Business

While the fear of empty storefronts continues in Auburn, just as it does in many other small towns in the Midwest, the number of businesses here has actually increased in the period 1960 to 2002. The nature of business and the locations where business is conducted has changed over the years, but a few businesses from 1960 are still going strong.

In the telephone book of 1960 there were 143 total businesses listed for Auburn. Of those, 127 were considered retail, service or a combination of those two. Sixteen were classed as professional (doctors, lawyers, insurance salesmen, and the like). Industries were not included in the total. (There were two.)

By 2002 the total number of businesses came to 201, with 28 classified as professional. So business establishments, in general, increased by 30 in those 42 years and professional businesses increased by 12. There are now three industrial businesses.

Most of the increase in retail business came in the service sector. There were 68 retail stores in Auburn in 1960. There were 28 businesses that were considered service related and nine businesses were a combination of retail and service. By 2002, the number of retail stores had decreased to 66, but service sector businesses jumped up to 66 and seven businesses were both.

That we are becoming a service oriented society is certainly borne out in these statistics.

Another significant difference between today and 1960 is seen in the location of Auburn’s businesses. Even though businesses establishments have increased over all, the number of businesses considered to be in the downtown area (J Street from 6th Street to 15th Street, Central Avenue from H Street to K Street, and the 1300 block of Courthouse Avenue) decreased from 118 to 90. Of course there were no businesses at Crestview in 1960. Currently there are 20 stores in that new development and the immediate area. “South side”, the retail district around the Nemaha County Courthouse at 19th and M Street, has changed little, with20 units in 1960 and 22 stores currently. In 1960 there were 41 enterprises operated from residential homes. In 2002 the figure was 57.

In 1960 the home-based businesses included mostly beauty shops and insurance men, plus three neighborhood grocery stores. The modern scene now includes internet services and day care.

There are a number of business services available today that did not exist in 1960. Other services were available then, but not now. Some examples of new services are storage units, office supplies, computer retailers and copy centers, health care providers, a cable TV provider, video and movie rentals, an art gallery, telemarketing and others. Some examples of business that no longer in existence in Auburn include a tank wagon service, bakeries, paint stores, a sale barn, welding, printers, tailors, cold storage lockers, a pool hall, a hatchery, and a blacksmith to name a few. Some of those goods and services, such as bakery and paint, have been incorporated into other outlets.

Only two businesses, McConnell Auto Repair and Louie’s Barber Shop, are still in the same location and have the same owners as in 1960. Two other businesses, Humphrey Motor Electric and Ingersoll Barber Shop, are still in the same place, but are now owned by the sons of the founders. Six businesses still have the same name and are located in the same place, but have different owners. They are The Auburn Newspapers, Palmer House Motel, Auburn Speed Wash, Grand Central Hotel, Auburn Elevators and State Theatre. The theatre was closed down for several years and has re-opened.

A similar number of businesses have the same name as in 1960 but have moved to different locations. These are OK Tire (shortened from OK Tire Welders), German Mutual Insurance Association, Farm Bureau Insurance, Auburn State Bank, Carson National Bank, Bernard Real Estate, and Earl May.

Several businesses still have family members as owners even though the name or location has changed. Included are Lifetime Vision Center, Casey-Witzenburg-Hall Funeral Home, Bernard Real Estate, Johnson Motors, and OK Tires. The two banks cited above have interlocking directors and are basically owned by the descendents of the founders and their inter-related families. Earl May is still owned by the same corporation as in 1960, while German Mutual and Farm Bureau are co-ops under the same general structure they had in 1960.

There are some striking differences in the nature of business in the new millennium. We now have five firms considered to be building contractors compared with one in 1960. On the other hand there were seven clothing stores before and now only four. These figures get cloudy when one has to decide whether a department in a discount store classifies as a clothier when compared to a full time clothing retailer. There is no doubt, however, that options for many clothing lines are not available in the modern Auburn.

Here are some other comparisons from 1960 and 2002. Grocery stores, there were seven, now there are two, although there are also three convenience stores at gas stations that sell groceries as do a discount department store and a variety-type outlet. Feed and produce, there were seven, now one. Antiques, there were none in 1960, now eight. Gas stations, there were 13, now just three. Real estate, there were two, now there are five. Farm equipment, there were five, now there are two.

The figure that stands in these statistics relates to gas stations. Even though gallons sold have probably increased by multiples, the number of gas stations has decreased by 80%. The business that used to be called a “service” station now is dubbed a “gas” station. With the advent of self-service, cars move through much more quickly, multiple pumps are available, and less manpower is needed.