Charley Christopherson
Restaurant Proprietor in Morris
Charley steps into Morris in the year 1901, a year that would bring the shocking death of the President. McKinley's assassination would usher in a time of deep sadness for the nation. Soon after, in the winter that year, Charley, age twenty-one, manages the lunch counter associated with the Merchants Hotel, referred to by one source, as the Merchants Café. The next summer, 1902, Charley could be found working for Andy Thompson in, presumably, the Gem's restaurant.
Aug 9, 1902, on a Saturday morning, Charley opens his own lunch counter and restaurant, "Charley's Place", on the corner of Sixth and Atlantic Avenue, the north side of Sixth. He rents a room recently vacated by the Central Minnesota and Co., freshly remodeled, adjoining the rear of F. A. Mullen's men's department store. The restaurant is advertised as being open day and night and mentions "short orders and regular dinners will receive special attention." Telephone is connected to Charley's Place, 159. One of his employees is named Ed Lang, who lives in Le Sueur. The community knows Charles to be a good, steady fellow, as well as a hustler, and believes that he will get a liberal share of the restaurant business in Morris.
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The Merchants Hotel. Courtesy of Stevens County Historical Society.
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Jan of 1904, Charles prepares to relocate his popular restaurant and rent a more commodious location in the Spooner Brick Block, a room adjacent to the Morris National Bank, not too far on Atlantic Avenue from his current headquarters. His neighbor, F. A. Mullen, awaits to tear down the partition between his store and Charley's Place, thus undergoing the third expansion of his shop, and making it into an office and shoe repair department. Meanwhile, for Charles, carpenters and painters work to transform the new apartment for the redesigned Charley's Restaurant. With the tragic death of his dad just a few weeks before and the need to help support his mother and his wife with child, Charles finds it a perfect time to grow his business. His new place will feature a full line of confectionery, fruits, cigars, tobacco, and more- a very bold move knowing his is in competition with the Jumble Confectionery that has been in business the previous two years. All of his friends predict him the best of success in his new location.
Atlantic Avenue, 1912. Charley's restaurant location 1904-1907, next to the Morris National Bank.
Courtesy of Stevens County Historical Society.
Courtesy of Stevens County Historical Society.
Jan 25, 1904, a Monday evening, the new Charley's Place opens. The restaurant is now partitioned into two areas: one with a neat and quiet dining room with five tables that seats a total of thirty people; the other, a lunch room with a large lunch counter with room to seat twenty people. Brand new fixtures adorn the walls and ceilings. Rotating fans circulate. Employee, Ed Lang manages the lunch counter during the evening hours of the restaurant. An experienced lady cook works behind the scenes in the kitchen. Cashiers of Charley's Place would be Miss Phalen and the young, charming and accomplished Miss Mattie Smith who becomes Mrs. Weberg while under Charley's employ. The Webergs live in one of the apartments above the store of S. J. Stebbins a short walk down the boardwalk from Charley's Place. Charles provides a delicious dainty spread for them the day following their wedding ceremony, which they enjoy there at the restaurant.
For the opening of the place one could see it to be neat, clean and inviting, as expected under Charley's management, and up to date in every respect. The restaurant continues to remain, from here on, one of the most popular places in town, providing quick and efficient service and serving appetizing meals, exclusively, on the American plan. Charles makes it clear that with the new restaurant there will not be any changes in the cookery nor raising of prices. When you sit down to eat, waiters will still serve you the homemade pies and doughnuts that mother used to make. Customers are given the opportunity to purchase five dollar meal tickets for $4.00 cash, good for either 21 lunches or meals. Or to board by the week, staying in one of the rooms run in connection, one could pay $3.50.
Some sample news advertisements read:
Many popular phrases that would be used to advertise the restaurant in the future frequently bear a similar likeness, such as, "Charles Place is the Only Place," "There is No Place Like Charley's Place," and, "It is Well to Have a Place for Everything." Charles makes sure to be on the front page of one of the local newspapers, the Morris Tribune, during the first several months of the newly expanded business. The following is one of the very first advertisements of Charley's Place in the paper, the Morris Sun edition, a few days after its reopening:
Advertisement also would come, unexpectedly, in another form on a cold winter's day when a small blaze threatens the popular eating resort. The fire department is called out and, fortunately, extinguishes the flames before any damage is done.
