1101 North Main Street (Racine, Wisconsin)

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**1101 North Main Street** is a currently vacant commercial building on the northeast corner of North Main Street and Dodge Street in Racine, Wisconsin, built in 1918 for an automobile dealership. Most recently, it was home to Main Marine and Ski, a boat dealership and equipment store which opened in 1967 and closed in 2013.

## History

### Early history (1918–1936)

The current building at 1101 North Main Street was built in 1918, and was first occupied by Racine Overland Sales, an automobile dealership. By November of that year, the dealership had left, and undertaker Thomas L. O'Keefe moved his funeral home into the building from 613 Sixth Street. In July 1921, the Template:W automobile company opened a dealership branch and service station in the building. In its early history, the building was home to a succession of short-lived automobile dealers and dealerships, including the Gorton Motor Sales Company, Badger Motor Company, Template:W, George W. Seater, Knudson Sales Company, and Stanat Motor Sales.

### Wiese Auto Sales (1936–1967)

In 1935, the building became home to Central Auto Mart, previously located at 5th Street and College Avenue. In 1936, it was joined at its new location by Wiese Auto Sales, formerly located at 2030 Douglas Avenue. By May 1967, Wiese Rambler Sales had moved all its operations to its other location at 800 South Marquette Street.

### Main Marine and Ski (1967–2013)

 File:Main Marine and Ski door, Racine, WI, December 2019.jpg
Main Marine and Ski, a shop selling boats, skiing and marine equipment and accessories, began leasing space in the front of the former Wiese Rambler dealership building, and opened on May 5, 1967.

When the Main Street Bridge immediately south of the building was demolished and replaced in 1996, the store was difficult to access for several months, and Main Street was permanently rerouted, affecting access to the store. The city awarded the store $20,000 in compensation, but the store's owners sued for larger compensation, arguing that it had suffered $237,000 in damages. In February 1998, the store ultimately reached a settlement with the city, and received an additional $15,000 in compensation. In November 1998, the business successfully petitioned the city council to extend a storm sewer onto the property, as well as for permission to add an awning to the building.

Don Meyer, the founder of Main Marine and Ski, retired from the business on September 25, 2002. His son Jim Meyer began renovating the building shortly after taking over the business, with the particular goal of improving the second-floor boat showroom.

On July 15, 2005, a Template:W Template:W which had been sold by Main Marine and Ski exploded during operation in Eagle Lake, Wisconsin, permanently paralyzing one of its occupants and injuring the other. The store was successfully sued for $500,000 by the injured parties, part of a $5,000,000 total settlement reached in 2009.

Main Marine and Ski closed on August 31, 2013.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Burke, Michael. "Historic building gets a makeover", Racine Journal Times, February 16, 2003, page 1B.
2. ↑ Advertisements, Racine Journal-News, August 7, 1918.
3. ↑ "Announcement", Racine Journal-News, November 2, 1918, page 12.
4. ↑ Advertisement, Racine Journal-News, July 2, 1921, page 20.
5. ↑ Advertisement, Racine Journal-News, July 13, 1922, page 11.
6. ↑ Advertisement, Racine Journal-News, February 28, 1924, page 19.
7. ↑ Advertisement, Racine Journal-News, April 23, 1929, page 3.
8. ↑ Advertisement, Racine Journal-News, November 20, 1929, page 7.
9. ↑ Advertisement, Racine Journal Times, March 14, 1934, page 16.
10. ↑ Classified advertisement, Racine Journal Times, May 23, 1935, page 20.
11. ↑ Advertisement, Racine Journal Times, September 13, 1935, page 18.
12. ↑ Advertisement, Racine Journal Times, December 6, 1935, page 20.
13. ↑ Classified advertisement, Racine Journal-News, February 28, 1936, page 18.
14. ↑ "Marine & Ski Store Opened", Racine Journal Times, May 9, 1967, page 6B.
15. ↑ Advertisment, Racine Journal Times, May 5, 1967, page 4C.
16. ↑ "The County: City settles lawsuit with business", Racine Journal Times, March 6, 1998.
17. ↑ "Item 14 of November 4, 1998", Common Council Official Proceedings, Racine Journal Times, November 25, 1998, page 6D.
18. ↑ "People in Business", Racine Journal Times, September 22, 2002.
19. ↑ "Richard and Laura Hart and Robert and Jean Jacobsen vs. Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., Kawasaki Motors Corp. USA, Kawasaki Motors Manufacturing Corp. USA, Main, Marine & Ski, Inc. and Sentry Insurance", Wisconsin Law Journal, September 7, 2009.

## External links

* 1101 North Main Street at OpenStreetMap