Time Machine: The Hach Brothers

CEDAR RAPIDS - A notice appeared in The Evening Gazette on Sept. 4, 1919:

'The National Products company is the name of a new firm that has opened up for business at 121 Fourteenth avenue. ... W.C. Hach, who conducted a soft drink parlor at Second street and Fourteenth avenue, sold his business to his father, Peter Hach, and Anton Drapela, and will be general manager of the new concern.”

The soft drink company was the Hach saloon and bottling company that Peter Hach had originally started and turned over to his sons when he moved to a small farm on 23rd Avenue West. A strong statewide prohibition law passed in 1916 caused the owners to convert the business to soft drinks and bowling.

William C. Hach was National Quality Products Co. treasurer and manager, while his brother, Edward E. Hach was its president. Around 1922, the company officers reorganized and Edward added manager to his duties, while William took over the duties of vice president along with treasurer. Adolph Prazak was secretary.

Edward, who in 1919 helped circulate petitions to move the county seat from Marion to Cedar Rapids, served on the board of directors of Iowa State Savings Bank, and was listed as secretary of the Slavia Realty Co. and the Riverside Fuel Co. William was left to run the soft drink and bowling enterprise, as National Quality was getting its feet under it.

National Quality Products Co. advertised its products as wrapping paper, bags, cordage, wooden ware, galvanized ware, bottlers' supplies, sundries and wholesale malt products.

The firm changed its name in February 1925, becoming Hach Brothers Company. The company had three salesmen on the road, selling its merchandise in southern, eastern and central Iowa. In 1930, Hach Brothers became the wholesale jobber for 'Union Made Miller High Life Beer.” It held the distributorship for 38 years, selling it in 1968.

An announcement was made in November 1931 that the Stanley J. Vesely property at Second Street and 12th Avenue SE was to be the company's next location. Once the home of Cedar Rapids Carriage Works, the site provided more space for the Hachs' business.

The new Hach warehouse burned on Jan. 25, 1932, less than a month after the company moved in, resulting in a loss of $60,000. Shortly thereafter, the business found a home at 415 First St. SE.

Hach Brothers continued with its usual products, but added Rheingold Beer, made by United States Brewing Co., in 1939. That was also the year that William's son, Robert, joined the company after graduating college.

In May 1964, the company incorporated as Habros Inc. Its directors were brothers Edward, William and Peter Hach Jr. At $100 each, 420 shares were available.

The brothers died in 1971 - William in April and Edward in September. Robert Hach became president, and in less than five years faced a nationwide paper shortage. The cost of implementing stringent antipollution standards forced more than 100 paper mills out of business. Robert urged recycling to ease the shortage.

In 1973, the company bought the American Transfer & Storage Co. business and building at 401 First St. SE from Alvin Keyes. Remodeling began to give the 1800s-era building a Gay ‘90s appearance. The 72,000-square-eet of space included office space and showroom. The company moved in after the first of the year in 1974 and the old building went up for sale. It eventually housed night spots such as Charlie's on the River, Muddy Waters and Dublin City Pub.