As the next few months unfold, Charles continues to make countless improvements to both his confectionery and restaurant. On a Wednesday, May 4, Charles installs a latest type, 20th century sanitary soda fountain and celebrates the event; soon to follow, new gas lighting plants; and in the summer sets up a very artistic sign outside his restaurant.
"Everything pointed to the fact that its proprietor was not a new hand at the business," remarked a respectable Morris gentlemen one day in regards to Charles and his cafe. Undeniably a very progressive and successful young business man, Charles does find himself anxious for some other form of work at this time. He thinks that, despite the restaurant being a very lucrative one for him, perhaps something more clerical with not as much manual labor would be better suited for himself. And so, on occasion, Charles leaves town in hopes of striking up a business proposition elsewhere. By August that year, 1904, he makes a deal with two gentlemen, Mr. Hanson and Mr. Johnson, from the town of Barry. Both are not only very experienced in the restaurant industry but are connected with some of the largest eating houses in the Twin Cities. Mr. Johnson is known, particularly, as a practical business man. The sale pends, and then after about two weeks does not materialize as planned leaving the restaurant under Charley's management.
Three weeks later, September, Charles closes a deal with E. H. Wentworth of Orient, South Dakota, and officially makes the sale of his modern cafe. Wentworth sets out to give the people of Morris a model eating place, giving special attention to the wants of patrons, and without changing the popular prices and menu. He advertises for a waitress. However, a month in, Mr. Wentworth finds he is unable to make it a paying proposition and thinks he should either attempt to open a restaurant in another stand or simply retire altogether. Sunday, Oct 30, under which circumstances are unknown, Charles returns to town, and a couple days later, Nov 1, resumes charge of Charley's Place. Charles announces that, this time around, he intends to keep all the features that have made Charley's Place heretofore so popular and also that he will soon give the people of Morris something entirely new to talk about, running the restaurant on both the American and European plan.
"Everything pointed to the fact that its proprietor was not a new hand at the business," remarked a respectable Morris gentlemen one day in regards to Charles and his cafe. Undeniably a very progressive and successful young business man, Charles does find himself anxious for some other form of work at this time. He thinks that, despite the restaurant being a very lucrative one for him, perhaps something more clerical with not as much manual labor would be better suited for himself. And so, on occasion, Charles leaves town in hopes of striking up a business proposition elsewhere. By August that year, 1904, he makes a deal with two gentlemen, Mr. Hanson and Mr. Johnson, from the town of Barry. Both are not only very experienced in the restaurant industry but are connected with some of the largest eating houses in the Twin Cities. Mr. Johnson is known, particularly, as a practical business man. The sale pends, and then after about two weeks does not materialize as planned leaving the restaurant under Charley's management.
Three weeks later, September, Charles closes a deal with E. H. Wentworth of Orient, South Dakota, and officially makes the sale of his modern cafe. Wentworth sets out to give the people of Morris a model eating place, giving special attention to the wants of patrons, and without changing the popular prices and menu. He advertises for a waitress. However, a month in, Mr. Wentworth finds he is unable to make it a paying proposition and thinks he should either attempt to open a restaurant in another stand or simply retire altogether. Sunday, Oct 30, under which circumstances are unknown, Charles returns to town, and a couple days later, Nov 1, resumes charge of Charley's Place. Charles announces that, this time around, he intends to keep all the features that have made Charley's Place heretofore so popular and also that he will soon give the people of Morris something entirely new to talk about, running the restaurant on both the American and European plan.
Charles had always endeavored to supply his tables with the best the markets could afford, but a glance at Charley's Christmas dinner menu card, the following month, reveals just how far Charley goes to truly serve the best. Christmas day, 1904, the restaurant interior is prettily decorated with Christmas greens throughout. An elaborate Christmas menu of choice viands, which people comment "cannot be improved upon" in taste and presentation, reads as follows:
Reproduction of Charley's Place Christmas menu card, Dec 25, 1904.
