1891, 1912
As with other structures in the neighborhood, the current building is not the first at this address. The initial 1891 building permit for 252-254 First Avenue North was for a forty-by-eighty-eight-eight-foot brick warehouse, to be built at a cost of $20,000. The five-story building was subsequently destroyed by a three-alarm fire. Occupants of the original building included McKusick Towle (confectionery); Carter, Rittenberg & Hainlin (wholesale millinery); and McClellan Paper Company. The fire resulted in $75,000 in damage with the building gutted, and the stock destroyed.
The current building was designed by Christopher Boehme in 1912, for Gluek Brewery at a cost of $15,000. Gluek paid $20,000 for the site. The contractor for the brick, stone, and tile building was W. F. Doelz & Son. In 1911, Gluek had cleared the site of the ruins of the old building. Gluek then installed a saloon which occupied the main floor until 1919.
Founded in 1857 by Gottlieb Gluek, the Gluek Brewing Company operated in Minneapolis on 20th Avenue and Marshall Street N.E. During its early years of operation, Gluek financed and built many structures in Minneapolis. Because of the alcohol laws in the state, Gluek’s, as a brewer, could not operate its own saloons. Instead, it could own and lease space to others to sell its beers. Gluek’s remaining bar in Minneapolis is located at 16 North Sixth Street and was built in 1902. By 1937, Gluek’s was the oldest manufacturing firm in Minneapolis.
The architect for the building 252-254 was Christopher Boehme. As with other buildings in the area, the building had two addresses and two doors, with the possibility of either one or more tenants.
In 1903, Boehme and Cordella formed the Boehme & Cordella architectural firm. The partnership lasted eight years. The firm is most well-known for designing the Swan Turnblad residence, now the American Swedish Institute, in 1903.
The building was occupied during its early years by Gopher Film Manufacturing. Though Gopher manufactured film, it also filmed sporting events for rent to various exhibitors.
Between 1920 and 1935, Segal Meyer Dry Goods (later Meyer and Bercovitz Wholesale Dry Goods) occupied the building. At the time, dry goods referred to textile products which could include bolts of cloth that could be used to create other items such as clothing. Later ready-to- wear clothing was included in the category. Such items would be daywear, undergarments, and sleepwear.
Machinery Exchange Mart occupied 254 First Avenue North between 1946 and 1976. Newspaper advertisements over those years show that it sold several types and brands of machinery.
During the 1960s, Victor Mintz Supplies occupied space in 252-254 First Avenue North. It expanded to other buildings in the area, and rented storage space on Third Street.
Yamamoto Moss purchased the building in the early 1980s. Moss owned and occupied several buildings in the area, occupying this space until 2001. Yamamoto Moss was a nationally recognized advertising firm. Seitz Yamamoto Moss was founded in 1979, focusing on developing brand identity. Over the years, it built a national reputation, helping put the Twin Cities on the advertising map. In 1984, Hammel, Green, and Abrahamson won a design award for an interior remodel. In 1986, the company was rebranded as Yamamoto Moss. YM had 110 employees in its local, national, and international offices. Although no longer in the building, YM continues to provide client services.
After Yamamoto Moss’ departure, Zipnosis, a health care technology firm, occupied the space in 252, describing its space as a “two story, century-old office building,” signifying a departure from its role as a center for manufacturing.
The 252-254 Gluek building is recognized for its contributing role in the Minneapolis Warehouse District, which is recognized on the National Register of Historic Places. The recognized buildings in the Warehouse District are noted for their architectural integrity and historical use. It is an example of a medium-sized wholesale warehouse integral to the warehouse district.