Clark County Press, Neillsville, WI

December 10, 2008, Front Page

Transcribed by Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon

Neillsville business celebrates 80 years

B & F Machine Shop owner Bob Venne poses outside his Neillsville business, which is celebrating 80 years. Shop founders Earl Bruhn and Martin Feuerstein opened the business in 1928; the current shop was built in 1936.  The B & F iron foundry cast manhole covers during the 1940s, including one (pictured above) located at Fourth and Sunset Place made in 1947.  (Photo by Peter Spicer/Clark County Press)

By Peter Spicer

Neillsville’s B & F Machine Shop, located at 154 East Sixth Street is celebrating 80 years in business.

B & F provides machines and fabricating services for other businesses and also specializes in farm machine repair and welding services.

Although the business does not plan on doing anything special to celebrate 80 years, being in business that long is all the satisfaction Bob Venne needs.

“That in itself is a celebration,” said Venne, who is also celebrating owning the shop for 25 years.

Working additional hours to meet deadlines is one reason Venne said his business has stayed open through the years.  He also credits providing a large variety of services, which include everything from fixing eye-glass frames to supplying tubing racks for area businesses. 

Earl Bruhn and Martin Feuerstein founded B & F Machine Shop in 1928 in what was formerly a blacksmith shop.  Bruhn and Feuerstein opened the shop after working in the Lang and Scharman machine shops in Marshfield for six years.  They were experienced in machine and cabinet work and repair.

B & F is currently one of the area’s oldest continuously operated businesses.

The Original B & F shop burned down in 1935 but was rebuilt in 1936, which is the current shop building.

A few manhole covers cast in the B & F iron foundry in the 1940s are still used throughout Neillsville, said Venne.

Venne purchased the B & F Machine Shop from Don Lawrence 25 years ago.