website watertownhistory.org
ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
Bramer Family
Bramer Building
[ Piccadilly Building ]
Bramer
(alternative spellings: Braemer, Brämer)
Bramer Building
The
building at 406 East Main Street, which housed the Watertown Main Street office
in 2001, was built in 1884 by John F. Bramer.
The distinctive brick building has raised brick cornices, and Italianate
arched window heads and originally had a refractive glass transom on the store
front window.
Bramer
and his brother, Charles, were in partnership in a farm implement
business. The shop was connected to 408
East Main and sold buggies, cutters, wagons, sewing machines, etc. according to
the 1892 city directory. The Bramers
made their home on the second floor.
By
1909, John's brother, Frank, was
running a piano tuning business from the location. Frank was violinist and was well known in the
city.
The
Bramer family owned the building until 1919, when it was sold to Robert
Kulm. In 1921, it was the site of Vogue
Cleaners [Reinhold
Budewitz], and by 1928, it was the home of Stuebe
Floral Co. The William J. Stuebe family
would operate their floral business in the building until 1933.
In
1934, Clara and Winifred Harrigan opened the Golden Lantern Gift Shop from the
building.
1933:
Golden Lantern Gift Shop
By
1941, 406 East Main was The Smart Shop.
Then in 1945, Alex Dimitros opened The Smoke Shop and sold cigars
and tobacco products. By 1950, the name
had changed to The Piccadilly Smoke Shop and the name stayed the same through
several owners when it finally closed in the 1990s.
Dawn Rafel
ran The Old Towne Doll Shoppe until 1966.
The
building was owned by Ron Ziwisky in 2001.
_________________________________
1929
02 26 NEW STORE FRONT FOR ALEX DIMITOR
Remodel of 406 East Main store front,
first floor of “The Bramer Building.”
NB
<> refractive glass transom on the store front.
1937
08 20 AARON BRAMER
JOINS ORCHESTRA
Aaron
H. Bramer, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Bramer, North Church Street, left today to
rejoin the Ray Williams orchestra at Summit Heights, Long Lake, Flint, Mich.,
after spending a vacation here. After
the orchestra concludes its engagement at Flint it will open at the Rainbow
Gardens ballroom at Waldemeer Beach Park, Erie, Penn., rated as one of the
foremost and most beautiful ballrooms on the shores of Lake Erie. WDT
1964
07 18 CHANGED OWNERSHIP
One of
Watertown’s old business establishments — The Piccadilly Smoke Shop at 406 Main
Street — has changed ownership, it was announced today. The new owners and
operators are Mr. and Mrs. Charles Arndt,
formerly of Fort Atkinson. They have purchased the business from Mr. and Mrs.
Donald G. Reynolds. Mrs. Arndt is the former Freda Voges of Watertown.
_________________________________
A long-time
business in Watertown has closed its doors for the last time. The Piccadilly Smoke Shop has been the place
to purchase everything from magazines to smoking products, from comics to penny
candy, but the increasing pressures from big business spelled its demise. Piccadilly was one place all kids knew and
patronized. But the smoke shop also
offered newspapers, magazines, tobacco products and just about everything else
for adults.
The shop
had been operated by Carol and Dawn Schumacher since 1978 when they purchased
it from Frieda Arndt. The business was called the Piccadilly for
about 62 years, and before that it operated under a different name for at least
a dozen years, making it at least 75 years old when it closed.
1975
Bramer Bldg, 1975
________________________________________________
Bramer Family
Henry E. Bramer of
Hustisford and Emelie
(nee Krueger) Bramer
Frank Bramer (son of Henry and Emelie) Brother of John (Frank’s older brother)
Frank’s mother Emelie
(nee Krueger) Bramer died very early.
Frank’s father Henry Bramer of Hustisford remarried a couple of years
later and moved to Beaver Dam.
Frank/Franz lived with
his Grandmother Maria Krueger for several years, then after her passing moved
in with his brother John Bramer in Watertown.
John had the farm implementation business on Main Street and they lived
above the store.
When referencing John,
it was Frank’s older brother. Bramer pdf file.
1887 J. F. & C. H. BRAMER, Agricultural
Implements
An
undertaking of magnitude and increasing importance is the well-stocked store of
Messrs. J. F. & C. H. Bramer, dealers in flour, feed, hay, and straw, as
well as a complete line of fine manufactures in the way of farming machinery
and agricultural implements of all kinds.
