Staff photo by Clay Schuldt New Ulm’s Own free trade store hosted a special open house Saturday to celebrate their building’s 100th anniversary.

NEW ULM — New Ulm’s Own free trade store hosted a special open house Saturday to celebrate their building’s 100th anniversary.

The building at 212 N. Minnesota St. was constructed in January 1920 and was home to several businesses over the century. It began as a movie theater and operated on several names beginning with the Grand Theatre. In 1962, it was remodeled and was the home of New Ulm Savings and Loan Association. Later it was the Minnesota Federal Savings and Loan. Kraft had office space in the back of the building from 1966 to 1981.

Currently, the building is home to Nadel Kunst knitting supply and New Ulm’s Own. Nadel Knust is the longest tenant to operate out of the building, opening in 1983. New Ulm’s Own open in 2017.

New Ulm’s Own served coffee and cake for the opening house. Peggy Sundell said one of the most popular items sold at the fair trade market was coffee. The fair-trade coffee was popular with customers as were the chocolate and baskets.

Sister Cecilia said New Ulm’s Own is a place for people interested in social justice.

“It is a place to come to support people with small businesses in different parts of the world,” she said.

Items in the store come from Africa, Asia and South America.

A message board at the front of the building collected messages from people who wished to share memories of past businesses. The first message was from an individual who saw their first movie there when it was called Time Theatre.

Jim and Chris Olson shared their memories of making mortgage payments on their first home.

One man told the staff he had once cut quilt patterns at Nadel Kunst for the previous owner.