Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland’s late originator, Wally Bronner, received early training in the business world.
Bread Deliveries & the Grocery Store
Summer vacations from school were full of activity for me during the years at St. Lorenz (grades 1-8). I did errands and clerked at Hubinger’s Grocery Store through the year. Then on summer Thursdays I had an additional job. I made bicycle deliveries of loaves of homemade bread. In fact, sometimes the generous customers even gave me tips. I kept a spiral notebook, entering each date, customer and tip. Indeed, I still have that ‘accounting’ book. (Hubinger’s Grocery Store was operated by Wally’s aunt, Hattie Hubinger.) – adapted from “Sharing Joy 365” by Wally Bronner, available in-store and online at bronners.com.
Wally’s Aunt Hattie baked bread in the outdoor oven, as shown above, in the early 1930s. Wally’s mother helped bake and Wally afterwards delivered some of the loaves on his bicycle. Wally Bronner received early training in the business world.
During the early years, Wally began what was to become a successful career in sign painting. In addition, he worked part-time in his Aunt Hattie Hubinger’s grocery store, clerking and decorating the display windows. After graduation from high school in 1945, Wally attended the Saginaw Business Institute (currently Davenport University) for two years. Thus he acquired skills that proved helpful in developing his own business in later years. – adapted from “Picturesque Story of Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland” by Wally Bronner, available in-store and online at http://bit.ly/1OiieZM
Window Displays and Sign Painting
From the beginning, Wally named the business Bronner Display and Sign Advertising. 1945 also marked the centennial year for Frankenmuth. German colonists, including missionaries to the Native Americans, had settled the are one hundred years earlier. The centennial celebration provided Wally with many jobs decorating store windows and parade floats, and painting signs. – adapted from “Picturesque Story of Bronner’s CHRISTmas Wonderland” by Wally Bronner, available in-store and online.
You can read more about Wally in “Wally Bronner’s Decorative Life.”
Looking at Wally’s history it is very easy to see how he really never “worked”. He always did what was his passion and you can see it in all things that he has done and left for us all.
He loved being at the store, Brandon, and enjoyed walking around meeting our guests.
This is a great story!!
Thank you, Natalie. Wally never started out to build the World’s Largest Christmas Store, yet it’s interesting to see how his early experiences prepared him to do just that!