Steele County Businesses Awarded for Preservations

The Steele County Historical Society is awarding three local businesses with the 2016 Historic Preservation Awards during Preservation Month. They received nominations in April and toured them in May, awarding local businesses who preserve architectural and cultural heritage.

KIK Graphics and Printing on Highway 218 in Blooming Prairie received the award on Monday, May 23. KIK, Kruckeburg Industries and Kruckeburg, has been in business since 2009 and moved to its current building this year. KIK provides large-format graphics and printing.

Tyler Kruckeburg said they gutted everything and sandblasted the brick, resealed the wood and added more windows. They cleaned up the building and brought it back to its original form. Kruckeburg mentioned that the stucco was updated and fixed the brick.

Kottke Jewelers on Cedar Avenue in Owatonna was presented the award on Wednesday, May 25.

Matt Kottke said the work was done by local contractors and took about a year and a half to complete. Kottke Jewelers has been in Owatonna since 1919 and was a women's clothing store before that.

Kottke gives all the credit to his wife, Lisa, who made the decor decisions. Some of the renovations included painting the ceiling white and the walls green, which they learned was a former color scheme for the shop. The cabinets were updated and lighting was added.

Kottke also noted that the cash register was moved to the front of the store instead of being in the cubby hole.

He also said that his mother is pleased with all the updates.

Jeft's Hall on the Pillsbury Campus, 315 S. Grove, Owatonna, will receive its Preservation Award on Saturday, June 4, at 12:30PM. The public is invited to the presentation.