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22 W. Busse - Dugout Militaria Ltd.
Just looking at 22 W. Busse you
can tell that the building has a history. William Wille, one of Mount Prospect's
most prominent builders, built the building as a tavern in the early twentieth
century. Wille had also constructed the Central School (currently located on the
corner of Thayer and Wille Streets) and Wille Hall (demolished). This saloon was
a center in the community, even for elected officials, who were reported to meet
in Wille’s Tavern after holding meetings in Wille Hall or the Central School.
Around the turn of the century
Mount Prospect was beginning to grow and was starting to develop new
organizations.
The village was not yet incorporated and the first village hall would not be
built for decades. There was no Library, no senior center, and no park district,
so the people interested in developing a community had few places to meet. Wille
Hall, Central School and Wille’s Tavern became the main locations for meetings.
Much of what we know today as Mount Prospect was hashed out in these three
buildings. The village was
incorporated
in Central School, early meeting of the Village Trustees and the Chamber were
held in Wille Hall and almost every one met in Wille Saloon. During prohibition
Wille Saloon remained in use, although it no longer sold alcohol. It
became Wille's Buffet and attracted locals as a place to meet, play cards or play
pool. The first barber shop in Mount Prospect was also in Wille Saloon,
tucked away in the back room. Adolph Wille, William Wille's son, was granted a
license allowing one barber's chair in 1922. Shortly after starting in the hair
cutting business, Adolph built the small shop next door and brought in a
professional
barber named Lou Baldini. Adolph went back to running a saloon in 1933 with the
repeal of prohibition. Wille's Tavern remained open, although it moved in 1951
to 32 W. Busse. Adolph Wille remained the head barkeeper until 1986 when he was
killed in a car accident at the age of 93. His son, R’Dell continued running the
business for a few years, until he retired. After the family sold Wille Saloon,
it changed hands a number of times, being used as everything from a comic book
store to storage space.