9-11 Elm Street – Andover Spa Building
Built 1922 – 1923 remodeled in 1965

Marie A. and Gustav Yunggebauer purchased the “Elm Block” property (#1 – 7 Elm St.) which included this empty lot on June 30, 1920 from Frances A. Flint, widow of John H. Flint. The property was once part of the former Elm House Hotel property acquired by the Flints in the summer of 1892. The hotel was razed in 1894 when the Musgrove Building was constructed. The Yunggebauer family owned a provisions store, once located at 10 North Main Street in the Daly Block and relocated to the storefront at 1 Elm Street in the Elm Block when they purchased it in 1920.

A news reference published in “Andover, What It Was, and What It Is” published 1946 states; "G. A. Yunggebauer built new business block just east of the Elm Block, in 1922. This block is the current Andover Spa building.

When constructed the “Spa Building” contained two store fronts and was numbered 9 – 11 Elm Street. The original building facade was of red brick with two triangular shaped pediments attached to a brick freeze above the clerestory windows. Each storefront was symmetrical as pictured below in the Dantos Brothers photograph. It appears that the building was not completed until 1923. The Danto’s Brothers from Haverhill, MA may have been the first tenants. The 1923 Andover street directory lists no businesses at this address.

Peter & George Danto’s grocery store included the sale of cigars, cigarettes & confectionery items. AT October 5, 1923 pg. 1- New Store Opens on Elm Street Today – A store for the sale of ice cream, confectionary, cigars, sodas, and fruit, owned by Dantus [sic] brothers of Haverhill opened for business today in Yunggebauer’s block just off Elm square. Dontus [sic] brothers conduct a similar business in Haverhill. The building in which the Andover store is situated, as well as the equipment, is new and the management promises a perfectly sanitary soda fountain.
Advertisement on page 5 – Opening – Splendid line of Candy, Cigars, Cigarettes and Fruits – Sanitary Soda Fountain – Dantus Brothers – Elm St. At the Square.

By 1926 it was called the “Andover Spa” at 9 Elm Street. The store at 11 Elm is Shorten Brother’s Auto Supplies. James A. & Walter R. Shorten are living next door at #13 Elm. The Shorten’s later moved their house to the rear of their lot in 1928 and built the Service Station now listed as #15 Elm Street.

In 1932 Gloria Lunch is listed at #11 and from 1939 – 1941 this store is vacant. In 1942 the Dantos Brother’s expanded their business into the adjacent store although the two front doors still remained. Number 9 was the variety and grocery store and #11 had a long soda fountain along the east wall. A quick meal could also be obtained to go with the soda or ice cream.

I believe the soda fountain side may have been called “Pete’s” and the variety store side was the “Spa”. The names have been used interchangeably by Andover natives to this day to refer to the building. The current store facade was built in 1965 by Phidias G. Dantos, son of George Dantos. Phidias became the sole proprietor in January 1964 and Edward J. Madden the manager. Plans to renovate the store began that year. The construction remodeling took place gradually over the next year. The grand opening was held in June of 1965. The wall dividing the two separate spaces was removed. The former location of the lunch counter became the magazine rack and location for the Boston and New York newspapers along side the local Lawrence Tribune and The Townsman. The lunch counter was moved to the rear of the store.

The exterior facade was changed to the current look. The former entrance at #9 was removed, new windows added and the brick above was covered with clapboarding for a unified look. The Spa also lays claim of being the store that started the “Andover” tradition of buying and selling coconuts on Memorial Day. Although this tradition has faded away in recent years there was a time when nearly every family or child had purchased a coconut at the Memorial Day Parade. Most stores who stocked them were usually sold out before the start of the parade.

Oct. 5, 1923 – New Store opens on Elm Street today – Dantos brothers of Haverhill in Yunggebaur’s block.
Peter Dantos is the man on the right with the apron. Note the delivery man with the block of ice.

June 6, 1924 pg. 2 “Coconuts Destroyed” bad lot, not sold on Memorial Day. Check to see which store in town

ANDOVER SPA, 9 – 11 Main Street Gail Rawlston’s notes
Andover Spa / Subways (2011) / Raspberries / Cupcake Boutique (2010)
Andover Spa also known as Pete’s
Newspapers/Confectioneries, Dantos Family, 1921-1969, soda counter was popular evening hang-out
Ward’s Lunch / then Ernie Verrette’s (who moved to Musgrove)
(Ward’s was in a space only on the right side of the bldg.; Verrette’s was on the left side)