#10: 2874 East Main Street

This location was originally a tailor shop operated by Fred Besch. Mrs. Wieland did washing and ironing for people in the back of the tailor shop. The first building was, however, torn down and in 1927 this site became a Sinclair filling station, with an outside service hoist (East End) and three gas pumps. In the 1960’s Cohnny purchased the station. Bob Billings (known as a kindly man) and his wife, had the building moved back when they operated the garage and gas station. It was also a Nash dealership in the 1930’s, and later became a Plymouth-Chrysler outlet called The Bob Billings Agency. The Billings’ daughter Betty Parman, once managed Square Side Antiques. She and her husband ran Main Street Realty, Inc., along with others. In the back is the local Milwaukee Journal distribution center. Later the rear house a basket weaving shop called East Troy Basketry, then a salon called Salon FX, and the front housed a clothing shop, Square Side Boutique.