Shortly after the bridge on Telegraph Road over the Meramec River was completed in June 1937 and Flamm City became a place, an enterprising couple, Leo and Theresa Ziegler, began operating a store that put the town on the map.
Ziegler’s Market, founded in 1938, grew into a grocery store from a former restaurant and tavern built by Frederick and John Flamm. Eventually, the store expanded to a 25,000-square-foot complex at 1110 Telegraph Road that at one time also housed Ben Franklin and Coast to Coast Hardware stores, according to a history of the business in Leo F. Ziegler Jr.’s obituary.
In the early years, while the Flamm family began expanding their fruit orchard, the Ziegler family began hauling produce, taking fruits and vegetables from local farmers to the St. Louis markets, according to “Historic Arnold,” published by the city of Arnold.
The grocery store in Flamm City continued to gain popularity and was well known for its butcher services and homemade German sausages, the Ziegler history said. Customers came from both sides of the Meramec River to shop at Ziegler’s Market.
After Leo Ziegler Jr. took over, the market began to expand in new directions. Ziegler helped to establish Independent Supers Incorporated (Chef’s Best Corporation), a company that worked with local grocers to develop private label grocery and dairy products. He also was ahead of his time, housing a full service bank (United Missouri Bank) and a post office in the store.
Eventually, Flamm City became part of the city of Arnold, when it incorporated in 1972, and Ziegler’s Market, which remained family owned, served the Arnold area for more than 50 years. The property flooded in 1993, and the store closed. Today, the city of Arnold, which has acquired the property, is working to develop an archery park there.
Submit a photo for the LOOKING BACK feature to nvrweakly@aol.com or mail the submission to the Leader office, 503 N. Second St. (P.O. Box 159), Festus, 63028. Please include your name, phone number, a brief description of what’s in the photo and tell us how you came by it. Please also include when it was taken, where and by whom (if known). A new LOOKING BACK is posted regularly.
