Tavern: Harley Thompson - 1st Tavern in Willard

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Thompson, Ingham, Christie, Malnar, Trunkel, Kuester, Kohlnhofer

----Source: Family Scrapbook

Harley Thompson had the first tavern in Willard. After the new Post Office was built the E.J. Ingham and Son Store now owned by Harley Thompson was moved to just west of the present softball field (now Jim Christie's). There he started a shoe store on the one floor, a bar in the basement (prohibition was repealed) and he lived upstairs. If I remember correctly he was also collection agent for beans at that time.

In 1936 he sold this business to Matt Malnar and moved to Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Matt then moved the bar upstairs and also added a gasoline pump. Matt and his wife operated this tavern, until 1962 when they sold to John and Betty Trunkel - they then sold to Rick Kuester. Rick operated it for a few years under the name of "Batter's Box", then sold to Jim Christie and Bob Kohlnhofer in 1978. Not too much later Jim Christie bought out his partner and it is now owned and operated by Jim Christie under the name of "Our Own Place".