It’s time once again for #FlashbackFriday with the Whitewater Historical Society.

This week we are featuring G. Stuart’s Mens Shop in this mid-1990s photo by George Scharfenberg. This storefront, constructed in 1892, housed long-term hardware stores and men’s clothing stores.

Many people probably remember this as the location of Art Lein’s men’s store. Art Lein began his store in 1959 out near the Hawk bowling alley, but soon moved to downtown. He operated his store until 1980. After remaining a men’s store, the storefront was absorbed into the Double Dip Deli in 1999 (now Rosa’s).

In the first half of the 20th century, this was the location of Baker Hardware and Keiser & Tubb’s Hardware (1894-c.1940). Many stores came and went quickly in downtown Whitewater, but the three storefronts we have featured this month housed some of the city’s most long-time businesses.

(George Scharfenberg Collection)