5930 EXCELSIOR BLVD.

The first evidence of a building at this address may be the "John Hancock Oil. Co." listing in a 1926 business directory, described as at the northeast corner of Excelsior and Jackson, which was the name of the street before it was changed to Alabama in 1933. Next was an item in the Hennepin County Review on February 24, 1927: "Mr. Mel Sewall has opened a new grocery store on Jackson St. and Excelsior Blvd, next to the barbershop. We hope this will be a success and prove one more convenience for the neighborhood." The Brookside Grocery Store went in across Excelsior Blvd. in 1928, so it doesn't appear that it was successful... A pop permit was requested for the location by Joe Lehocky in 1931. In 1932, William Crabb was connected with the property.

The present building was built in 1946.

Edwin Gaasland opened Brookside Hardware with Henry (Hank) Bertrand in 1947. In 1951 it was billed as “Park’s oldest hardware store.” The ad below is from 1947.

In 1957 it was purchased by Edward J. McDevitt, who moved his store from Brownlow Ave.

From 1962 to about 1972 the store on Excelsior Blvd. was owned by Orval A. “Larry” Wittman, and it operated as Wittman's Marine and Hardware (later just Marine) until he moved to Skunk Hollow.

Leonard C. Riley bought the property and runs Northern Aire Pools, which had been in the basement of Wittman’s Marine.

The addresses of 5932 and 5934 have been used in later years. In 1981, it was the address of La Petite Chef, run by John Claude Tendillia. From 1985 to 1991 it was the Park Pantry Coop.

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This information comes from a variety of sources: newspapers, books, yearbooks, phone directories, interviews, etc. Given the varied sources, we cannot guarantee that all of this information is correct, and welcome any additions and corrections. Please contact us with your contributions and comments.