Anita Campbell
County Reporter
Another historic Warsaw building is being advertised to sell as the old Warsaw Lumber Company building goes on the block as 2022 draws to a close.
The present building on Seminary Street has been owned by the Bloess family since the 1920’s. The Bloess family had lumberyards in Sedalia, Hughesville and Lincoln.
“At one time the land was used as a livery, but when my family bought it, then a lumberyard was built,” said present property owner Randy Bloess.
The first Warsaw Lumber Company was built in 1926 and was leased by two brothers with the last name of Fristoe. Bloess’s great grandfather Leo Bloess and K.N. Kiefer bought the business from the Fristoe brothers and operated it until the late ‘30’s when Bloess bought Kiefer out. Well-known Warsawian Gene Bibb was the manager for many years. Randy’s grandfather Herman Bloess, Sr. was a part of the business during the 40’s.
The next manager of Warsaw Lumber Company was Randy’s uncle and aunt Issac “Mac” and Selma McDonald.
After Mac retired, Herman “Bud” Bloess, Jr. moved to Warsaw to run the lumberyard. Randy worked for his dad after graduating from college in 1975. Randy started teaching art in Knob Noster in ’81 then moved back to Warsaw in ’89 and started teaching art at Warsaw High School in 1990.
The big boom in the lumber business came during the development of the Lake of the Ozarks and all of the resort areas around the Ozarks. During that time, the Bloess family was sending truck loads of lumber and materials out every day all over this end of the Lake of the Ozarks.
“We were selling a great deal of lumber in the ‘50s and ‘60’s as housing was booming,” said Bloess.
Then big box stores started taking business from the smaller independent stores like Warsaw Lumber Company.
“Dad cut back on the lumber and he and I started adding rental spaces in the late ‘70s,” said Bloess. “He still sold hardware and paint but he was adding rental spaces during that time.”
Bloess and his dad used the storage space to make room for more rentals including the space under the old lumberyard. Later in the 90's, Bloess decided to close the lumber business and expand the rental business into little shops where lumber storage used to be.
Present residents in the old building include: The Sweet Tooth Fudge Factory, We'll Be Back Antique store, Sis and I Jewelry, Cat’s Meow, and a tutoring service by Holly Helms.
The Warsaw Lumber Company also used to include what is now a cabinet shop.
“We used to employ a lot of teenagers to stack lumber and drive trucks,” said Bloess.
While there are no definite plans for the building, present renters are continuing to use the space.
