Al and Minnie Leonhardt came here from Sheboygan sometime in the 1920's and opened a mom and pop grocery store on the corner of Jefferson St. and E. Main St. where Century 21 is now located. Their home was on the west side of the building and the store on the east. The house was built right on the side-walk in the style of city houses and signs and a striped awning identified the grocery store as did the bread box outside where a delivery truck dropped the days bread in the early morning. The Leonhardts were my great aunt and uncle and my father, Harley Baker worked for them while he was in high school. They had a small meat counter which had mostly sandwich meats and cheeses. A bakery rack held packaged coffee cakes, rolls and bread. There was a candy counter filled with penny candies and another wall which had a wonderful display of cookies in glass lidded boxed which were counted into bags as you bought them. My favorites were chocolate coated with marshmallow interiors. There was a freezer where pints of ice-cream were kept and big round containers of ice cream provided several flavors for cones. Canned goods were on shelves behind the counter and each customer waited his turn and Aunt Minnie and Uncle Al filled their orders item by item. It was a cash and carry business but money was tight and in cases of need charges were allowed. Uncle Al also made deliveries in his Hudson to those who were unable to come to the store because of age or illness. Because he knew most of the people on the East side of Whitewater Uncle Al became the first ward alderman and served for something like 17 years being Council president for a number of those years. I believe he sincerely cared about the First Ward and it's people who were well known to him as customers. They retired in the late 40's to California and I know he deeply missed the store and the people he felt he was looking after.

Donna Henry

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