A large and commodious store with a fine frontage of forty and depth of
eighty feet is occupied by this extensive establishment, which is commodiously
fitted with all trade requirements. The
feed and provisions dealt in are of the best and purest quality, and are
guaranteed wholesome and healthful. In
farming machinery the productions of leading manufacturers are shown, including
ploughs, land-cultivators, scythes, harrows, and agricultural tools of all
kinds. Messrs. Bramer are practical
business men of wide experience. Mr. J.
F., the senior member of the firm, was originally engaged in the implements
business, but on locating his enterprise in Watertown added the grain and feed
business, thus enlarging his patronage in a marked manner. His brother, Mr. C. H. Bramer, is a native of
Wisconsin, and has been associated with the undertaking since 1885. – Historical review of the state of
Wisconsin: its industrial and commercial resources, Historical Publishing
Company, 1887
1894
J F Bramer, 408 East Main [connected to 406]
1900
01 09 CARRIAGES
AND PHAETONS
12 26 CARRIAGES
AND PHAETONS
Nothing
Sells Like the Dust-Proof Interchangeable Axle-Box Buggy . . . When you want to
buy the best Baggies, Wagons, Binders, Reapers Mowers, Fanning Mills, Etc.,
call and see John F. Bramer, 406 Main St.
Pumps, Tanks, Repairs, always in stock Lowest prices guaranteed. No. 1 Windmills a specialty. Watertown Republican, December 26, 1900.
1910
Bramer & Wolff
Frank Bramer, undated print
1912
03 16 
1914 Frank Bramer, music teacher, 300 Main, h.302 Main (1913-14 Watertown City
Dir)
1914
02 12 
C.
Herman Bramer (109 N Third))
09 03 Mrs. William Sproesser, Clyman Street,
entertained about seventy-five ladies at a reception from 3 to 6 o’clock last
Saturday afternoon. In the receiving
line beside Mrs. Sproesser were Mrs. Max Rohr, the Misses Minna and Louise
Sproesser and Mrs. Alan Yorhies of New Orleans.
Music was furnished by Mr. and
Mrs. Frank Bramer. The dining room
was presided over by the Misses Elsie and Margaret Sproesser. The afternoon was a most pleasant one for
all. WG
unk date
1915
01 21 Watertown Symphony Orchestra
When
enumerating the things for which Watertown is conspicuous, do not fail to
mention along with the stuffed geese, manufacturing plants, banks and stores,
our own Watertown Symphony Orchestra of thirty-five pieces. That you may know just how many adjectives to
use in “cracking up” this worthy institution, make up your mind to treat
yourself to one or more tickets for this our first concert to be held at Turner
Opera house February 15. Seat sale at
Bittner & Tetzlaff drug store at 9 a. m., February 8. Paste these dates in
your hat.
That
this concert will be of a high order is guaranteed by the fact that Mr. Henke, Mr. Sproesser and Mr.
Bramer will assist the orchestra with solos. The program will not be a long drawn out
affair as there will be no attempt on the part of the orchestra to play its
entire repertoire at this time — our aim being quality rather than quantity.
In
view of the fact that fifteen years have elapsed since the appearance of the
Apollo orchestra, and in view of the fact that Watertown needs an orchestra of
this type badly, we sincerely hope that by February 15 every seat will have
been sold. Our aim is to give Watertown
frequent concerts at popular prices and we sincerely hope that the extent of
your patronage on February 15 will demonstrate that your wishes also run in
this direction.
Decide
now to attend this concert and tell your friends you’re going — rain, hail,
sleet or snow – and we will be very grateful indeed, as you will in this way
show your appreciation of our efforts.
Watertown Symphony Orchestra, L.
W. Parks, Librarian. WG
1927
12 03 ELKS
MEMORIAL SERVICE SATURDAY OPEN TO PUBLIC
The
memory of 38 departed members of the Watertown
Lodge of Elks will be honored at the annual memorial service of the order . . . . The Watertown
Elks chorus, under the direction of Edward L.
Schempf, will sing and Frank Bramer, violinist, and Mrs. Bramer, pianist,
will render two selections. The ritual
will be in charge of the officers of the lodge, headed by F. W. Koenig, exalted
ruler. Mr. Bramer will offer the
"Andantino” by Lully-Brown, and “An Old Air" by Haesche as his part
of the program.
1945 Frank Bramer (Edna E), Piano service – tuning repairing,
specializing in players, 310 N. Church, (1945 Watertown City Dir)
Mrs. Edna Bramer, music
teacher, 310 N. Church (1945 Watertown City Dir)
Cross Reference:
Frank Bramer was one of
the best violin pupils of Richard Hardege.
Bill Lindborg note: my Grandfather Frank
live there with his family on Main Street after his Grandmother died in
Hustisford.
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin