Louis Dauth's Bakery and Confectionery

Louis Dauth was the eldest son of Andreas Dauth and the first of the Dauth brothers to immigrate to America in 1873. Here he located himself in Denver, where he undertook a variety of jobs including bar keeping, waiting, clerking and even starting a furniture business.¹Dauth, Louis, Corbett, Hoye & Co.’s Annual Denver City Directory, 1874, Denver Public Library²Dauth, Louis, Corbett, Hoye & Co.’s Annual Denver City Directory, 1875, Denver Public Library³Dauth, Louis, Corbett, Hoye & Co.’s Annual Denver City Directory, 1877, Denver Public Library⁴Dauth, Louis, Corbett, Hoye & Co.’s Annual Denver City Directory, 1876, Denver Public Library None of these endeavors appealed to Louis, and so he took a chance and set off for the newly founded town of Fort Collins in 1877.⁵Fort Collins Courier, Feb. 16 1888. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. With just $250 to his name he opened a bakery “in a small one-story frame building” on the Mosman Block. Soon after he entered a business partnership with M. M. Zimmerman to create the Dauth & Zimmerman Bakery, located one door down from of the southwest corner of Linden and Jefferson.⁶Fort Collins Courier, Feb. 16 1888. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. Despite this partnership only lasting a few months, Louis had found his calling. 

In August 1878 the first ever article about Louis’s bakery was published:

Louis had just purchased the “New Store” a newly built property three doors down from of the southwest corner of Linden and Jefferson. He repurposed the establishment with an oven and sales room, and turned it into a proper bakery and grocery. Sales were good for Louis and so he started making improvements to his store. He put in a new flagstone sidewalk, added awnings above the shop windows, purchased a bakery wagon and hired a driver that would deliver “fresh bread, cakes, and pies” to whomever ordered.⁸Fort Collins Courier, Apr. 15 1880. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. ⁹Fort Collins Courier, Jun. 04 1880. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. ¹⁰Fort Collins Courier, Apr. 09 1880. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. By May 1880 Louis was confident with his business and announced his intentions to form a partnership with local jeweler E. W. Reed to build a whole business block across the street.¹¹Fort Collins Courier, Jul. 22 1880. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. However there was still much work ahead and construction was not expected to begin for a full year. While developing their plans, with famed English architect William Quayle, Louis put out his first ever advertisement.¹²Fort Collins Courier, Jan. 26 1882. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.

Just two months later Louis would sell his store along with the building, its fixtures, and the entire stock of groceries.¹⁴Fort Collins Courier, Feb. 17 1881. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. He would then move into a smaller rented space inside the Old City bakery owned by D. L. Dawley.¹⁵Fort Collins Courier, Feb. 24 1881. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. This all occurred a month before construction began on Louis’s proposed business block, and was likely done to finance the undertaking.

Excavations began March 1881 for a building fifty feet wide and seventy feet long.¹⁶Denver Rocky Mountain News, Mar. 26 1881. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. A stone foundation and basement were put in place.¹⁷Denver Rocky Mountain News, Mar. 26 1881. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. By June, the Golden pressed brick walls reached the second floor and a month later an elegant zinc belt course complemented the facade.¹⁸Express, Jun. 09 1881. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.¹⁹Fort Collins Courier, Jul. 14 1881. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. In September, French plate glass 64×124 inches in size was fitted to the Norman arched windows.²⁰Express, Sep. 08 1881. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. As a final touch the front was ornamented with galvanized iron columns.²¹Fort Collins Courier, Apr. 28 1881. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. By October the building was at completion and officially being called the “Reed-Dauth Block.”

Despite previously stating that he intended to use the building for own use Louis would rent out his side of the property to other tenets for a full year. During this time he moved his business back into the original building he used when he first came to Fort Collins, four years prior.²²Fort Collins Courier, Oct. 13 1881. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.

The first tenets of the Reed-Dauth block on the first floor were the E. W. Reed jewelry store and the Boston Square-Dealing clothing store. On the second floor was the Fort Collins Courier newspaper as well as two offices for surgeon-dentist Henry Cone and lawyer J. W. Norvell.

After a little more than a year the Boston Square Dealing house ended their lease and Louis began preparing this vacant space for his new business.²⁹The Daily Express, Jan. 12 1883. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. The walls and ceiling were calcimined, awnings were put in place, new counters and shelving were put in, a thirty ton ice house was built, an elevator was added to the cellar, and a gold gilded sign adorned the entrance.³⁰The Daily Express, Jan. 12 1883. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.³¹Daily Evening Courier, Jan. 25 1883. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.³²The Daily Express, Jan. 25 1883. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.³³The Daily Express, Feb. 05 1883. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. Louis was said to have the finest store in town.³⁴Daily Evening Courier, Jan. 31 1883. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.

In the past year Louis had been experimenting with new types of merchandise, and was looking to expand his product line even further.

Louis no longer referred to his business a bakery and instead called it a “Fancy Grocery.” After a few months Louis entered a new partnership with A. E. Annis who agreed to purchase half interest in the store.³⁶Fort Collins Courier, Jun. 21 1883. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.

Louis was always on the lookout for new product and the newspapers were constantly reporting on the high quality or unique goods found at his store:

The partnership with A. E. Annis lasted until Annis decided to retire, on February 5th 1885.⁴⁶Fort Collins Courier, Feb. 12 1885. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. Louis continued to run the store with help from his youngest brother George Dauth, who had just arrived from Germany. To improve sales Louis tried to find novel ways to promote his merchandise.  

Business was booming for Louis. He was constantly having to add more capacity to his store and reportedly had so many customers a cashier had to be hired that did “nothing but receive cash and make change.”⁴⁹Fort Collins Express, Apr. 10 1886. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library.⁵⁰Fort Collins Express, Apr. 17 1886. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. Louis had become a big fish in a small pond, and was looking for new waters.

In February 1888 he sold all of his property in Fort Collins and moved to Five Points, Denver.⁵¹Fort Collins Courier, Feb. 16 1888. Colorado Historic Newspapers Collection. Colorado State Library. Here he would continue his business eventually becoming the owner of several stores, a saloon, and numerous homes. Despite never returning to Fort Collins and only being here for a decade, Louis had left a small legacy here, as an example of how hard work and ambition can pay off.

The Reed-Dauth block still exist today at 223 Linden Street, and Louis Dauth’s store is now a restaurant. If you find yourself in the area, be sure to take in the buildings 140 year facade and the recently uncovered original iron window columns.