Digital Division
411 & 413 Division St
Hamre Building
est. 1886
Dating back to 1886, this building has been known by many names over the years. The Kelly and Wheeler estates began construction on this two-story brick building early that year to house Kelly & Tripp—a holiday goods store—and Josten & Barnard—a jewelry and silverware store. The Kelly-Wheeler Building, as it was initially known, has pretty much always been split into two sections—one store in the northern half at 411, one in the southern half at 413.
The building’s current name is rooted in a transaction from 1902, when J.S. Tripp sold out his share in the company to businessman Henry Hamre. Around this time, the former holiday goods store became a drugstore. Seven years later, in April of 1909, Kelly left the business too, and in July of the same year, Charles Crary moved into the building’s northern half. For decades afterwards, the Division Street storefronts at 411-413 would read: Crary Book Store, Henry B. Hamre Drugstore.
When Hamre left in 1930, his southern half was still known as the Kelly building, while the Crary name was used to refer to the northern section. It is unclear when Hamre’s name became recognized as the building’s namesake, but his contributions to the evolution of Northfield’s commercial landscape were certainly influential.
411 in 2008, home to Fashion Fair
The Crary Book Store stuck around a bit longer than Hamre’s, continuing after Charles’ passing under the direction of his daughter, Helen Crary Sletten. In 1946, Sid Freeman bought both halves of the building, and 411 for five years became a sporting goods store headed by former All-American U of M football player Bruce Smith. They later moved to the Freeman Building, and 411 became a music shop under various names for almost 40 years. In 2016, a new Northfield variety store—Fate Vintage—opened, and it has remained since.
Meanwhile, over at 413, the property was converted into a mail order office, first for Montgomery Ward & Co. and then for Sears Roebuck & Co. in the 60s and 70s. Freeman’s The Hub and Mitchell’s Style Shop later moved their stores into this space one after the other, each after being at a different Division Street location for decades. The Goat—a shop that is quintessential of today’s Northfield, and its love for varied and unique artisan goods—now occupies the space.
413 in 2008, home to Glass Garden Beads