In 1890, J. J. Coulter’s Meat Market anchored a busy little main street that included the Trump Grocery Store, Nasett and Linde’s general store, Christensen’s Blacksmith Shop, Irwin’s Wagon Making Shop, Mitchell’s Barber Shop, Peter Yarkanson’s Shoemaking Shop and George Swift’s Drug Store. In 1891, Gus Urban, an employee of J. J. Coulter, joined with Ed Bodem to purchase the Meat Market at 4159 West Broadway. The following year Urban became sole owner until 1922 when Kurt and his older brother Lewis Hoffman bought it. In 1938 prices listed in ads were pork loin roasts, 20 cents a pound; pork chops, end cut, 18 cents a pound; sugar cured picnics, 18 cents a pound. In 1960 Herbert, Harold, and Reinhart Hackenmueller bought the meat market from Kurt Hoffman’s son, Kurt, and changed the name to Hackenmueller Meats . They ran the meat market for twenty years, selling to Gordon Lindenfelsor in 1980. The meat market is by far the oldest continuing business in Robbinsdale in the same spot.
“Two views of the Robbinsdale Meat Market (now Hackenmuellers). My grandfather, Kurt Sr., bought the business from Gus Urban, in the mid 1920s. Granddad owned it until 1959, when he sold it to Herbie Hackenmueller. The bottom photo shows Kurt Sr. & an unidentified worker. The top photo was taken later. Gus Urban is at far left. Granddad is far right, while his younger brother John is second from right. The photos have been in my family for decades.”
-Kurt Hoffman