Blue and White Scooped Ice Cream

Have you ever wondered what the history was behind the little building at the corner of South State Street and North Street here in Geneseo. Today, the building at 302 S. State Street is home to the In-A-Godda-Da-Vida Music Store, which is owned by John Puentes. The business held its grand opening on September 28-29, 2018. Puentes offers guitar lessons and a large selection of musical supplies. When you walk through the door you will see new and used guitars, amplifiers and a wide variety of guitar supplies that you might need to enjoy the sound of music.

This little building has a long history of hosting businesses that served the people of Geneseo and the surrounding area. One of the first businesses to occupy the building on the corner lot was a merchant tailor shop owned by John Engdahl. According to an advertisement that ran in the January issues of the Geneseo Republic, Engdahl offered a complete line of ready to wear clothing for men and could meet all tailoring needs. Engdahl would stay open at that location until 1878 when he moved his business one block north to the basement of the Geneseo House. The Geneseo House was one of Geneseo’s hotels, and the area where Mr. Engdahl worked is today the location of the Cellar Restaurant.

By the end of 1878, Dr. W.C. Brown had opened his office on the corner of S. State and North Street and was quickly becoming one of the areas most respected physicians. As the population of Geneseo grew, so was the need for doctors. In 1885 one of the city’s own had earned his degree in medicine, Dr. Elon B. Gilbert would come back to the Maple City to practice medicine. Shortly after returning, Dr. Gilbert would marry Miss Cora Thomas and the young couple would set up house keeping behind the office of Dr. Brown, whom Dr. Gilbert became partners with. The two doctors would have a short-lived partnership, as Dr. Gilbert would soon rent office space of his own in downtown Geneseo and leave the corner to Dr. Brown.

Dr. Brown would be ready to step away from his practice in 1891, and sold his office at 302 S. State to Dr. L.A. Ferry, who came to the Maple City from Eureka, Illinois. Dr. Ferry would continue the excellent treatment of the citizens of Geneseo into the next century.

After the doctors moved on from the location, many different businesses provided sevices to the population of Geneseo from that corner of two main streets. W.S. Britt would move his upholstery business into the building and by the 1920’s was operating under the name of The Maple City Furniture Exchange. Britt offered all types of upholstery services and a complete line of auto trimming during the mid 1920’s. The business would repair furniture and also buy and sell second-hand goods of all types during its tenure at the location.

Next to occupy the building was Orr Welding. Mr. Orr advertised locally that “if you needed a weld that held, visit Orr Welding.” By the early 1930’s the building was used by Orr Welding as a storehouse for their welding supplies. For one reason or another, Mr. Orr sold the lot in 1933 to two young men looking to start a new business. Gilbert Hadley and Harlow Pritchard would buy the building and convert it into a cream and milk station. The new business was up and running by February 1, 1933. It is hard to believe a new business would be successful since the nation was in the grips of the Great Depression. The business would succeed and along with Harlow’s brothers, Willard and Loren, it would become Quality Dairy. The brothers would run the dairy business and deliver milk to the homes of Geneseo for eight cents a quart.

By June of 1935, the Blue and White Ice Cream shop opened on the corner lot. The building at that time was known locally as the Adams Building and by June 22, 1935, Clayton Fehr and Frank Schnaefer were selling ice cream and homemade candy from the tiny building. Through the 1930’s, 1940’s and into the 1950’s the citizens of Geneseo would stop by and purchase ice cream bricks, holiday fruits, ice cream cakes, and a wide variety of homemade candies from the small confectionary. In 1947 the Blue and White Ice Cream shop would also become the Burlington Trailways bus depot with passengers loading and unloading at the store.

As the years went by the building would come up for sale again this time in 1953. The listing in the Republic stated that, “the Blue and White location was one block from downtown and was presently an ice cream and sandwich shop.” The listing continued to state that the location could be converted into a steak house with attached living quarters. The advertisement worked. However, the next business was not a steakhouse but a photography studio. In late 1953 Wayne Smith asked the city to rezone the location so he could open the Smith Photo Studio. Smith would operate his studio until 1958 when he went to work at Klavohn Furniture Store and Barbara Ann Whan leased the building for a beauty salon.

After the salon moved in November of 1958, the building would be home to the Singer sewing machine store. The Singer store held its grand opening on April 18, 1964. By May of 1969 the city of Geneseo agreed to rent the building for $150 per month. The building was used as the chambers for the City Council and the Circuit Magistrate’s court. The council would meet in the building until November of 1974 when they moved once again into their new chambers at 121 South Oakwood Avenue. During the early 1970’s drivers who were issues citations would go in front of a judge, as Traffic Court would be held inside the small building.

The old saying “what is old is new” came into play with the next business to move into the little building. In 1975 J.W. Franks would open his photography studio and would stay for just a short-time as the building would change hands once again by the end of 1975. In November of 1975 William and Joan Crider and Mable Brown would petition the city to approve a new business on the corner lot. The business would open as a household repair shop and from November of 1975 until April of 1978 the building was home to Bill’s Electronic Services.

In April of 1978 hair care came back the building as Raymond Grypp opened a barbershop. The shop would be called the Maple City Barbers and cut hair until 1983, when the building would switch to hosting a Christian Bookstore. The Greener Pastures Christian Bookstore stayed on the corner until 1986 when it moved to 112 North State Street. After the bookstore moved away the building would become home to the Tri-Co Insurance Service, Inc. The Pekin Insurance Company would continue serving Geneseo from the location into the early 2000’s.

Even with John Puentes now taking ownership of the building and remodeling it into his music store the variety of businesses to call the location home continues to grow and the memories of the Blue and White Ice Cream store live on. Stop in the music store and ask Mr. Puentes to see the vintage ice cream scoop that was discovered during his renovations of the little building on South State Street.