Brown's / Winkelman Recreation Parlor Building, 1502 Miner

This building served the vast majority of its lifetime as Brown's Department Store. It has a few stories to tell.

It was built on the site of the Thoma House Hotel's bowling lane annex and stables. The bowling lanes had opened by 1905.

Bernhardt H. "Barney" Winkelman, one-time proprietor of the Thoma House, built this building in 1921. Winkelman was a very prominent businessman; over the years he also owned and operated the lumberyard next to the tracks at what is now Ellinwood and Lee, and the adjacent saloon; the American House saloon on Ellinwood where Center Street was eventually built, and the land behind it reaching to Prairie. His house was the former home of Socrates Rand's widow at Lee and Miner, where he eventually built the Des Plaines Theatre (his house was moved to Jefferson Street and later demolished).

The building was based on a stock design from the Midland Terra Cotta company. At this time, you could basically order a building facade from a catalog. Don't be surprised if you see a twin somewhere. Since it was replacing bowling alleys, the new building featured 7 pocket billiards tables, a snooker and billiard table, and 2 bowling alleys. This closed in 1932.

By 1935, it had become home to Janet's Tea Room, formerly of Lee Street, described thus by the Suburban Times on February 2:

   Janet's Tea Room is one of the most popular in this section and merits the large patronage it receives, for it's one of the cleanest and most sanitary—serving the most palatable foods to be found anywhere. It is very popular with the people of Des Plaines and Cook county.
   This tea room has gained a name that has spread far and wide as a place where the local people and the traveling public can more than satisfy their demands in the matter of obtaining good food.
   The menu not only consists of the prime necessities of life, but many delicacies are offered that are inviting and tempting to the taste of the most fastidious appetite.
   Cleanliness is one of the outstanding features of this modern eating place, and this is not  confined to the counter alone, but goes into kitchen, where all dishes are thoroughly washed and sterilized.
   The service is equally satisfactory whether your order be large or small, as the owner makes you feel at home and that your patronage is appreciated.
   Let us suggest that if you want your next luncheon party to be a success that you call and make arrangements here and leave the rest to them. You are sure to find everything to your entire satisfaction.

It seems that the restaurants downtown clustered around the train station to better serve that clientele. Later in 1935, the building became home to Sears, Roebuck, and Company, which remained here only two years before swapping locations with the struggling Brown's Department Store in summer 1937.

In this location Brown's refocused on soft lines - clothing and fabrics, and eventually focused even closer on women's and children's active clothing. Known for its parakeets and other birds kept throughout the store, Brown's closed its doors in February, 1996.

The building almost became a Bruegger's Bagels, going so far as mounting a sign, but then that chain ran into financial trouble. It instead became a National Quik Cash payday loan office. The back half was converted into a series of shops, including Bagel Cafe (then a-Adams Driving School), Family Hearing Center, Ursula's Jewelry, Clip N' Curl, and Stuff & Puff Tobacco.



The building was demolished to make way for the driveway to Metropolitan Square.

(top photo by Malcolm Mlodoch)