ROSHEK'S DEPARTMENT STORE

Roshek's Department Store

Advertisement from 1926. Photo courtesy: Bob Reding

ROSHEK'S DEPARTMENT STORE. Once Iowa's largest department store. In 1893 John J. ROSHEK,a traveling salesman in the dry goods field, and his brother Frank H. Roshek, and A.E. Rubash established a dry goods business in Dubuque. The Roshek, Rubash & Company was located at 556 Main. In a short time, Rubash sold out and a Mr. Aimann joined the business under the name Roshek, Aimann & Company.

Mr. Aimann sold out around 1900 and the Roshek Brothers Dry Goods firm was established. A store was constructed at the corner of 8th and Main. With a growing business, the company purchased the Rider-Wallis store on 7th and Locust, constructed a larger store at 8th and Main, and then built a SKYWALK between the two sites. Roshek's move from the 8th and Main store resulted in the building and land reverting to the ARCHDIOCESE OF DUBUQUE. This building later became the Nesler Centre.

Roshek's was Iowa's largest department store. It later became the Dubuque Building. Photo courtesy: Bob Reding.

Roshek's purchased the property north of their 7th and Locust location, demolished the buildings, and constructed a new store. When that building was completed, the former Rider-Wallis store was demolished and construction resumed. This store, later known as the DUBUQUE BUILDING, remained Roshek's location until May 1968, when the company relocated to KENNEDY MALL.

Family ties to the company ended in 1964 when the firm was sold to the Chicago mail-order house, Aldens. Aldens merged with Gamble Skogmo,Inc. the same year. In 1980 Gamble-Skogmo was purchased by Wickes. Somewhere during those years the apostrophe in Roshek's was dropped in the store name.

Wickes' financial difficulties led to the company selling off its department stores including Rosheks. In 1982 Rosheks was purchased by Armstrong's, the giant Cedar Rapids clothing store. Ironically, when S. G. Armstrong was just beginning his own operation in Cedar Rapids, one of his original staff was John Roshek who four years later started his own Dubuque store.

Armstrong's announced its intention to increase the business volume at the Rosheks store by 50 percent in three years. In 1989-90 Armstrong's, a powerful marketing draw, joined with other Mall merchants in massive renovation activities at Kennedy Mall . In late 1990, however, the financial collapse of the Cedar Rapids operation led to the announcement that the Dubuque store, although a profitable operation, would be closed. Armstrong's at Kennedy Mall closed permanently in January 1991.