Millinery Shops
In 1895 Hattie KAUFMAN (Mrs. A.C. SEVERSON) ran a millinery store and dress-making shop in her father’s store building. It was where the present apartment is now in the building owned by John GARMER. Mrs. SEVERSON is displaying, at our Centennial, one of the blouses she made. Anna TORGERSON and Alice MCCARVEL helped her in busy times.
In 1897 Mrs. MCCONKEY sold hats in the local post office.
In the early years of Brewster history, Mrs. Mary WEY ran a millinery, and dress-making shop. She also styled hair switches and made chains of human hair.
In 1903 she took her millinery to Okabena, where she showed and sold her latest styles.
In 1906 Lottie HAGERMAN (now Mrs. Everton CROSS) opened a millinery store in the present KRUKEMEYER building. She had several years of experience in a Worthington store. On July 4, she closed her shop until fall. In 1908 Lottie closed out her shop.
Our next milliner was Mrs. Cora HILL. At this time sailor hats were all the rage. In 1912 she left Brewster and moved to Alpha. In 1912 Mrs. H.J. NELSON came to Brewster with patterns of trimmed hats and untried shapes. I believe she came from Heron Lake.
In 1913 Mrs. J.M. WERMERSKIRCHEN had a full line of hats in the old GEYERMAN building, where she lived. Her husband was a grain buyer at the HUBBARD and PALMER Elevator.
In 1913 GEYERMAN’S had a millinery department.
In 1915 Mr. Fred BRIGHT ran a first class millinery store. One was located where MCCONNELL Implement is now, the other was in the back of the former DITCH building. Miss Clara KNUTH assisted in the shop. In 1916 Mrs. BRIGHT had a closing-out sale from March 24 to April 1. Another lady who assisted her in 1915, was a Miss Mabel HOLVERSON of Estherville.
In 1916 Mrs. WERMERSKIRCHEN was at GEYERMAN’S with a fall display. In 1917 Mrs. H.J. NELSON came to GEYERMAN’S store every Thursday and Friday after October 11.
In 1920 GEYERMAN’S opened a shop in Pipestone and brought hats from there.
The dry-goods stores handled hats from time to time, last summer, 1957, Rosella KOSTER had some for sale at BECKER’S store.
Nobles County Genealogy
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