Saloon, law firm, barber shop open in Mondell

Hannah Gross
NLJ Correspondent 
With Leonard Cash
 
In this week’s installment of “History on Main,” historian Leonard Cash begins a new series on the Mondell building, which is located on lot 12 of block 10 (the corner building on Warren Street and Seneca Avenue). It started as a saloon and was once home to First State Bank, which we will discuss next week. 
The first article to appear in Cash’s records on this building comes from the April 28, 1890 edition of the Weston County Democrat. Work began on moving the store building of N.M. Fitch to make room for the three-story brick building that was soon to be erected by Mayor F.W. Mondell. Cash said the Fitch building was moved to block 6,
which is on the same block as the Antler’s. 
According to the May 19, 1890 issue, the cellar was completed, and a large force of workmen were busy with
the excavation. 
The Democrat reported on May 26, 1890, that F.R. Curran hired Stacy & Barlow to treat his saloon “with fresh paper and paint,” but a few months later, the News Journal announced in its July 18, 1890, issue that Curran was moving his saloon to the first floor of Mondell’s brick building as soon as it was completed. 
“Then he will be flying away with the brickies,” the
article says. 
The foundation of the building was “progressing rapidly,” according to the June 2, 1890 Weston County Democrat, and “if brick could be obtained, the walk would soon be under way.” 
Meanwhile, Curran was daily watching the completion of his “new Palace saloon building,” reported the Aug. 7, 1890, Newcastle News.  
By Sept. 26, 1890, the Palace finally moved into its new quarters in the large room of the Mondell building. Patrons were invited to the grand opening to see all the games, elegance, equipment and “splendid service” that made this saloon “a model resort,” leaving no doubts about
its popularity.”
“Of course everyone responded and the saloon was thronged from early evening till early morning,” the article says. “Mr. Curran is one of those kind of people that knows how to make a slam-up (an) attractive place.” 
However, the saloon wasn’t the only business that moved in. The Oct. 2, 1890, edition of the Newcastle News announced that Hayward J. Granby and Edward Simms formed a partnership in the barber business in the “elegant basement” of the Mondell edifice. Both men were well known in Black Hills area as “first class workmen and intelligent gentlemen,” and “everybody from Deadwood to the pumpkin husker of Nebraska knew Simms.” Granby was from South Dakota, and the article said he was well known by everybody on the F.E. & M Railroad. Their shop had two bathtubs connected to the city water, as well as a “careful attendant always on hand.” 
“(Granby) has been a successful barber of this city for a year and the firm will no doubt lead all others in the field,” the article says. 
By Oct. 9, 1890, the Davies and Johnson law firm moved its office location into the Mondell building, announced the Weston County Democrat. The rooms were reported to be large, light, airy and well-furnished. A.J. Poznansky of Spearfish, South Dakota, rented the old Palace saloon building (next to Cashbox Ceramics, Cash said) and was planning to put up a stock of dry goods. 
A Newcastle News article from the same publication date, described the Mondell structure, painting a virtual picture of what it looked like back in the day. When completed, it had two stories, 25 feet wide and 70 feet deep, as well as a basement to create a third floor. The building was furnished with a French plate glass front. At the time, Curran and his saloon were on the ground floor, Granby and Simm’s Barber shop occupied the basement, and the third floor (but second story) held the law firm and Curran’s club room.
“The building is substantially built under the supervision of Andy Miller, and Stacy & Barlow did the paint. Cost at $8,000 without the lot,” the article says. 
Yet another business was moving in, according to the Oct. 24, 1890 Newcastle News. Charlie Hopp, who owned a prominent restaurant in town, was opening the Union restaurant with Charlie Wang in the rear of the Palace saloon. The lunch counter, which was in the saloon, was connected to his restaurant by a door. 
The following issue announced that a gold-lettered “Club rooms” sign “appeared” in the second story windows at the saloon. By Jan. 2, the building also received its finishing touches of paint and putty to become the “nobbiest block” in town. 
The Newcastle News reported on Nov. 7, 1890, that Wang and Hopp officially opened their restaurant (called Palace Restaurant in this article), offering first-class meals and short orders both day and night. 
According to the Aug. 29, 1895, Newcastle Democrat, R.S. Douglas (of the McCrea-Douglas Mercantile) was moving his stock of boots and shoes from the Antler’s basement and was renting an office space, previously occupied by the city and county offices, in the Mondell building because his former location had become too small. 
Nearly two years later, a different dry goods store moved in. The Feb. 18, 1897, issue announced that the Mollring Bros. rented the “elegant” Mondell block for their “immense new stock” of dry goods, clothing, furnishing goods, boots and shoes. The company was considering purchasing all four buildings on Seneca Street to open a large department store that included groceries, hardware, drugs and other items. 
Next week, Cash will backtrack to the 1890s to provide further details on the history of the Mollring Bros. & Co., which later moved to
lot 12.