NIehaus Newsletter 1st Quarter 2021

NIEHAUS
First Quarter 2021 • Volume 61, Issue 1 NEWS

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANNIVERSARIES

APRIL JUNE cont’d JUNE

Trevon Taylor Apr 02 Paul Embry Jun 26 Leonard Bolin 10 years
Jeremy Sylvester Apr 03 Eli Ellerman Jun 27 Dennie Wiedner 7 years
Adam Cliver Apr 04 Walt Burnett Jun 29 Blake Abril 6 years
Justin Lowe Apr 07 Jon Byrnes Jun 29 Benny Crow 5 years
Rob Lawson Apr 08 Cole Ginder Jun 30 Erich Goodman 5 years
Donovan Gilbreath Apr 09 Noah Braithwaite Jun 30 Amie Smith 5 years
Rigoberto Lopez-Angeles Apr 16 Roger Faubion 4 years
Troy Moore Apr 21 ANNIVERSARIES Justin Lowe 3 years
Bryce Roark Apr 24 Donovan Gilbreath 2 years
Andrew Hummel Apr 27 APRIL Christopher Ashley 1 year
Jean Boctor Apr 30 David Mincey, Jr 1 year
Roger Faubion Apr 30
Kathy McCreary 35 years NEW EMPLOYEES
MAY May 01 Ken Pettry 17 years
May 03 Rob Lawson 16 years Troy Moore Installed Sales
Logan Kieffer May 04 Melissa Collins 5 years Keegan Fuentes NL-Vincennes
Thomas Johnson May 05 Scott Flenner 3 years Ginger Isley NL-Vincennes
Melissa Collins May 06 Austin Ray 3 years Ryan Chambers WBM Vincennes
Matthew Williams May 07 Nathan Hill 2 years Dacota Ellerman NL-Vincennes
Lisa Mincey May 11 Jeanine Weinzierl 2 years Simon Witherspoon NL-Vincennes
Brook Fuller May 17 Eli Ellerman 1 year Keith Pfoff NL-Vincennes
Benny Hutchinson May 19 Chris Maker 1 year Jeana Wallisa NL-Vincennes
Lane Vories May 24 Rakesh Parkeshi 1 year William DeBord Corporate
Gerald Smith May 25 John Hale NL-Robinson
Doug Mikiska May 26 MAY Dakota Snow NL-Robinson
Scott Charleston May 30 Anthony Helderman NL-Vincennes
Tim Reichenbaugh May 30 Eric Feagley 27 years Andrew Hummel WBM Vincennes
Elizabeth Emmons Mick Gormley 21 years Christopher Payne WBM St Louis
Erich Goodman Jun 01 Chris Hamilton 21 years Lance Skaggs NL-Robinson
Jun 05 Amber Bursott 11 years Sydney Spradling NL-Vincennes
JUNE Jun 06 Rance Meredith 11 years Jamie Miller NL-Vincennes
Jun 07 Tom Bryan 9 years Joseph Fowler WBM-Vincennes
Mark Pope Jun 08 Chad Reel 9 years Jason Bowen WBM St Louis
Stephanie Zachary Jun 13 Kevin Compton 8 years Taylor Valledor NL-Vincennes
Ron Gaines Jun 14 David Flinn 6 years
Ethan Zwilling Jun 15 Lacy Mejean 5 years CONGRATULATIONS
Adam Luken Jun 17
Austin Porter Jun 18 Megan Gospodinoff 3 years Jacob Deckard
Brandon Davis Jun 18 Scott Charleston 1 year on his recent marriage to Heidi. Jacob is
Chris Hamilton Jun 18
Jerry Puffer Jun 22 JUNE employed at Corporate.
Stuart Freeman
Teresa Mullinax Jun 24 Mark Ashcraft 39 years Lance Skaggs
Jeanine Weinzierl Mike Worland 38 years welcoming their daughter, Averi Layne.
Megan Gospodinoff Brian Childs 21 years Lance is employed at Niehaus Lumber in
Mary Beth Robinson 20 years
Dustin Fagg Stephanie Zachary 20 years Robinson.
Don Meredith 17 years
Walt Burnett 16 years

