Disposition of Buettell Brothers Building at 821-845 Central Avenue
Planning Services Department
50 West 13th Street
Dubuque, Iowa 52001-4864
Phone (319) 589-4210
Fax (319) 589-4221
DUB~JE
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October 31, 2000
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
City of Dubuque
City Hall - 50 W. 13th Street
Dubuque IA 52001
RE: Disposition of Buettell Brothers Building at 821-845 Central Avenue
Dear Mayor and City Council Members:
The Historic Preservation Commission was established by the City Council in 1979 to
assist in the review, retention and promotion of historically significant properties and
districts in the city of Dubuque.
In carrying out this responsibility, the Historic Preservation Commission has discussed
the disposition of the Buettell Brothers Building at 821-845 Central Avenue. This
building currently houses Discount House Furniture and Bedding, Inc. and Tri-State
Blueprint and Framing Company. The building is included in the site plan for the
proposed expansion of the Dubuque County Jail.
The Historic Preservation Commission does not have a position on the jail expansion.
The Commission has concerns with the potential for demolition of the Buettell Brothers
Building as part of the jail expansion, however, due to the building's historical
significance.
Buettell Brothers Company, Importers and Jobbers, was a five-story brick structure built
prior to 1912 for housing the ever-expanding importing and jobbing business of the
Buettell Brothers. The face of the building includes an inordinate number and style of
windows, from which a variety of wares (stationery, holiday decorations, fireworks,
books, toys, among others) could be displayed. This business was considered the most
progressive wholesale house in Dubuque, and one of the strongest houses in the west
in their line. Dubuque had a prominent standing in the jobbing industry, and many
retailers traveled from all parts of the territory to place their orders at the house. This
popularity was evidenced as, since their incorporation in 1892, the Buettell Brothers
expanded twice to larger spaces.
Service
People
Integrity
Responsibility
Innovation
Teamwork
Letter to The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
Buettell Brothers Building
Page 2
The present building is in excellent condition although, at some point in its history,
three stories from the south end were removed. The majority of the windows have
been covered and the storefront modified from its original design.
Enclosed is an excerpt from the book, Dubuque 1912, which provides an artist's
rendering of the facade and a testimonial to the historic significance of the Buettell
Brothers Company. Due to its significance to the history of the city of Dubuque and
Dubuque County, the Historic Preservation Commission believes that the Buettell
Brothers Building should be preserved.
The Historic Preservation Commission respectfully requests that the Mayor and City
Council members work with the Dubuque County Board of Supervisors to preserve this
building, if the jail is expanded to this block. The Commission believes that adaptive
and creative reuse and rehabilitation of the Buettell Brothers Building can accommodate
expansion of the jail. The Commission is available to assist the City Council and Board
of Supervisors with this project.
Sincerely,
I ~ (\'lo~ I*-,
Terry Mozena, Chairperson
Historic Preservation Commission
enclosures
TM/mkr
cc: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
Terry Lambert, Acting Police Chief
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Buettell Bros. Company, Importers and Jobbers
One of the substantial and most progressive wholesale houses of Dubuque is that of Buettell
Brothers' Company. The firm was established and incorporated in 1892, since which time the
business has steadily increased in volume and extent. Twice within the time of its existence the
company has moved into larger quaners. At present the office and the warerooms occupy a
splendid five-story building located at 819-859 Clay Street, conveniently arranged for handling
an immense amount of business. The company began doing business with three traveling men .""
and have branched out and extended its territory so that ten salesmen are now steadily employed
to look after their interests. In addition comprehensive catalogs of the various depanmenrs are
issued frequently for the benefit of the trade and a large mail order business is constantly carried
on by this house.
The active mernebers of the firm are: E.A. Buettell, President: W.A. Buettell, Vice President, and
A.C. Bueuell, Secretary and Treasurer. These three men give personal attention to the various
departments and supervise all details of the work. The large trade and the confidence that
BuetteU Brothers. company enjoys is due largely to this personal supervision. The firm conducts
an exclusive wholesale business. There is no retail department. While a business with so many
lines demands much detail work, the long experience and the thorough organization of this firm
enables it to enlarge these various lines and extend its entire business over a vast territory. They
are the only exclusive wholesale stationery house in the state and the northwest, and slo import
from European markets many articles in fancy goods and drug sundry line.
The special lines carried for the different seasons of the year are valentines and sporting goods
for spring, fireworks for midsummer, school goods for fall, holiday goods for winter season. (n
each of these lines a full and complete stock is carried and none but goods of a standard quality
are handled. For the spring season sporting goods of every description are supplied. including a
strong baseball line, even to uniforms, also tennis goods, hammocks, in fact, most everything
that is used in the way of sporting articles. The spring line also includes valentines and Easter
novelties of an endless variety of designs, many of which are imported.
The strong line for mid-summer is the Fourth of July, goods on which they do an extensive
business, especially on the fancy fireworks and special pieces for city celebrations, flags and
other appropriate decorations. The first fall line is the general line of school supplies, which
consists of everything that is used in schools in the daily routine of work such as tablets,
composition books, note books, lead pencils, pens, inks and a great variety of other material on
which line they are one of the largest distributors in the west.
The heaviest is the fall holiday line consisting of a complete line of goods for the holiday
business, such as books, dolls, toys, toilet articles, leather goods, bric a brae, fancy goods, in fact
everything kept in an up-to-date store soliciting for the holiday trade. This large line is selected
with the greatest of care and a large portion of it is from the best European factories. which
goods the firm imports direct. As the holiday line is so numerous, accommodations to display it
properly can only be had at the largest cities in the territory, so that dwing the months of Aug.,
Sept., and Oct., special displays of samples are made at the largest centers, such as Cedar Rapids,
Des Moines, Sioux City, Omaha, Mitchell. S;D., and other cities, for the convenience of their
customers to place the orders at these openings. A large number of customers from all parts of
the territory also come to Dubuque and place their orders at the house. Dubuque is rapidly
gaining supremacy amongst western jobbing centers and Buettell Brothers! Company are one of
the strongest houses in the west in their line. .-
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