From a City Activities scrapbook. The Beloit Daily News article is dated April 15, 1969.
Speaking of overwhelming – just wait until the new Chas. V. Weise Department Store in Beloit Plaza opens Thursday. From the 60 color-coded departments to Weise Town Hall, which seats 80 and is available to civic organizations free of charge, the only word is overwhelming. The Children’s Department has nursery animals painted on the wall, the boys’ dressing room has felt figures and the girls’ dressing area is an attractive black and white, polka dot pattern. There are two welded metal sculptures, and one of them features a waterfall.
“It’s all in connection with the modern spirit of the store,” said Gorlyn Wermager, manager. Besides being available to civic organizations, Wermager said Weise’s will conduct fashion shows, foundation clinics and beauty schools in its auditorium.
There is an ultramodern sprinkler system (just in case) and the only incinerator at the Plaza which is gas fueled and the best available in pollution control, according to Jerry Welch, a vice president of the Weise group.
Weise’s is the first store to have escalators in Beloit and it boasts two of them, one up and one down. Glass counters and numerous gazebos throughout the store have made for an orderly and attractive use of the 58,000 square feet of merchandising space. A Penthouse, housing the heating, cooling, water softening and electrical equipment, brings the total square footage to 73,000. The first electrical bill was for $2,200.
Six flagpoles will hold the federal, state and city flags. The women’s dressing rooms sport orange curtains. Candelabras, gold painted wooden beams, hanging fish nets, wood paneling and simulated brick separate department walls and a shopper will be able to stand anywhere in the store and know where one department begins and another ends.
More than 150 full and part-time persons will be employed. Most positions are filled, but there are still a few openings. One employee at the snack bar previously worked at the Beloit College Student Union several years.
If all this isn’t enough, the building is constructed so a third story can be added.