RETAIL WHOLESALE

Evansville • Robinson Evansville •Terre Haute Vincennes • St. Louis
Terre Haute • Vincennes Vincennes
CORPORATE OFFICES
1422 E. Elkhorn Rd. • Vincennes, IN FABRICATING
(812) 886-4412

Bernie Niehaus

CEO

Butch Niehaus David Niehaus Vincennes

President Vice President

Lakewood & the Trolley Cars

I n 1883 trolley car service began in Vincennes. The rails went out Washington
Avenue all the way to Lakewood Park along Main Street to Second Street to
Swartzel. The line did a booming business taking picnickers to the two parks and
shoppers to Main Street for only a nickel fare. Later they were extended down Swartzel
to Columbia Park on the river. My grandfather Ben Niehaus operated a cabinet
manufacturing company on Lyndale Avenue by the river. A 1904 ad for the cabinet
company read “take the street car to investigate our prices and work, before buying
elsewhere.”

In several cities in the U.S., the street car companies would build an amusement park
at the end of the line to help generate fares. This was the case in Vincennes. In 1901 Lakewood Park was
opened which was at the end of the tracks on Washington Avenue. Lakewood Park had a lake for boating,
fishing, and ice skating, and a pavilion for roller skating and dancing. The park advertised the famous “figure
eight” roller coaster. In 1920, the dam broke and Lakewood closed two weeks later. In the early 1970’s Patty
and I bought 30 acres which was the old Lakewood Park. In 1978 we built our family home right in the middle
of this beautiful woods.

In the early 1970’s, a group of business men would meet for lunch at Marone’s Restaurant. One frequent
visitor was Judge Curtis Shake of the famous Nuremberg Trials. Judge was the consummate story teller
and kept our group entertained with his stories. One day he told a story about riding the trolley car out to
Lakewood Park. While at the park, he had an ice cream
treat and still had five cents left over to cover his fare back
home. Trolley car fare was a nickel each way. However,
while he was there, he met a young lady. Well it was
customary in those days that a young lady should not have
to pay her own fare back – but there he was with only one
nickel. So they got on the car, and the conductor came
along asking for the fare. “Well, I gave him the nickel and
squeezed his hand twice. He winked and smiled and then
went on. I always thought he was a pretty nice man.”

The Vincennes trolley cars were also used as fundraisers.
In 1907, Trolley Day was organized by the ladies of the
Hospital Aid Society to purchase furnishings for the new Good Samaritan Hospital which was to open in
1908. For this promotion about 135 ladies worked as street car conductors taking the 5 cent fare. They wore
white dresses and white caps and the trolleys were decorated with colorful streamers. Many people riding
the trolleys paid more than the required 5 cents to benefit the cause. After expenses, a total of $828.66 was
collected for the hospital (an enormous sum a century ago).

By World War I the street cars were rapidly losing money and the management went into debt repairing old
tracks. In 1925, they reached their peak with an average of 4,000 riders a day. But then the farm economy
failed, the automobile became popular, and the parks died. Usage declined to 1,000
riders a day. In 1938, street cars were replaced by buses, thus the demise of the
street cars – and a special era in Vincennes history.

Bernie can be reached at [email protected]

Brain Teaser

Answers on Page 9. A Final Farewell to a Dear Friend

With heavy hearts, the Niehaus Family mourns the loss of Gary “Chilly”

Chillingworth. He passed away January 19, 2021, in the comfort of his son’s

home, following a period of failing health. He was born February 1, 1954, in

Amityville, NY, the son of William P. & Eleanor L. (Harrison) Chillingworth, both of

whom preceded him in death.

