Wolf River Pub facelift reveals hidden history

NEW LONDON – The 135-year-old landmark building at 211 S. Pearl St., currently housing the Wolf River Pub, is undergoing a multi-year exterior restoration that has already uncovered surprising architectural features of the historic structure.
Owner Brenda Fermanich is working with local masons to restore the outside of the building, one brick at a time, starting with the removal of old sheet metal siding.
“I want to get the outside done first so it doesn’t look like a warehouse or a big shed,” Fermanich said.
Travis Gordon of True North Masonry, along with assistant Logan Penkalski, has spent many hours on the project this year, carefully removing metal and restoring brick with period-style materials.
“Yeah, this is a multi-year project,” Gordon said. “Last year we repaired the north side and this year we just got going on the south side. There’s a lot of repair and restoration work.”

Fermanich said the removal of the steel siding on the south side yielded an immediate surprise.
“I was kind of shocked when I saw the hole in the wall and I didn’t know there were that many windows and doors on that side,” she said.
Since the restoration work began, Fermanich noted that they have had numerous new people stop in and express interest in the project. She received a matching $4,000 grant from the city’s façade improvement program this year and hopes to apply again next year.
“I can’t wait to see the front of the building,” she said. “I was told there may be some stained glass up there and I hope the front of the building still says Opera House. It would be so cool.”

A Storied History

The building, located at the northwest corner of Pearl St. and Wolf River Ave., was built in 1890 for John Schantz and was originally known as the Southside Opera House. The structure is listed with the Wisconsin Historical Society under reference number 71599.
According to the New London Public Museum, which has an extensive history file on the building, the opera house was located on the upper level and hosted many popular entertainers of the time. The spacious upstairs was a popular gathering place for community events, including masquerade balls, high school graduation exercises, and basketball games played there as early as 1899.
In 1893, Mr. Schantz sold the building to Anton Werner, who later referred to it simply as “The Opera House.” It eventually became known as Werner’s Hall.
Museum documentation reports that in 1917, Edison Company employees formed the Edison Athletic Association, which rented the building the following year, changing its name to Edison Hall. They completed extensive interior remodeling, changed the windows and entrance, and improved the upstairs basketball court.
The museum reports that the lower level always featured two storefronts. Schantz, Werner, and sons ran sample rooms on the south side of the building until the Edison Association’s remodel in 1919.
In 1928, Martin Kubisiak and Alvin Trambauer opened the Kozy Korner restaurant, which Trambauer operated until 1946. That year, Ted and Lucy Ebert bought the establishment and opened Ebert’s Bar. They ran the bar for the next 30 years, and Ebert’s became a legendary place for New Londoners.
John Locy bought the bar from the Eberts, launching the next legendary establishment. Mark “Eb” Locy eventually purchased the business from his father, John, continuing to operate it as John’s Bar until his recent retirement.
The Locy family operated the business for more than 45 years, the longest running operation at the location.
Currently, Fermanich is embracing the structure’s past.
“There’s nostalgia all around this place,” Fermanich said, smiling and gesturing up to the walls and back bar where original artwork remains. “There are trophies and all sorts of crazy things upstairs.”
Fermanich is currently sourcing brick from the same era to do the repairs. Eventually, she hopes to create a history wall inside the pub to frame and share the historical information with patrons.