History

1871

217 and 221 North Minnesota
217 North Minnesota is built by Meinrad Epple and 221 North Minnesota is built by George Jacobs using American Artstone and brick from New Ulm Brick & Tile Company

1871

1872

217 North Minnesota
Meinrad Epple opened a meat market at this location.

1872

1881

217 and 221 North Minnesota
The buildings are damaged by the 1881 cyclone. They were soon rebuilt.

1881

1902

217 North Minnesota
Mrs. Epple sold the meat market business to an employee, Andrew Saffert, who changed the name to Saffert’s Meat Market.

1902

1909

217 North Minnesota
Andrew Saffert purchased the building.

1909

1914

217 North Minnesota
Saffert’s Meat Market added a slaughterhouse and cooking rooms.

1914

1918

217 North Minnesota
Saffert’s Meat Market remodeled the facade and expanded to the back alley.

1918

1924

221 North Minnesota
W.S. Vercoe moved his plumbing shop to this address.

1924

1924

11 South Minnesota
Albert Veigel opened the Lyric Cafe at this location next to the Lyric Theatre.

1924

1928

11 South Minnesota
Albert Veigel sold the Lyric Cafe to Paul Yanda and Erwin Backer and they renamed it Dutch Oven.

1928

1929

101 South Minnesota
Albert Veigel briefly operated a pool hall and lunchroom at this location before moving to 20 South Minnesota.

1929

1930

20 South Minnesota

1930

1937

523 1st North/26 N Broadway
Albert Veigel purchased the Kaiserhof Restaurant next to the New Ulm Theatre. Frank Kretsch had originally opened the Kaiserhof in 1933 in the office of his service station garage. The building was originally built in 1837 as Arbeiter Hall, later named Union Hall, and was used for events. After WWI it was used as a service station and it now houses businesses.

1937

1946

221 North Minnesota
Albert & Minnie [Helget] Veigel and their son Don purchased the building with William Moll. They quickly remodeled the facade and moved their Kaiserhoff Restaurant from First North to the south side of the Minnesota Street building.

1946

1947

221 North Minnesota
A fire gutted the interior and the building was renovated.

1947

1963

221 North Minnesota
Veigel’s Kaiserhoff expanded to the north side of the building. 

1963

1976

217 North Minnesota
Andrew Saffert’s son, Elmer, sold the property to Don Veigel for the expansion of the Kaiserhoff Restaurant. Don Veigel remodeled the facade and razed a building to the south he had also purchased (Nick’s Tailor Shop) to add parking.

1976

1977

217 and 221 North Minnesota
Veigel’s Kaiserhoff Restaurant operated out of the two buildings. The 217 Minnesota building was used as an event space. The original curved stairs and brass rail from Saffert’s Meat Market are still in place.

1977

2022

217 and 221 North Minnesota
Herb Knutson purchased the buildings and the Kaiserhoff Restaurant.

2022