One of those who attended the memorable occasion recalls with pleasure, "Without doubt it was one of the finest dinners ever served at any hotel or restaurant in Morris."
The winter and spring run of Charley's Place continues to be met with ever more success and improvements in preparation for the upcoming summer and fall run with the object of "fitting up the neatest restaurant, confectionery and ice cream parlor west of the cities." One of these progresses being in March the following year of 1905. Charles acquires a very expensive popcorn and peanut roaster machine with all the latest improvements. Those walking past the restaurant recall hearing young Mr. Christopherson crying out, "Fresh buttered popcorn and hot peanuts!" Charley's Place also continues to reach out to the community in ways it always had by serving banquets for special events and also, in one instance, supporting a local eye doctor and turning the popular restaurant, for one day, into a place for free eye examinations and the fitting of eye glasses.
Charles behind the cigar and confectionery counter in Charley's Place, taken in the years 1904-1905 when the restaurant was at its zenith.
One of the store front windows (right of photo) had a Fruit Display.
One of the store front windows (right of photo) had a Fruit Display.
"You can't help but be merry if you eat and drink at Charley's Place, where everything is provided for your comfort," a news add claims at this time. Indeed it is true. When you walk in, right there to your right is the confectionery station where you can choose from a complete line of McIntosh's Chocolates and Bon Bons as well as a choice line of Funke's Famous Chocolates and Bon Bons. The large number of everyday sales insures their being fresh. Three of the most popular confectioneries a customer could sample would be the Boston Walnuts, the Buttermilk Chocolates and the Chocolate Dip Angel Food. Boxes of candies and bon bons are sold at all prices. Homemade pastry- everything in the way of cookies, cakes, etc.- is also sold there, and if you try them you may want some more, Charles admits.
The cigars, as well as the candies and bon bons, are advertised as being "just as good as you get anywhere in the world and lots cheaper." The place features the most popular brands of cigars and tobacco, such as the famous Paul Jones 10 cents Cigars. Beautiful boxes of cigars are sold at 25 cents and up. The trade of cigars and tobacco begins to rapidly increase, especially, in the winter of 1905. One humorous story in connection with the line of tobacco at Charley's Place concerns a notable gentleman of Morris, Dr. Hulburd. He is remembered to come in when his wife and children were in "foreign lands". There he would enjoy "chewing" in company with some other men including Nels Olson, the clerk of court, George W. Beise, C. B. Randall, C. G. Jennings, Max Trantow, and M. I. Forkner, the executive editor for one of the Morris newspapers.
The cigars, as well as the candies and bon bons, are advertised as being "just as good as you get anywhere in the world and lots cheaper." The place features the most popular brands of cigars and tobacco, such as the famous Paul Jones 10 cents Cigars. Beautiful boxes of cigars are sold at 25 cents and up. The trade of cigars and tobacco begins to rapidly increase, especially, in the winter of 1905. One humorous story in connection with the line of tobacco at Charley's Place concerns a notable gentleman of Morris, Dr. Hulburd. He is remembered to come in when his wife and children were in "foreign lands". There he would enjoy "chewing" in company with some other men including Nels Olson, the clerk of court, George W. Beise, C. B. Randall, C. G. Jennings, Max Trantow, and M. I. Forkner, the executive editor for one of the Morris newspapers.
Example of 1905 Soda Fountain. Dittmer's Mission Pharmacy at the corner of S. Glassell and Plaza Square, Orange County, California.
An ice cream parlor featuring solely Johnson's Velvet Ice Cream as well as all the popular flavoring extracts, fruits and syrups marks another location of the store. It advertises "Long life, health, happiness and contentment are in store for those who drink from our new 20th Century Sanitary fountain." A charm of the 20th century, the soda fountain is capable of removing all possibility of contamination from foreign substances. J. Hungerford Smith Co.'s True Crushed Fruits and Fountain Syrups are exclusively handled at the fountain, delightfully pure, sweet and wholesome, and purposely kept in glass bottles in plain sight. Cool and refreshing bottled soft drinks are kept in a patent sanitary cooling device there also. Some of these soft drink flavors, which may influence a customer to frequent regularly, include PAN AMERICAN ORANGEADE, PING PONG, PEAR CHAMPAGNE and BUFFALO PUNCH.
