Frisk-Turner Building
1884, 1890
PDF Frisk-Turner Building History
Since built, the Frisk-Turner Building, at 311 First Avenue North, has gone by many names: Frisk-Turner Building, McDonald Brothers Building, Weum-Walt Building, Hooker Building, and Studio One.
Built in 1884, the Fisk-Turner Building was designed by Franklin B. Long, considered Minneapolis’ first business architect. Long’s buildings, including the Frisk-Turner, were typically designed in the Richardsonian Romanesque Revival Style. The second and third floors of Frisk-Turner feature arches, with the first, fourth, and fifth floors featuring rectangular windows but with arches on the fourth floor. The trim above the entrance is echoed at the top of the building but on a larger scale.
The building permit listed the contractor as R.C. Kolkoff, with the estimated cost of construction at $35,000. In 1890, the fifth floor was added at an estimated cost of $21,000. The building permit for the fifth-floor addition lists J. Congdon as the contractor. The Minnesota Daily Times, on April 2, 1892, reported the need for Frisk-Turner to add a fifth floor to its factory building and expand its space.
The building changed owners over the years. It was initially occupied by the Frisk-Turner Company. By 1894, the Frisk-Turner Company, because of changes in their business, was not doing well and began disposing of $100,000 in stock at fifty cents on the dollar.
In 1895, the McDonald Brothers Building, (built in 1879 and, at that time, the largest store of its kind in Minneapolis) was destroyed by fire. The property loss was approximately $100,000 with the loss of both the building and its stock. Four floors and a basement were filled with high grade crockery. To continue operating, McDonalds moved their crockery and glassware business into the Frisk-Turner building. During their tenure, the building was sometimes referred to as the McDonald Building.
By 1897, the building was in receivership with the highest bid of $3,000. The Minnesota Daily Times reported equity to be much greater than the highest bid. The company owning the building was declared insolvent in 1901.
In 1902, the Fargo-based Weum-Watt Wholesale Notion Company moved its headquarters and stock to the building which had been entirely remodeled for their use, including the addition of a new glass front. The building was thereafter referenced as the Weum-Watt Building. Also occupying the building at that time were the Twin Cities Knitting Company and the William Lorenz Trunk Company.
A Minneapolis Journal article, dated May 31, 1904, noted that the neighborhood in which the building was located was the wholesale center of the city and would be so for years. The newspaper stated that the main institutions on First Avenue rose five, six, or seven stories “and gave a strong impression of solidity.” A dozen new buildings had been built, vacant buildings were filled, and the reputation of the city as a jobbing and distributing point had grown as other industries declined.
The building, when sold in 1904, for $30,000, was then owned by Bostonian Charles Codman. The building was still occupied by Weum-Watt Company, a wholesale notions supplier and wholesale men’s furnishings company. In 1907, Weum-Watt constructed a new building and planned to move from the building within the year.
The United States Tobacco Journal reported on September 28, 1907, that the Hooker Cigar Company was having its biggest year and further reported that Hooker would be moving to its new headquarters once Weum-Watt relocated. Remodeling would then commence with the move expected in early 1908.
In 1909, the Minneapolis Tribune reported that police had arrested four individuals who had stolen 12,000 cigars from the Hooker Building.
William Hooker, the founder of Hooker Cigar, ran for alderman in 1910, was successful, and was often in the news thereafter. [His obituary in 1922 reported that as alderman and chair of various public works departments, he had been actively involved in the building of the Third Avenue Bridge.] There are no references to Hooker Cigar operating after his election. The company may have gone out of business.
The Minneapolis Journal reported on January 19, 1914, that a fire at 15 Third Street North leaped across a blind alley to the building affecting a dozen firms in the building. It was still known at that time as the McDonald Building.
Occupancy of the building is less clear in ensuing years. Tenants during the 1920s included Olive Baker Manufacturing, Swinburn and Company, and Kohlstedt and Company. On November 26, 1930, a fire was reported on the fifth floor resulting in $50,000 in damage. In 1939, the building was occupied, in part, by the Northwest Manufacturing Company.
In the 1950s, the L. Miller Company was a tenant. In the 1970s, Martin Leather Company and George’s Delicatessen were listed as tenants in the building.
On March 18, 1989, Dave Hallenback, of Kenco Properties, was listed by the Star Tribune as the building’s representative in a hearing about the historical property.
Edelman Productions was a tenant in the 1990s along with Premier Crew, Wilmore & Associates, and Freelance Hotline. Edelman’s occupancy continued into the early 2000s. Steve Edelman was a pioneer in designer shows on KSTP and HGTV. On the fifth floor of the building is an apartment with a kitchen remodel done for the television show.
In 2001, the building was acquired by Swervo, owned by Ned Abdul. The building, when acquired, was called Studio One. At the time of purchase, there continued to be several production companies and artists living and working in the building.