What is now the Meuter building at 530 W. Oak was built in 1880 as a single-family home. Later, the first floor was expanded to fill the front and side of the lot, adding 600 sqft to its footprint. To accomplish this, the entire north and west load-bearing walls were removed and replaced with steel columns and beams, so that the ground floor would be one large, open space.

The Meuter Family

In 1922, Frederick J. Meuter purchased the 530 Oak building, and opened a bakery. He demolished the wooden garage behind the building in 1928 and erected a ceramic block and brick carriage house. He later connected the main house and carriage house with a stucco annex, completely filling the 530 lot. Meuter leased these additional units to such businesses as a cleaners and a beauty shop for many years, and rented out the second-floor carriage house apartments to private residents.

In the mid 1960's, Meuter retired; 530 was leased to the Old Limerick Tavern until 1978. Frederick's son Walter, who operated a brokerage and insurance business out of 1205 S. 6th from the late '70's to early '90's, inherited the complex from his father in 1973, which included the adjacent 528 and 526 W. Oak lots. Walter Meuter left the buildings to his son Craig F. Meuter. Craig later sold them in 2004 to Jeff Blanchard, Nathan Broom and Jon Coole, a coterie who founded Oak Seed, Inc., for the purpose of restoring the structure.