News: Spencer History – Meat Markets

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Eichert, Norton, Frothinger, Malchow, Janecke, Fisher, Graves, Nail, Ernst, Ingham, Tremmel, Jensen, Buss, Lambert, Dickenson, Groh, Schultz, Heath, Schultz, Stoltenow

Source: Spencer Centennial Book (1874 – 1974)

M. Eichert and Thomas Norton had meat markets in the early 1870's.

In 1882 John Frothinger and William Malchow operated a meat market and also bought pelts. By 1884 John Frothinger & Co. operated a market west of the railroad tracks on Clark Street.

In 1883 Janecke & Co. established the City Meat Market in Thayer's old store building. They also bought hides and pelts and paid cash for livestock. They furnished meat to lumber camps on contract. George Nail bought out Janecke & Co. in 1902 and rented the building to G. Fisher and Spencer Graves.

During this time Charles Stoltenow had a meat market in the same building in which he operated his saloon.

L. O. Ernst, in 1910, bought the building next to what is now the Picus I.G.A. and established his Model Meat Market; he also made sausage, smoked meat and handled some groceries until 1916 when he sold his stock to E. G. Ingham. Three years later Mr. Ernst opened a market in the building now known as the Tremmel Machine Shop west of Jensen's Motors. He continued to operate this market until his death in 1921.

Buss Brothers of Wausau bought the Ernst Market and sometime later sold the stock to Herb and Art Lambert who established a shop in the building on Clark Street where Mr. Ernst had his first market.

Vivian Dickenson and Gust Groh bought the Lambert market, where they remained in business for a number of years.

Mr. G. C. Schultz, who had run the Livery Stable and Bulk Standard Oil Tanks, bought the Heath Drug Store building and opened a meat market specializing in homemade sausages. He also added a full line of groceries. Later he added facilities for frozen food locker storage and its public rental. Upon retirement in December of 1962, he sold his business and the building to the Picus I.G.A.