The Other Kerber Grocery

Many people in Sandusky are familiar with Kerber Marine Grocery located on Tiffin Avenue, but not many people know there was another Kerber grocery business on the east side of town.

Albert Kerber was born in 1861 in Ehrenstten, Baden near the city of Freiburg. His parents were Anton Kerber and Cecelia Bauman. Anton Kerber’s brother Vincent Kerber immigrated to Sandusky in 1849 and ran several well-known businesses. He was a masonry contractor whose projects included the Water Works, Barker School, Standard Wheel Company, and several social halls. Later in life Vincent collaborated with his sons in a number of businesses including Consumer Ice Company and a grain and feed business on Water Street.

Records show Albert immigrated in 1880. He was listed in the 1880 census as living with his uncle Vincent on Ogontz Street. Albert then settled on Middle Bass Island and worked for the Golden Eagle Wine Cellars.

While on Middle Bass he met Augusta Kubach who was born in Sandusky in 1865. Augusta’s father John Kubach was born on the Steamer Albany during the family’s immigration to the United States. Albert and Augusta were married in July 1884.

Albert and Augusta moved to Sandusky in 1887. They built a store and residence at the corner of First and McEwen Streets in the east end, near Alberts’s uncle and cousins. The photo below was taken around 1891 and shows Albert and his brother-in-law Andrew Kubach in front of the store. One sign in the window advertises a steamer trip to Cleveland on Thursday June 25, 1891, for fifty cents. The other sign advertises Arbuckle’s Coffee.

Albert’s brother Lawrence (Lorenz) Kerber was born in 1862. In 1888 he founded Kerber Marine Grocery. Lawrence unfortunately died young at just the age of 30 in 1892.

Sometime around 1900 Albert expanded the grocery store to include a saloon. The picture below taken around 1905 shows the store and saloon. Standing in front of the store are Alberts’s sons, Millard and Carlisle and another brother-in-law, Clyde Kubach.

Like many businesses of the era, the saloon issued tokens. Shown below are the two sides of a 5-cent token.

Albert was active in the community and there were numerous listings in the Sandusky Register about hosting social events, sponsoring visiting musicians and travels to visit friends and relatives. One brief article in the Register noted “A young son of Albert Kerber, the Huron Ave and McEwen Street grocer, was struck by an automobile in Huron Ave, Thursday night but escaped serious injury.” The article implies there was a second grocery on Huron Ave, but no records were available.

Albert died on March 13, 1911. His obituary indicates funeral was conducted by Sandusky Lodge No. 669 International Order of Odd Fellows. Burial was in Oakland Cemetery.

The building at the corner of First and McEwen Streets stands today as shown below.