Chilly started out in his father’s footsteps working at Briggs Pottery at the age of

18 where he stayed for 20 years until they closed their doors. He then went to

work for Big Buck, later known as Niehaus Lumber. After a few years, he moved

up to Assistant Manager and then later moved to General Manager. He received

his 20 Year Service Award in 2018. He dealt with every aspect of the business,

from helping customers find the best product for their projects to managerial

tasks. Anyone who stepped into the Niehaus Robinson store was always greeted

with a warm “Howdy, How ya doin?” as Chilly smiled and waited to help anyone

who needed his product knowledge. The Robinson store was a family, and Chilly

left a hole in all of our hearts that we will never forget.

Chilly is survived by his son, Brad Chillingworth & fiancée, KayCee Mcdaniel, grandson, Xander Chillingworth,

and his ‘lady-friend’, Sherry Tedford, her children, Jennifer, Derek, and Breanna, and four legged friend, Chloe.

Chilly was, by all accounts, a car fanatic. He had a penchant for muscle cars and was especially drawn to

Dodge Chargers and Challengers, though he could hardly keep a vehicle any longer than a couple of years!

He also enjoyed countless hours riding his motorcycle, and made numerous trips down south, including the

world-famous “Tail of the Dragon” at Deals Gap.

He paired his love of the road with his love of camping. Earlier in his life, he could often be found setting up

camp in Sullivan, but recently found himself gracing the grounds of Whispering Oaks. No matter where he

went, chances were, he’d strike up a conversation. It was evident in the way he interacted with others that the

man simply didn’t know a stranger. Those of us blessed enough to know him will remember Chilly as a big-

hearted man who would give the shirt off of his back to anyone in need. Though he could be more than a little

stubborn at times, it was obvious that his primary concern was the good of his fellow man. Our thoughts &

prayers go out to the Chillingworth family.

Page 4 | NIEHAUS NEWS | 1st Quarter 2021

Our Greatest Assests

Amy Gaultney Walter Burnett Clete Yochum
Corporate Niehaus Lumber WBM Vincennes

David Flinn Terre Haute
Niehaus Lumber
Jerald Jones
Terre Haute Niehaus Lumber

Jake Steinkuhl Robinson
Niehaus Lumber
Ryan Hutchison
Evansville WBM St. Louis

Curtis Smith Robert Lawson
Niehaus Lumber Niehaus Lumber

Evansville Robinson

Tim South Tim Malooley
WBM Vincennes Niehaus Lumber

Terre Haute

Brian Childs
WBM St. Louis

Rance Meredith Mic Gormley Kenny Doades
WBM Vincennes WBM Vincennes Niehaus Lumber

Chris Hamilton Vincennes
WBM Vincennes

Andy Westermann
WBM St Louis

Niehaus Companies Present

2020 Service Awards

This year, the Christmas parties were celebrated a little differently. Each location enjoyed a Christmas feast
at their own location. Several employees were recognized for their years of dedicated service. This year,
Service Awards for 45-year, 40-year, 20-year, 15-year, 10-year and 5-year were presented. We value each of
these employees and their contributions ensure the continued success of Niehaus Companies
Thank you to the Niehaus family for these great events, recognition, and creating opportunities for so many.

FLOORS, FLOORS,

WELCOME TO THE TEAM!

Keith Pfoff - Floor Manager

Niehaus Lumber welcomes back Keith Pfoff,
Flooring Manager at Inspire Design Center in
Vincennes! With over 45 years of experience in
flooring, Keith is your flooring expert.
Keith was born & raised in Vincennes, IN where
he graduated from Lincoln High School. He
comes with an enormous amount of product
knowledge and can help any home owner when it
comes to floors.
Keith and Renee, his wife, have been married for
XX Years. Speaking with Keith it is clear he is very
proud of all of his daughters accomplishments -
Staci, Occupational Therapist; Miranda, Nurse
Practitioner; Andrea, Nurse; Haley; Owner
of Paw Spa in Vincennes; Alyssa, Marketing
Manager in Indianapolis. When Keith isn’t cutting
carpet or measuring floors, he enjoys hunting &
being around his family. He also enjoys fishing
with his daughters & ten grandkids, even though
he spends most of the time pulling lines out of
trees.

