H & R BLOCK NEW OFFICE BUILDING

THE FORMER LIQUOR STORE BUILDING  AT 111 SOUTH OLIVE STREET, WAS PURCHASED BY DAVID AND JOLYN RICHARDS AND REMODELED INTO THEIR NEW OFFICES FOR THE H & R BLOCK FRANCHISE THAT THEY PURCHASED IN 2013.       THEY NEEDED MORE ROOM THAN THEY
HAD AT THEIR OLD LOCATION NEXT TO THE THEATRE AND THEY HAVE THE
ROOM THEY NEEDED NOW.  

DAVID RETIRED FROM THE U.S. AIRFORCE AFTER 20 YEARS AND HAS BEEN
WORKING FOR H & R BLOCK SINCE.     IN 2013 THEY PURCHASED THE BUSINESS FROM LONGTIME OWNER, RITA SCHNOOR.   JOLYN WORKS WITH HER HUSBAND IN THE BUSINESS AND THEY HAVE ABOUT 6 OTHER
EMPLOYEES THAT WORK  EITHER FULL OR PART TIME.   THEY ALSO DO
ACCOUNTING WORK AND OF COURSE, JANUARY-APRIL IS THE VERY BUSY
TIME OF THE YEAR PREPARING INCOME TAXES.    DAVID ALSO HAS AN
INSURANCE AGENCY IN THE BUILDING, SO HE IS KEPT VERY BUSY ALL THE
TIME, AND IS ENJOYING THE WORK AND NEW HEADQUARTERS.     DAVID AND JOLYN HAVE 4 CHILDREN, TWO STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL.

THE H & R COMPANY COLOR IS LIGHT GREEN.   THIS WIDE HALLWAY
LEADS TO ALL THE OFFICES OF EMPLOYEES:   DIANE DERGANZ, JUDITH WHEELER, ROBERT LAUGHLIN, DENISE CLARK, VERNA McNAMEE, RITA
SCHNOOR AND DAVID'S OFFICE.    JOLYN HAS THE RECEPTION DESK.
THERE IS A NICE "BREAK-KITCHEN ROOM" FOR EMPLOYEES TO THE BACK,
COMPLETE WITH A DOOR THAT WAS THE REFRIGERATION DOOR FOR THE
LIQUOR STORE.....AND THERE IS STILL THE DRIVE-UP WINDOW WHICH THEY
WILL BE USING A LITTLE.

THE LOBBY (MORE GREEN OF COURSE)  AND ON THE WALLS.....STOP IN AND
LOOK AT A FEW OLD,  BLOWN-UP PHOTOS OF MAQUOKETA IN THE OLDEN
DAYS.

EVERY OFFICE IS ATTRACTIVE LIKE THIS ONE.     THIRTY YEARS AGO, THERE WOULD HAVE BEEN A SMART NEW TYPEWRITER ON THIS DESK.
'

THIS IS DAVID'S OFFICE, THE ONLY ONE WITH TWO DOORS.   IN A HURRY,
HE CAN USE THE NEAREST ONE TO SAVE TIME.

RITA SCHNOOR CONTINUES-ON AT THE OFFICE, WITH LESS WORRIES NOW.
THE LONGTIME TOP-MAQUOKETA-BOWLER, STILL ENJOYS THE JOB SHE HAS HAD FOR OVER 25 YEARS.    SHE TOLD ME THAT H & R BLOCK HAS HAD A
MAQUOKETA LOCATION FOR OVER 50 YEARS.    FIRST RUN BY AVERLE HAGER WIDDES, NOW LIVING IN DUBUQUE....ANN McNAMEE WHO DIED EARLIER THIS YEAR....RITA SCHNOOR AND NOW DAVID.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE "RICHARDS" AND STAFF AT H & R BLOCK IN DOWNTOWN MAQUOKETA.

PHOTOS/STORY BY DENNIS VOY
kmaq@kmaq.com