Editor’s note: This is the first in a series of articles dealing with recent additions to the downtown Caledonia business district.


By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor

During the past decade a number of businesses have left the downtown Caledonia district to relocate along the Highway 44/76 business corridor. The reasons for the business relocations are numerous…larger lots to construct new buildings, more room for larger parking lots, more visibility and potential customer traffic because of the highway.

While Caledonia hasn’t lost a massive amount of businesses, as many small rural communities have, the exodus from the downtown district to the highway has left many storefronts empty. This  gives visitors the perception the community is on the decline.


Dave and Betsy Pieper are attempting to reverse this trend in the downtown district. Several years ago they purchased one of Caledonia’s downtown              Dave Pieper shown in the newly-renovated Wiliams Hotel.

landmarks, the Williams Hotel, and have spent copious amounts of  blood, sweat, and tears renovating the 135-year-old brick structure.

No, the Piepers are not planning on opening the stately two-story brick building as a place of lodging. When their renovation project is complete, they hope to attract various businesses and individuals to their 7,000-square-foot professional building.

The majority of the work has been completed on the ground floor, which now is home to Dave’s Mutual of Omaha office and Thor Kolle’s design business. The work to convert the second-story hotel rooms into six executive suites, conference room, and copy machine room is also progressing nicely and will be completed as the units are filled.

“We thought this would be a great building to restore,” Dave said. “There is so much history in this building. If the walls could talk…

“And we feel there is a real need for an incubator-type professional building that can bring in new businesses to downtown Caledonia,” Dave continued.

The executive suites would include heat, electricity, high-speed internet, telephone and fax service, as well as access to a shared copying machine/work area, a second-floor conference room, as well as the ground-floor conference room, which has already been completed.

“We’ve already had a few inquiries from individuals in Rochester and La Crosse who are looking to expend their trade area and are interested in establishing an office in Caledonia,” Dave continued. “They might be starting out with a representative here just one or two days a week, and as the business increases, be here additional days.

“As we fill the building, we also plan to offer some type of receptionist/secretary that could be shared by a number of different renters. By sharing the services, we can keep the costs down, which helps new ventures get up and running quicker,” Dave noted.

By offering office space with all the technology included for a reasonable price, the Piepers feel they can help fledgling businesses and/or businesses currently located in a home requiring more space or privacy, to prosper and possibly grow out of their building and into one of the vacant buildings in downtown Caledonia.

“I really feel once we get this up and running, we will see some in and out movement. And that’s good. The more businesses we can bring to town, the better,” Dave said.

Another angle the Piepers are looking at is renting space to area artists.

“There’s so many really good artists out there who produce their products at their homes, many of which are out of the way, and not on the beaten path,” Dave observed. “I could see one or more of the offices serving as display rooms for a number of artists, who maybe want to collaborate. There really is so much potential with this building.”

And as the tourism trade continues to spill over from Lanesboro, Rushford, and other Fillmore County locations, to Houston County, the Piepers envision more offerings for the historic hotel building.  They not only own the 1874 Williams Hotel, but also the 153-year-old Barnes Hotel section, which is located on North Marshall. The Barnes Hotel, which is one of the oldest buildings still standing in Caledonia, is connected to the Williams Hotel. The ground floor of the Barnes Hotel is leased by ABLE Inc.

“Betsy feels part of the Barnes Hotel could be converted into a restaurant, as well as shops and other offices on the second story. As we develop this facility, there’s all kinds of things we could do. There is so much potential,” Dave added.

The Piepers are planning an open house for this Friday, April 18 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. for folks to get a look at the renovation project.                 

You can contact Charlie Warner at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

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