Niehaus Lumber flooring associates will help you select
the perfect flooring for your particular application. We will
come to your home and measure for your new flooring
for FREE. We want you to be completely satisfied with
your flooring purchase, and we’re working to exceed your
expectations! Installing can be tough, we have partnered
with top quality installers to complete your flooring project.
We sell the Nation’s top brand – Mohawk Flooring. We
feature the area’s LARGEST showroom, a selection of
carpet, hardwood, laminate, vinyl, tile, commercial carpet,
engineered hardwood, ceramic tile and specialty flooring!
We have an extensive selection of in-stock flooring, ready
to take home today. We also offer an extensive selection of
special order flooring to meet your style and your budget.
See a carpet you like but you still want hardwood floors?
We can create a custom rug out of your favorite carpet to
fit your style! With the state-of-the-art Accu-Cut, we are
able to cut your carpet to the perfect size in seconds!

Page 6 | NIEHAUS NEWS | 1st Quarter 2021

FLOORS & MORE!

OUR PARTNERS

Over the years, we have worked very diligently to
bring you the best products with the best prices. In
doing so, we have the opportunity to partner with
amazing vendors who support our business with
excellent customer service, training, and help us
keep up with trends.

Color Black White

SCAN THE QR SPECIAL FINANCING
CODE FOR MORE
With the Mohawk Credit Card*, we aim to provide
INFO! you with the financial management tool to get your
household exactly what you want, when you want it. Now
you can keep your cash and general credit cards freed up
for family needs and emergencies.
No interest financing on any in-store purchase of $399
or more. Subject to credit approval. Mohawk Credit Card
with Synchrony- Changing What’s Possible.
To apply or find out more about our flooring department,
scan the QR code!

1st Quarter 2021 | NIEHAUS NEWS | Page 7

BRISKET ON A STICK

Ingredients

1 rack, Beef Short Ribs
Meat Church Holy Cow BBQ Seasoning

The How To’s

Prepare your Smoker at 250°F. Use a heavy wood pellet such

as oak or mesquite. Trim any hard fat or silver off the meat side

of the rack of ribs. Flip the ribs meat side down and remove

the thick membrane off the back of the rack. This is easily

accomplished by grabbing the membrane with a paper towel

and pulling it off. Removing the membrane will allow your rub

to penetrate into the meat more effectively.

Apply a heavy coat of the Meat Church Holy Cow seasoning

on the bone side. Allow the rub to adhere for 15 minutes. Flip

over the rack of ribs and repeat the process thoroughly covering the meat with seasoning. Allow the meat

side seasoning to adhere for at least 30 minutes. Place the ribs meat side up in the smoker. You can spritz

the ribs every hour or so with a liquid such as beef broth or even water. The cook on 3 bone, beef short ribs

will take near 8 hours total. You can wrap them tightly in unwaxed butcher paper (or foil) at the 6 hour mark.

Look for the tenderness mark when the internal temp is 210°F (the meat will feel jiggly). Remove the ribs

from the smoker and allow to rest and cool while lightly tented in aluminum foil for 15 – 20 minutes. Cut &

Enjoy! Meat Church Rubs & Sauces now available at Niehaus Lumber in Vincennes!

