Sale of Scandinavian hall may be end of annual lutefisk dinner
By Meagan Sextonmsexton@siouxcityjournal.com | Posted: Sunday, November 16, 2008
Sue Munson, left, prepares a plate for Mary Jen Bromander during the Sons of Norway annual lutefisk dinner Saturday at the Scandinavian Societies hall in Sioux City. (Staff photo by Jim Lee)
SIOUX CITY -- The Scandinavian Societies hall on Fourth Street in Sioux City that has been home to many organizations for more than two decades is closing its doors, said Dave Gross, president of the local chapter of Sons of Norway.
Gross, 46, of Sioux City, said many members are wondering if the annual lutefisk dinner, which was Saturday, will continue.
He said he is unsure whether the Sons of Norway will be able to continue the tradition of hosting lutefisk dinners.
"We don't know for sure what's going to be next year," Gross said. "It's been harder and harder to get people to work and do things. Everyone's getting older and there's not a lot of young people taking over. It could be the last one or we might take a year off."
Gross said the Scandinavian Societies sold the four-story building at 1801 Fourth St., in which his group has met and held annual lutefisk dinners since 1986.
He said they elected to sell the building after losing a tenant, Hatch Furniture which leased a portion of the building.
Hatch Furniture was a major source of income to keep the building up and running, said Chuck Schuett, director of the Nordic Male Chorus.
Gross said the Sons of Norway, Swedish Vasa Lodge and the Nordic Male Chorus will now meet at the Immanuel Lutheran Church at 315 Hamilton Blvd.
Schuett said losing the building is bittersweet.
"The building requires a lot of maintenance and work and when tenants leave, it gets difficult to cover costs," Schuett said.
Doris Andersen, 69, of Sioux City, said having the lutefisk dinner in the building one last time was sentimental for her.
"We're going to miss the building," Andersen said. "I wish we would have been a little more frugal in the past so it (the building) wouldn't have been gone so soon."
Gross, 46, of Sioux City, said many members are wondering if the annual lutefisk dinner, which was Saturday, will continue.
He said he is unsure whether the Sons of Norway will be able to continue the tradition of hosting lutefisk dinners.
"We don't know for sure what's going to be next year," Gross said. "It's been harder and harder to get people to work and do things. Everyone's getting older and there's not a lot of young people taking over. It could be the last one or we might take a year off."
Gross said the Scandinavian Societies sold the four-story building at 1801 Fourth St., in which his group has met and held annual lutefisk dinners since 1986.
He said they elected to sell the building after losing a tenant, Hatch Furniture which leased a portion of the building.
Hatch Furniture was a major source of income to keep the building up and running, said Chuck Schuett, director of the Nordic Male Chorus.
Gross said the Sons of Norway, Swedish Vasa Lodge and the Nordic Male Chorus will now meet at the Immanuel Lutheran Church at 315 Hamilton Blvd.
Schuett said losing the building is bittersweet.
"The building requires a lot of maintenance and work and when tenants leave, it gets difficult to cover costs," Schuett said.
Doris Andersen, 69, of Sioux City, said having the lutefisk dinner in the building one last time was sentimental for her.
"We're going to miss the building," Andersen said. "I wish we would have been a little more frugal in the past so it (the building) wouldn't have been gone so soon."
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