhouse, Hoefs, Groh, LaSage, Clarkson, Young, Blankenburg, Berhammer

Source: Spencer Centennial Book (1874 – 1974)

L. R. Priest built our first restaurant, called the City Restaurant, which sold special delicacies, nuts, fruits, spices, and tobacco. The Hanson building which was originally built for a hardware store with living quarters in the back was rented for restaurant purposes for many years, with the Hansons still occupying the living quarters. Some of the proprietors were Ray Crawshaw, Homer Creed, Anton Carlson, James Christiansen, and William Holterman, who renamed it the Ideal Cafe. Mr. and Mrs. August Tesmer then conducted the business for a time. During these years it was a favorite place for trainmen to come in and have a quick lunch.

"Cozy Corner," a modern dairy bar and light lunch service, held its formal opening November 4, 1958. Wally Flink, owner and operator, had demolished the former Hanson's Hardware, one of Spencer's oldest buildings, and replaced it with a two story structure. First floor facilities included a space for dancing for teenagers who had been invited to use the place as a youth center. The second floor had been arranged for office suites for doctors. After a year or more this operation was discontinued and the building remodeled for the present restaurant and bar known as the Breeze Inn and managed by Flink. The present owner is Leland Will.

Harry and Alice Prehn operated a restaurant in the downstairs of the present Ervin Westfall building on- Main Street and used the upstairs for living quarters.

Gary Fenhouse started Gary's Cafe in a building on the north side of Clark Street, later moving his business to the opposite side of the street, its present location. Mrs. Donald Hoefs is the present manager of the restaurant.

A restaurant called the Spencer Cafe continued in the building which Mr. Fenhouse had left, and has had a number of proprietors: Leotha Groh, Irene Keyes LaSage, Irving Clarkson, Irene Young, Elmer Blanken- burg, and the Berghammers.