NIEHAUS NEWS Scholarship Award

This newsletter is the Editor/Photographer/Writer: The Niehaus Family
official publication of Brian Kirwer Scholarship was awarded
events and activities to MaCaine Claycomb of
of NC, Inc. [email protected] Vincennes. Cane is in his
Emily Niehaus second year at Vincennes
University and completed
[email protected] his Construction
Technology Degree in
December of 2020. After
college, he will pursue a job
in construction and plants
to own his own business
one day. During the summer of 2020, Cane worked
alongside Ben Niehaus and the Installed Sales Professional
Crew. He learned how to install gutters, insulation, and
many other duties that may help him later in his career.
Cane enjoys playing baseball at VU and spending time with
his family and friends. He was named Academic All State
for VU Baseball. We would like to congratulate Cane and
wish him the best in all of his future endeavors!

Brain Teaser Answers

Did you know you now At the office BBQ, I grilled a
have access to over 67,000 medium rare steak for my boss,
products on our website? and he said, “I like it well done!” I
Your online order ships said, “Thanks. That means a lot.”
FREE when you choose to
have it delivered to any of
the four Niehaus Lumber
locations - Vincennes,
Robinson, Evansville or
Terre Haute. Visit our
website or scan the QR code below to search for your
spring must haves!

Connect

WITH US

1st Quarter 2021 | NIEHAUS NEWS | Page 9



Employees in Profile

VINCENNES Scott Charleston
ROBINSON
EVANSVILLE Scott Charleston is the Retail Manager at Niehaus Lumber in Vincennes. He has been
VINCENNES with us for almost nine months. When presented the challenge of leading the store
remodel, Scott jumped right in and has successfully been leading the remodel. Before
working at Niehaus, he worked at Walmart Distribution in IT for 8 years & then owned his
own screen printing graphics company for 8 years.
Scott was born and raised in Boston, MA but he did not stay there for long, he was a military
brat. He spent half of his life in Long Beach, CA, made his way to Illinois where he eventually
moved to Vincennes. Scott & Ashley, his wife, have been married for 21 years and have two
kids - Gavin, 15, and Cala, 12. They both attend South Knox where they are very active in
baseball, basketball, soccer and softball. When Scott is not working, he enjoys playing guitar,
camping, coaching sports and Frisbee golf. He takes pride in his family and serving his Church
and community.

Scott Flenner

Scott Flenner is the Yard Manager at Niehaus Lumber in Robinson. He helps organize
the yard, load trucks, manages yard personnel, and is always the first to lend a helping
hand around the store. He has been with the company for over two years. Before
Scott worked at Niehaus, he was a painter and worked at Union Steel.
Scott was born in Paris, IL and grew up in Robinson, IL where he graduated from Robinson
High School. He has been with his girlfriend, Linde, for over 28 years. When Scott isn’t
working, he enjoys riding his Harley and spending time with his many, many grandkids.

Lisa Brothers

Lisa Brothers is an Inside Sales Representative at Niehaus Lumber in Evansville. She
waits on customers, helps with all inquiries, receives new product, and lends a hand
wherever needed. Lisa has been with us for over 2 years. Before working at Niehaus,
she worked in a local lumber yard for 33 years until they had to close their doors.
Lisa was born and raised in Evansville, IN where she graduated from Bosse High School.
She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications and TV Broadcast at the University
of Southern Indiana. Looking back, she chuckles. Lisa and Rickey, her husband, have been
married for 25 years. Together, they have three kids - Bradford, Brittney and Adam.
She enjoys spending her time traveling the World, spending time with her family, four
grandchildren and friends. Lisa is always there with open arms when you need her.

Chuck Young

Chuck Young is a Custom Door Builder in the Door Mill. He builds sidelite units,
patio doors, and double doors. He will earn his 15 year service award this year.
Before working in the Door Mill, he worked in construction and farming.
He was born in Washington State and shortly moved to Florida before finally settling down
in Vincennes, IN. He graduated from North Knox High School. Sara, his wife of eleven
years, works at Vincennes University. They have a daughter, Avery,8, who is following in her
dads footsteps and attends North Knox. Chuck is a man of simple things, he enjoys hunting
and fishing.

1st Quarter 2021 | NIEHAUS NEWS | Page 11

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