When the Hillsdale Brewery Was Once an 1880s Brothel

When you pass by some of the old, old buildings in your town, do you ever wonder what they were originally used for? More than likely, they have a richer, more interesting history than any of the newer, more modern structures,

Such is the case with the building that now houses the Hillsdale Brewery Company in HIllsdale.

This building has gone through a number of changes and businesses over approximately 150 years – going back in time chronologically, it has been:
Art works showcase
Auto parts store
Chicken hatchery
Feed processor
Bank
Hotel
Grocer

Get our free mobile app

But the most interesting and intriguing thing about this building is what it was when it originated back in the 1880s. Imagine yourself as a train passenger, getting off the train, looking up at a downtown building, and seeing  ladies in various forms of dress standing in the windows, hoping to tantalize travelers into paying a visit.

The suckers.....er, customers.....that visited would imbibe at the saloon and upstairs they would go - for a visit to Hillsdale that they would remember.

After almost 40 years of questionable activities, in 1916 the city of Hillsdale shut the place down.

Sitting alongside the railroad tracks near the corner of Hillsdale Street and East Carleton Road, the Hillsdale Brewing Company took over and opened in January 2018. Upon visiting, imagine what the place must have been like in the 1880s...