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FESENMEIER BREWING COMPANY Circa - 1956
...through the eyes of one of the world's first beer can and breweriana collectors, Ernie "Uncle Ernie" Oest. Picture courtesy of Rob Musson. Looking east down Madison Avenue from 15th Street West. This beautiful brewery was foolishly demolished in 1972 and replaced with a Kroger store. But the grocery chain abandoned the site almost as quickly as they destroyed the brewery, building yet another new store just a few blocks away. Not surprisingly, they quickly abandoned that site as well and were out of Central City altogether by the early 1980s. |
 ...AND NOW
We took this photo from approximately the same spot as the picture above. The old A&P building still stands. Across the street is the hideous building Kroger constructed in 1972-73. Today this site is occupied by Big Lots. 
LITTLE SWITZERLAND BREWING COMPANY Circa -1968
A Swiss facade was given to the office building and hospitality room in 1968 at the Little Switzerland Brewing Company, located on the southwest corner of 14th St. West & Madison Avenue (Madison runs left to right). The owners of the brewery planned to make it a major tourist attraction of the area. The new design included flower boxes under the second-floor windows of the office building, complete with slate roof. Photo clipping from Tri-State Shopper's Guide 07/24/68.  ...AND NOW We took this picture in 2005 from approximately the same spot as the picture above. It's now an antique mall, where you can be sure that breweriana from Fesenmeier and Little Switzerland passes through from time to time. The ultimate example of irony. Kroger abandoned this location almost as quickly as they tore down the brewery. Notice the "Kroger arches" over the doorway to Big Lots.
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