wilroberts

WILLKE/ROBERTS DRUG
195 S. Main
ORIGINAL USE: Drugstore PRESENT USE: Antique Store CURRENT OWNER: Boerne Emporium
OWNERS: William Kuhlmann, William Willke, Fabra, Dr. Wendelkin, Louis Willke, Tom & Eva Roberts, George Plummer. LOCATION: Schertz Addition Town Lot: #137 DATE: c1887 Style/Period:Commercial HISTORICAL DESIGNATION: NO
BUILDER: William Kuhlmann. CONSTRUCTED OF: Wood, Rock; metal seam roof; CONDITION:; Good

DESCRIPTION: The original wood buildings were moved from the north side of the Ziegler Building to the corner about 1900; Artistic tin trim.

HISTORY: This building first housed Kuhlmann's Apothecary which was established by William Kuhlmann, an immigrant druggist about 1880. He built the house on the side of the hill overlooking the business district, now known as the Kuhlmann-King House, as a personal residence. The drugstore was acquired by William J. Willke shortly after 1900. Willke, son of Gus Willke, a farmer from the Bergheim area, earned his high school diploma by correspondence after finishing the 7th grade at the one-teacher Bergheim school. He then graduated from pharmacy school at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. William Willke became the first mayor of Boerne in 1909. He remained a civic leader and outstanding businessman in Boerne until the drugstore was sold to Arthur Fabra in 1923. Max Theis managed the Fabra drugstore from 1923 to 1926 when it sold to a Dr. Wendelkin. The property was bought by Louis Willke, brother of William, at about this time. then the Hartman brothers owned the business during the 1930's, until it was sold to Tom and Eva Roberts in the 1940's. During all this time the business property was still owned by the Willke family--until it was purchased by George Plummer in 1971. George and Alice Plummer completely renovated the old drugstore in 1980 and gave the exterior its beautiful new limestone rock facelift.

Source: Boerne Public Library files.- May, 1999

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