LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA

The Republican Centennial Edition, Wapello, Louisa County, Iowa
Thursday, July 12, 1956, Section Three, Page 49
Transcribed by Shirley Plumb, July 1, 2019

OLDEST BUSINESS IN WAPELLO
Half Century Continuous Service

    Carl Lofgren—the name immediately brings to mind fishing and fine jewelry and to really know Carl is to love him. And who in Wapello does not know him, because he sure has been around here a long time, and holds the distinction of being Wapello’s oldest business man in point of years of continuous service in this community.

    He opened up his jewelry store here in November of 1908. After graduating from the Bradley School of Horology in 1906 he attended a school for engravers in Chicago before opening up his own store which has been in operation ever since.

    It is interesting to note that there were four brothers, Gus, Carl, Albert and Oscar and each one became a professional jeweler. First, Gus went to school and learned the jewelers trade and opened a store of his own and helped Carl through school. Then when Carl finished his trade school, he opened up his business and both brothers helped Oscar through the same schooling and he also opened his own business. Carl Lofgren is the sole survivor of a fine family of 12 children.

    The store which he now occupies was built for one of Wapello’s first newspapers and later on was the home of the first theatre here, being the real old movie nickleodium.

    Carl Lofgren is an all-around sportsman and continues his fair play in business as well as in hunting and fishing which accounts for the confidence the public has place in his integrity and have place their business confidentially with him for the past half century