As I was working on the sign on the south side I had to peel back some other metal that was covering the edge
of the sign. As I pulled it back it revealed some color. Bright red and yellow and a font that was fancy and hard
to read while looking at it sideways and upside down at the same time. We decided to stop for a beer break so
we popped a couple Grain Belts open and studied the partial sign I had uncovered. Standing there with my
head cocked and trying to read the word I started sounding
out the letters. S-T-O-R what s the last crazy looking letter I
said? Then it hit me like a hammer! Z Storz. It s Storz beer
I said as there was suddenly a new reason for excitement.
This sign had been nailed on like the others but it was
applied with the painted side toward the building. This
particular piece was cut to fit around a door opening. I
quickly looked to the other side of the door and noticed that
there were full size pieces and knew right then we had to
pull them off and see what was on the other side of these
panels.
I grabbed my Wonder Bar and started prying the edge of the
metal back. Oh yeah Marky I cried. We ve got more paint
under here red and yellow I said. The first one I pulled off
that was complete. It was a Storz Old Saxon sign in what
appeared to be pretty decent shape. I have been collecting
breweriana for over 20 years and never have I seen this sign.
Marks eyes about popped out of his head as he saw the sign.
Yet he was a newbie to this hobby and didn t quite realize
what we found. He caught on quick as he listened to me
gush over this find. I began peeling back the metal from the
panel above this one and quickly noticed more bright paint
and after a few minutes of prying out nails I removed
another Storz sign. This one said Triumph and was very
colorful too. I was in total disbelief that I was involved in this
great find in north Iowa which isn t exactly a breweriana
hotbed for these kind of discoveries.
It was getting late and we decided to have another quick beer and bask in the glow of these two great signs that
had made this such a great discovery after the disappointment of the Kato signs being covered in paint. As we
were packing up and finishing our beers I started to look the rest of the building over and noticed that the panels
on the west end were the same size as the ones we had just removed. I looked at Mark and said I think this
entire building was covered in signs and these could be more beer signs like the ones we just removed . He
shook his head in agreement as we both knew that another trip to this site was in order.
We headed back to Mark s house and unloaded the two Storz signs and four Kato signs in his garage and had a
couple more beers while we discussed this amazing find and how we had to go back. I had a sleepless night
that night with dreams of what signs could still be nailed to the side of that building Western Brew, Ace, Falstaff
or more Storz? As soon as I woke up I sent Mark a text and said are you ready to go back? He surprisingly
wrote back with some excuse about
how windy it was and some other
excuses. I was sort of shocked! How
could he feel this way? I said well I
think we really need to get there
before the word gets out! I was on
the road most of the day appraising
houses in other towns and while
driving back I was having all kinds of
thoughts about how the building
could catch on fire or the wind blow it
down and as I got near the site on my
way back I drove past it to check on it
and make sure it was still standing.
After seeing the building my fears
were alleviated, I went back to
Algona.
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