Boxrud Brothers Block
Built: 1886, 1898, 1915
Architecture Style: Commercial
Architect/Builder: Unknown
Currently: Hallstrom’s Florist
The Boxrud Building begins with the story of three immigrant brothers. Anton, Christian, and Richard Boxrud arrived in the US from Norway in 1864 during the midst of the American Civil War. Anton was the first to enter the dry goods business, selling things like textiles and kitchen staples, becoming one dry goods merchant of the northeast. But it was Christian who would have the broadest impact on Red Wing.
Christian became the first president of the Aurora Ski Club, which is credited with introducing ski jumping to the country, and hosted two National Ski Tournaments in town. The first in 1928, and the second in 1936. The St. James Hotel now houses a museum on Red Wing’s ski jumping history.
Beyond the ski jump, Christian also became the first vice president of the Red Wing Shoe Company, and eventually became its president in 1911. His successor was J.R. Sweasy, whose family has owned the shoe company ever since.
Anton first owned his business in the 1870s, but did not move to this stretch of Main Street until 1886. The brothers eventually went into business together and expanded in 1897. They grew into a full-fledged department store, selling groceries, rugs, dishes, shoes, and clothes for men, women, and children. They were respected in the community, with the Red Wing Republican describing them as “a synonym for honesty and fair dealing.”
Part of the building held the Metropolitan college, which focused on dress making and ladies tailoring, and rear rooms were designated as a library. But all of this was halted by a fire in 1914 that destroyed nearly all of the inventory and the building.
One report mentioned that only two $100 rugs and “a cabinet containing a very valuable and select line of ladies’ garments” survived the flames, and another stated that fifty people were now in search of employment.
But this led to the building that stands today. The large glass windows on the façade and the equally large glass cases it had inside earned the building the nickname of the “Red Wing Glass Block.” It also featured a glass elevator and an elegant tea room. In this glamorous spirit, the store celebrated its 50th Anniversary with gold decorations, a large sale, and a 4 ½ foot tall cake for customers.
The store remained in the Boxrud family until 1970, when it was sold to the owners of Ehler's Department Store. Similar to Dayton’s, these stores were specifically located in small and medium sized cities in Minnesota. For a time, Ehler’s was one of the only places to shop for women's clothes in the town.
High-end department stores have largely faded from the US, but buildings like this are still here as a reminder of the place they once held in American communities.