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Sitting down to dine at either the lunch counter or in the dining room one could order a nice warm meal, including some European and Norwegian dishes such as Luda Fisk, as well as the sandwiches and other American dishes Charles always prepared. A corps of efficient waiters is always there ready to promptly serve to the wants of its patrons. Regular meals and short orders are also delivered at the same table for convenience. If a customer visits on a Sunday he could order one of the Popular Sunday Dinners. Charles' niece, Virginia, in later years, recollects that the eats Charley would characteristically fix up were white- white potatoes, white etc. Virginia referring to Norwegian cuisine: "Everything is white."
Now in the heat of August and a year having transpired since Charles last tried to sell his restaurant, one can assume what is on Charles' mind as the young entrepreneur travels up to Otter Tail County to transact some business. Charles soon returns, and in about five weeks, for an unknown reason, announces that he will be relocating Charley's Place into two rooms in the Harris building across the street- accommodations previously used by P. H. Keough as a pool and billiard parlor. On a Tuesday, Oct 10, Charley's restaurant makes the big move into the new area fitted up to be pleasant and comfortable for its present purposes. During this first short month in the Harris location, Charles discloses that he has received a flattering business proposition from Graceville wherein he could purchase and take charge of a saloon in the Shannon Hotel of that city. He makes it known that he will, again, be selling the restaurant, this time to his experienced, trusted employee, Ed Lang, and also to Fred Bragg, another well-known business man of Morris. The deal is made final on Nov 13 and Charles prepares to remove his family to Graceville by the first of December.
A little over a week in the hands of its new proprietors, Ed Lang and Fred Bragg lease the old Spooner Brick Block headquarters and make the transition back into the previous Charley's Place location. In the ensuing eight months, the restaurant continues to be one of the desirable business institutions of the city while the new management does not make any notable changes for its patrons.
Aug 1906, Messrs. Lang and Bragg choose to sell the popular meeting place to Fred Dahl and Jule Hovend, also both very competent in the restaurant business. Lang and Bragg are unsure as to what line of industry they will embark in. Jule Hovend becomes sole owner of Charley's restaurant while Fred Dahl prepares to open a new restaurant of his own in the Morris hotel building in those recent times home of the New Royal Cafe. His wife, Mrs. Dahl, will be head of the culinary department. As for Charley's Place proprietor, Hovend, he appears to strive to preserve the restaurant's legacy, such as by serving up delicious Luda Fisk, as well as, seemingly, adding to his inventory pipes for sale.
But this happens to not be so successful a year for the restaurant business, in particular, in Morris due to a scarcity of transients. Mr. Hovend, unfortunately, finds that he has no other choice than to close his doors- this time for good. So he makes the sale to his business partner's wife, Mrs. Fred Dahl, that summer of 1907. Mrs. Dahl will turn the apartment into her own restaurant. She will also carry a complete line of fruit, confectionery, tobacco and cigars.
John Linne and his daughter Myrtle in Linne's Bakery, taken abt. 1915. In photo appears to be the large plate glass show case which he bought from Jule Hovend, last owner of Charley's Place. Courtesy of Stevens County Historical Society.
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So, whatever happened to the equipment in Charley's restaurant? Last proprietor of Charley's Place, Jule Hovend, at one known time thought about moving the equipment of Charley's Place to North Dakota as part of the start of a new business there. But if he took much of anything with him it is unknown. Mrs. Dahl purchased the beloved soda fountain, which remained there in her restaurant to be used in the summer months. And as for one of the large plate glass show cases in the old Charley's stead, Mr. John Linne, owner of a bakery down the street, took possession of- a handsome addition to his livelihood.
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So, what takes place for Charles directly after the selling of his prize business, 1906?
Visit blog page for continued story.
Visit blog page for continued story.
Sources:
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- Interview with Aunt Virginia Loggins. 15 Jul 2013.
- Interview with Aunt Virginia Loggins. Sep 2013.
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