The Wichita daily eagle., 1901-01-18
HIS BUSINESS
Jacob Bi8saniz DiSpoSes of
Hardware Store to New Firm
THIRTY YEARS IN BUSINESS
Proprietor of Restaurant on
Main Street in Early Days,
YEARS IN BUSINESS

Jacob Bissantz. who has been in busi-
ness in Wichita for the past thirty years.
will retire from his hardware store on CT
about the first OF March Mr.. Bissantz
has disposed OF his business to a frm
from another city and these men will
take charge Of the store on Douglas ave
nue. during the interval between this Tine
and March l.
For years the name and form Of Jacob
Bissantz has been one Of the best known
in Wichita business circles. Every per-
son who knows Jacob Bigsantz has good
word for him and his friends are legion.
If all Of the interesting things could
be related which Mr.. Bissantz has ex-
| perienced in his business career in Vich-
tia, it would recall happenings IN early
days which would again delight the older
citizens and recall episodes which are
now forgotten
Mr.. Bissantz's frst venture was thirty
one years ago in the restaurant business
in a building at the present site Of the
Baltimore hotel, formerly the Occidental
There it was that the business men, the
men Of the frontier. the farmers who
came here to do their trading, gathered
to secure their meals Those meals were
good ones and many of the older resi-
dents stul speak Of Bissantz' restaurant
and Of the pleasing viands which were
served there
Twenty-seyen years ago Mr., Bissantz
began his career in the hardware bust
ness. That it has been a success there
can be no question. It only needs the
evidence Of the well stocked store on
Douglas avenue TO demonstrate that fact.
The first venture was in a modest way
on North Main street The stock was not
large. 1t did not consist Of the many
cOnveniences in the hardware trade which
now delight the person who wants an
axe, or the culinary utensile for the
home. But that little business grew. A
larger room was needed and since en-
barking in business on North Main
street, Mr.. B1ssantz has continually
moved to the south and for the past few
years has been on Douglas avenue.
For years It was Bissantz & Matthews
That firm was well known and their
trade was not small by any means. 4
few years ago Mr. Bissantz and Mr.
Matthews dissolved partnership, Mr
Bissantz continuing the hardware busi-
ness and Mr.. Matthews going into the
furniture business on North Main street
Then it was that the name OF one Of the
Oldest hardware stores in Wichita was
made Jacob Bissantz, and that is the way
il reads at the present time.
Mr.. Bissantz went through a boom In
Wichita and went through il success
fully, too, He was in business at that
time and he says that ne made some
money during those years. He has evi-
IDENTIFY continued to make money for ne
says that he thinks ne has worked hard
enough and made, enough of the coin Of
the realm to take a rest after his lab0rs
MIR. Bissantz is "a years Of age. He was
comparatively young man when he
came to this city and has watched the
development Of a city second to none in
the west. Mr.. Bissantz IS enthusiastic
about Wichita and the questioner will
soon ascertain that fact by a few pointed
observations.
Not only has Mr. Bissantz seen the
changes and the upbuilding in a city but
he has also Witnessed the marvellous
transformation In the hardware business.
He saw the many changes In the stoves.
He was one of the first men in Wichita
to sell base burners and when the first
one was put on exhibition in his store,
people thought at first that It would not
do what the statesmen stated that
would. OF course It has been, a success.
~ is
family in Wichita secured their first base
burner Of Jacob Bissantz
Other things in the hardware lfns have
been Improved as well and az first people
were inclined to be increduIous about
them. All OF these improvements Jacob
Bissantz has seen and anything new aud
up date has been secured by him.
Jacob Bissantz became well known to
the boys OF the earlier Wichita because
Of the fact that he sold skates. Skates
in those days were things coveted by the
average boy around town. and when a
cold snap came down on Kansas i'm
awares, making skating on the Arkansas
rivers OF Chisholm creek OF on some Of
the ponds then it was that the boys
made close friend Of Jacob Bissantz
They stood around In front Of his store
to see the skates on display. The FIRST
ones in the skate line were those with
wooden bottoms and an iron runner
some were better and trimmed with
brass. There are some scattered around
town yet and we're screwed onto a per
sons shoes or boots. as the case may
have been
Then next Jacob Bissantz brought in .
the wrought iron clamp skates. and the
boy who had a pair ot those was king %
the Zee for the time being Bur skates.
ike everything else. have improved. but
more than one man n5w Ia business.
when he talks Of his boyhood DAYS viii
say. II bought my first pair OF skates
Of Jacob Bissautz"
Wichita business men viii regret losing
Nj Bissantz from their ranks 5uy Wien
TIA people VIII be glad 70 know that the
men who are to succeed are well sr-
.orrHe5 as 20 every detail in the hard
ware business and VIII be a valuable adj
iition 10 the bus ness arena of This city.
Sir Bissautz has cons 'derable property
Ia this cty II, has pleasant home
arranged with every modern c1nvenieEce
BOTH SIDES RIGHT
rvO-. sS.o,s -, r,,,-,...s,- 49, 90,