Property Record
526 N Knowles Avenue
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | A & W FAMILY RESTAURANT |
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| Other Name: | RUBY O'S, NEW CHINA BUFFET |
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| Reference Number: | 237547 |
| Location (Address): | 526 N Knowles Avenue |
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| County: | St. Croix |
| City: | New Richmond |
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| Year Built: | 1987 |
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| Additions: | 2014 |
| Survey Date: | 2018 |
| Historic Use: | restaurant/supper club |
| Architectural Style: | Other Vernacular |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
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| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
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| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | The first non-extant A & W Root Beer stand in the City of New Richmond was located along West Second Street off of South Knowles Avenue during the 1950s. In 1959, a non-extant drive-in location was opened along North Knowles Avenue. In 1987, Arlan and Melanie Hanson, who owned a series of franchises across Wisconsin, opened a new sit-down A & W Restaurant to replace the drive-in version. Located at 526 North Knowles Avenue, the new restaurant featured an atrium and extensive indoor seating for 93 customers. The building was designed as a prototype and was the fourth of its kind in the state when it was completed. There are identical buildings in Verona, Appleton, and Eau Claire. The restaurant changed hands in 1992 and ceased to be an A & W Restaurant and has undergone a number of renovations since its construction. |
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| Bibliographic References: |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |