MONTICELLO - The Peoples Supply store, built in 1889 at Main and North streets, was active with a variety of businesses before the Monticello House across the street was even built.
Perhaps the main store in the community at the time, The Peoples Supply store offered almost anything including, groceries, dry goods, tools and even a beauty salon.
The two-story building served as the location of a number of local businesses and apartments through the 20th century.
The store eventually became Blum's General Store. The building was also home to Dickson's Grocery Store from the 1960s to mid 1980s, before becoming Steve Peterson's Hardware and Appliance, and most recently Lindley Antiques. The building has been closed for the past several years, according to Ernie Gempeler and Kay Frietag, both life-long Monticello residents.
This year the building has been renovated and remodeled to open again as a full-service quilting business in August.
Dave Faretta, an electrical contractor from Monteray, bought the building in 2009. He spent much of last year renovating the four apartments in the upper level of the building. In February, he began renovating the 3,000 square feet on the first floor.
At about the same time, Barb Hartman, Dayton, Ohio, was looking for a place in New Glarus to open her quilting store, Quilter's Compass.
In March, the two met through New Glarus Realtor Barbara Meyers and, with the benefit of community support and old photos, began to collaborate on the store's renovation.
The result is a step back in time, with touches of modern conveniences.
Both Hartman and Faretta are excited about the building coming back to some of its original purpose - the sale of fabric and sewing accessories.
They have pictures of the store, given to them by members of the Monticello Historical Society, which show a wall lined with shelves filled with bolts
of fabric.
Hartman said bolts in the new store will be on racks, standing up and more accessible to customers.
Faretta, along with his brother, Joe Faretta, a carpenter; his brother-in-law, Frank Claurer, a mason; and several local contractors, have opened the front windows back up to the street, where people passing by can peer into the store again.
Possibly most notable is the hardwood floor in the front half of the store, which is stripped of its gray paint and varnished to bring out the original wood's golden color.
"Barb wanted the floor stripped, and I'm glad she did," Dave said.
In the back room where Hartman has her long-arm quilting machine and will teach classes, Dave covered the floor with modern wood overlay.
He left the high window frames and doors inside, but where doors had to be replaced, he installed French-style doors stained to match the original doors.
Lighting was important to both Dave and Hartman.
The ceiling is lower, but Dave left enough room to place a line of windows above the store' front windows.
Hartman wanted natural-color light bulbs in the front so customers can see the real colors in the fabric they buy, but in other areas of the store Dave installed energy-efficient compact bulbs.
Hartman began quilting in 1982, receiving an award for the very first quilt she created, and began longarm quilting in 2008.
Quilting is stress-relieving and connects generations, she said.
"I fully expect my grandchildren will be sharing some of these," she said about the quilts she is making today.
Perhaps the main store in the community at the time, The Peoples Supply store offered almost anything including, groceries, dry goods, tools and even a beauty salon.
The two-story building served as the location of a number of local businesses and apartments through the 20th century.
The store eventually became Blum's General Store. The building was also home to Dickson's Grocery Store from the 1960s to mid 1980s, before becoming Steve Peterson's Hardware and Appliance, and most recently Lindley Antiques. The building has been closed for the past several years, according to Ernie Gempeler and Kay Frietag, both life-long Monticello residents.
This year the building has been renovated and remodeled to open again as a full-service quilting business in August.
Dave Faretta, an electrical contractor from Monteray, bought the building in 2009. He spent much of last year renovating the four apartments in the upper level of the building. In February, he began renovating the 3,000 square feet on the first floor.
At about the same time, Barb Hartman, Dayton, Ohio, was looking for a place in New Glarus to open her quilting store, Quilter's Compass.
In March, the two met through New Glarus Realtor Barbara Meyers and, with the benefit of community support and old photos, began to collaborate on the store's renovation.
The result is a step back in time, with touches of modern conveniences.
Both Hartman and Faretta are excited about the building coming back to some of its original purpose - the sale of fabric and sewing accessories.
They have pictures of the store, given to them by members of the Monticello Historical Society, which show a wall lined with shelves filled with bolts
of fabric.
Hartman said bolts in the new store will be on racks, standing up and more accessible to customers.
Faretta, along with his brother, Joe Faretta, a carpenter; his brother-in-law, Frank Claurer, a mason; and several local contractors, have opened the front windows back up to the street, where people passing by can peer into the store again.
Possibly most notable is the hardwood floor in the front half of the store, which is stripped of its gray paint and varnished to bring out the original wood's golden color.
"Barb wanted the floor stripped, and I'm glad she did," Dave said.
In the back room where Hartman has her long-arm quilting machine and will teach classes, Dave covered the floor with modern wood overlay.
He left the high window frames and doors inside, but where doors had to be replaced, he installed French-style doors stained to match the original doors.
Lighting was important to both Dave and Hartman.
The ceiling is lower, but Dave left enough room to place a line of windows above the store' front windows.
Hartman wanted natural-color light bulbs in the front so customers can see the real colors in the fabric they buy, but in other areas of the store Dave installed energy-efficient compact bulbs.
Hartman began quilting in 1982, receiving an award for the very first quilt she created, and began longarm quilting in 2008.
Quilting is stress-relieving and connects generations, she said.
"I fully expect my grandchildren will be sharing some of these," she said about the quilts she is making today.